Heather and Ciara met at BIMM Institute and formed the band Creek in 2013 with guitarist Ben Bateman and bassist Ryan Marsden. Their song “Lust” gained local popularity and received radio airplay, leading to a number of local gigs. In 2014, band changed its name to Pale Waves and Hugo and Charlie joined soon after, in 2015. Heather has said that the band name comes from the title of a painting owned by her grandmother.
They were signed to record label Dirty Hit in 2016 and their first two singles, 2017's "There's a Honey" and "Television Romance", were produced by Matthew Healy of labelmates The 1975. Their first EP, All the Things I Never Said, was released in February 2018. In September 2018, they released their debut album My Mind Makes Noises.
Early in 2019, the band shared plans to release an EP that year, but decided later to focus on their second album. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020—as well as the decision to approach the new album with a different stylistic direction inspired by the music of the 1990s and 2000s—delayed the production and release of new music until late 2020.
The band’s second album, Who Am I?, was released on February 12, 2021, preceded by the single "Change”, which was released on November 10, 2020. It debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart.
Unwanted, Pale Waves' third album, was released on August 12, 2022. The album represents yet another stylistic leap for the band, this time adding pop punk influences to their evolving sound.
Without You
Pale Waves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seasons change
It's no fun to stay the same
So I drift on with the tide
You get hurt
Then you learn
Light the candle, let it burn
'Cause there's darkness in the light
Feels like a piece of me is missing
But I've tried absolutely everything
And I don't know how I'm supposed to feel
Without you
Without you
'Cause we're not who we used to be before
Without you (the world still spins)
Without you (the day begins)
'Cause the truth is you're not here anymore
I guess I'll learn to carry on without you
It is such a tragedy
All I have is these memories
To get me through the night
After all is said and done
I fought my best but never won
And my world changed to black and white
Feels like a piece of me is missing
But I've tried absolutely everything
And I don't know how I'm supposed to act
Without you
Without you
'Cause we're not who we used to be before
Without you (the world still spins)
Without you (the day begins)
'Cause the truth is that you're not here anymore
I guess I'll learn to carry on without you
I tried and tried to make you stay
Was there something I didn't say?
I live with that now
I live with that now
Now my tears could fill an ocean
And I'm stuck here in the same emotion
I survived somehow
Yeah, I survived somehow
'Cause I don't know how I'm supposed to feel
Without you
Without you
'Cause we're not who we used to be before
Without you (the world still spins)
Without you (the day begins)
'Cause the truth is you're not here anymore
I guess I'll learn to carry on without you
How am I supposed to live without you?
The lyrics of Pale Waves's song Without You are about the difficulties of dealing with the end of a relationship and the after-effects of losing someone that you once loved. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, with the idea that people move on and things change even when it's tough. The following lines reference learning from the pain of loss and the idea that light can still be found in the darkness. The chorus of the song talks about the struggle of moving forward without the person who's no longer there, feeling like there's something missing and the difficulty of adjusting to a new reality.
The verses delve deeper into the effects of losing someone, with the singer struggling to let go of the past and the memories they shared. The lyrics suggest that the singer tried everything to keep the relationship going, but in the end, it was not enough. The song talks about the sense of loss that remains after the relationship ends, with the singer admitting that they don't know how to feel or act without the other person. The bridge of the song is an emotional reflection on the aftermath of losing someone and the pain of trying to move on from it.
Overall, the lyrics of Without You are a moving expression of the emotional struggles of dealing with the end of a relationship and the challenges of moving forward without someone who was once an important part of your life. The song paints an honest and raw picture of the complex emotions, thoughts, and memories that linger after loss.
Line by Line Meaning
People move
Life keeps moving and changing
Seasons change
Just like seasons change, life changes too
It's no fun to stay the same
Staying the same can be boring and unfulfilling
So I drift on with the tide
I go with the flow of life, wherever it may take me
You get hurt
Sometimes life hurts and can be painful
Then you learn
From the pain and hurt, we can learn and grow
Light the candle, let it burn
We need to face our fears and let them burn away
'Cause there's darkness in the light
Even when things seem bright and happy, there can be darkness lurking beneath the surface
Feels like a piece of me is missing
I feel incomplete without you
But I've tried absolutely everything
I've done all I can to bring you back
And I don't know how I'm supposed to feel
I'm confused and don't know what to do
Without you
Now that you're gone, I feel lost and alone
'Cause we're not who we used to be before
Our relationship has changed since you left
Without you (the world still spins)
Even though you're gone, the world keeps turning
Without you (the day begins)
Life goes on without you, even though it's hard for me
'Cause the truth is you're not here anymore
I have to face the reality that you're gone
I guess I'll learn to carry on without you
I'll have to find a way to live without you in my life
It is such a tragedy
Losing you is a terrible and sad thing
All I have is these memories
Memories are all I have left of our time together
To get me through the night
Memories help me cope with my loneliness and sadness
After all is said and done
Despite everything that's happened
I fought my best but never won
I tried my hardest, but I couldn't keep you in my life
And my world changed to black and white
Without you, my life lost its color and joy
I tried and tried to make you stay
I did everything I could to keep you with me
Was there something I didn't say?
Did I miss something important that could have changed your mind?
I live with that now
I have to accept that I can't change the past
Now my tears could fill an ocean
I cry so much that it feels like I could fill an entire ocean
And I'm stuck here in the same emotion
I can't seem to move past my sadness and grief
I survived somehow
In spite of everything, I'm still here
How am I supposed to live without you?
I don't know how to move on without you in my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andrew Goldstein, Heather Baron-Gracie, Zachary Cervini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
archer_scalie
This song means so much, it's so pretty, the soft vocals with the harder gentle rock sounds is gorgeous. "I guess I'll learn to carry on without you" can apply to so much, a breakup, the loss of a parent, getting over an abuser, losing someone close to you, etc. This song gives so much comfort, and brings so much gentle joy. One of my favorites off the album, I love u pale waves <3 thanks for helping heal our hearts.
J Santiago Gutiérrez
You guys have the magical energy of the 2000s!!! Thanks for this little master piece. You getting better and better!
Cloude
my favourite track from the album!
츄
this album gives me strength while im going thru a break-up.
Jo April Lyn Viñas
I feel you too.💙
츄
@NasikaSakura stay strong to us.
Rupin CR
Sob
NasikaSakura
Same. 💔 We'll get through this.
Jerryme Herrera
Their ballads make me wanna cry😭😭😭
jordan pedersen
Legit no shame in it either so many emotions thinking of those we've lost 😢