June 14, 2011 will be a bigger day.
On the former, they decided to put off the next year of college, giving themselves 365 days to make a career out of rock n' roll.
On the latter, Paradise Fears will release "Yours Truly," their debut full-length album, as one of the most potent and rapidly-growing young pop rock acts in the country.
In July 2010, just months after the majority of the band's high school graduation, they released Make Them Believe EP, produced by Jordan Schmidt (All Time Low, Sing it Loud). In just 8 months, the album has sold several thousand copies nation-wide, and the band's career has taken off. They've completed nation-wide tours with Quietdrive and Floral Terrace across 32 different states, and have shared the stage with acts like Stereo Skyline, The Audition, and You, Me, and Everyone We Know.
Coming from a town of 3,000 year round residents in a state noted for its lack of a music scene, nothing has come easy. But these six kids grew up fast. "It's been an entirely self taught process...with a very steep learning curve. We've had to teach ourselves how to promote, how to book shows, how to tour, how to record, everything…but it gives us a very unique approach, because in our area, what we're doing is so unprecedented that we haven't fallen victim the generic, cookie-cutter career path, and instead we've received a tremendous amount of support from our home town." explained lead singer Sam Miller.
Though they may be young, Paradise Fears has several things going for them:
First, an incredibly energetic and engaging live show that can win over even the most uninterested bystander, described by one Battle of the Bands judge as "N'Sync meets a UFC cage match." They were crowned champions of a 65-band, Midwest-wide Battle of the Bands in October, sponsored by Rawkzilla magazine, scoring them $14,000 in endorsements, equipment, and cash. Their performance, described by Paul Pederson (Prince, Steve Miller band), was "absolutely spectacular, one in a million, and completely breath-taking."
Second, an arsenal of infectiously catchy and musically developed rock-pop songs, some of which received airplay on top 40 radio stations throughout the Midwest. David Hooper of Music Business Radio described Make Them Believe as "catchy and remarkably polished, particularly given the age [of the members.]"
Third, an incredibly loyal internet following of all different ages. In just 8 months, their Facebook, Twitter, and social networking profiles have acquired tens of thousands of fans/ followers, and are still rapidly expanding by hundreds daily. "One of the best parts about our style of music has always been that it's not limited - it's the kind of music that someone can appreciate with their 12-year-old sister or their 70-year-old grandmother," said keyboard-player Michael Walker.
Finally, and most importantly, an insatiable drive for success. Paradise Fears is constantly touring or recording, and when they aren't, they're exploring new and creative ways of expanding their fan base. Most recently, the band split into three teams, racing around the country following large tours in a competition to meet the most potential listeners. 50,000 miles, 10,000 demos, and 5,000 CDs later, their "Amazing Race" has created both hundreds of fans and a Paradise Fears buzz in every major market in the United States.
The large-scale release of a full-length album will be a huge step forward in the band's career. Recording time for "Yours Truly" was split between Schmidt and Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (Mayday Parade, Cartel). It will feature 11 new songs, tremendously evolved in music and lyrics. "It's a new found maturity for us...these songs are real. We wrote songs about people we love, songs about people we hate, songs that tell stories…it's an album full of songs we really love," described guitarist Cole Andre.
But why so independent? Says Miller, "That's the way we want to do it, and the dream we've always envisioned. We're financing it, we're writing it, we're releasing it, we're promoting it. It started out as just the six of us, and come good or come bad, we've still always got that. We're committed to being able to make it ourselves."
Now or Never
Paradise Fears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the stillness takes us over,
anticipation sets in,
like the distant strings of your favorite song,
and the first note is the best note,
you were like the ocean,
perfect is your motion,
you were like a scene that I played in my head,
singing now or never,
swearing every word,
we said we'd be together,
said we'd always have a chance to make it,
we'll make it,
every month is another mistake,
every second growing closer to heartbreak,
what are we doing here,
why is nothing clear?
in your eyes,
surprises have shown me the way that I hurt you,
I swear I don't want to,
you're always there to remind me of when,
you were like the ocean,
perfect is your motion,
the world is closing in,
you were like a scene that I played in my head,
singing now or never,
swearing every word,
we said we'd be together,
said we'd always have a chance to make it,
we'll make it,
and you won't know,
no you'll never know,
which way to go,
which way to go,
you were like a scene that I played in my head,
singing now or never,
swearing every word,
we said we'd be together,
said we'd always have a chance to make it,
we'll make it,
woah x 3
The lyrics to Paradise Fears's song "Now or Never" are all about the feeling of uncertainty that comes with a romantic relationship. The first stanza talks about feeling like something big is coming, like the start of a favorite song. Then the singer reminisces about how their partner used to make them feel, like they were the perfect and beautiful ocean. However, there is a sense of foreboding as the world closes in around them and mistakes are made. The singer and their partner are struggling to determine where they stand in their relationship, and it is causing a lot of inner turmoil.
The chorus is a nostalgic look back at happier times between the singer and their partner. The phrase "now or never" suggests that the singer is feeling like it is time to make a commitment to their partner, rather than continue to let the relationship flounder. However, it seems like the state of their relationship is still up in the air, leaving the singer feeling lost and unsure about the future. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer doesn't know which way to turn, and they worry that they might lose their partner before they can figure things out.
Overall, the lyrics to "Now or Never" capture the complex feelings and doubts that often arise in romantic relationships. It's a vulnerable and relatable song that speaks to the fear of losing someone you care about.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel this rushing closer,
I sense that the urgency of this moment is increasing.
the stillness takes us over,
As the noise fades away, peace engulfs us.
anticipation sets in,
A feeling of excitement and expectation takes hold.
like the distant strings of your favorite song,
The experience is reminiscent of the buildup at the start of a beloved tune.
and the first note is the best note,
The initial moment of this experience is the most impactful.
you were like the ocean,
You were vast and powerful, just like the sea.
perfect is your motion,
Your movements were flawless.
the world is closing in,
The surroundings are becoming more constricting and oppressive.
you were like a scene that I played in my head,
You were a vivid, imagined image that I've conjured up.
singing now or never,
Singing about how it's the time to act.
swearing every word,
Promising with conviction that this will happen.
we said we'd be together,
We promised to stay together no matter what.
said we'd always have a chance to make it,
We promised that we would have an opportunity to succeed no matter when we tried.
we'll make it,
We will definitely come out victorious.
every month is another mistake,
With each passing month, we make more errors.
every second growing closer to heartbreak,
As time moves forward, the probability of heartbreak becomes more likely.
what are we doing here,
We are questioning ourselves and the situation we find ourselves in.
why is nothing clear?
We are struggling with a lack of clarity.
in your eyes,
Based on your vision and opinion,
surprises have shown me the way that I hurt you,
I have been shown how my actions brought about a negative impact on you.
I swear I don't want to,
I promise that it wasn't my intention.
you're always there to remind me of when,
You are always present to remind me of a time when things were better.
and you won't know,
You will not have any idea
no you'll never know,
You won't ever be aware
which way to go,
Which direction to take.
which way to go,
Which path to follow.
woah x 3
An expression of strong emotion, often used to signal the end of a song.
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
紅葉
Hey, I know this is 9 years late, and I wish there was a way I could tell this band in person, but this music makes me sad and gives me hope at the same time. I've always felt just a little unhappy. I've had my ups and downs the way everyone has, but I always feel just a little unhappy, and this music in conjunction with the same books I've been reading for the past 6 years have given me hope that one day I'll have a band of friends who I'll travel around with and just be happy with. Just like in the books. So thank you, Paradise Fears. You've gotten me through some stuff. To another year of listening to yall's stuff :)
Nananut dreamers
I love this i can relate to almost every song thanks for working so hard on each song.
fireflight5
This song is AWESOME!!
Monica Lay
I remember meeting Sam when he was trying to promote his band and now they're getting more known and bigger. They're amazing and I can't wait for their own concert!!
TatjanaHornof
I just heard of them, but I missed them on tour with The Ready Set? ): That is my favorite band. & Listening to Paradise Fears I'm starting to fall in love. :) It's such amazing music. I'm glad I found this music!
BloodRansom
Paradise Fears is an awesome band. They better make it big. They have the talent and the sound.
A
My Aunt Graduated with these guys, (: Small town kids going big. I love them<3
Cerulean22b
hello new favorite band! thanks random amv!
this is awesome i love their music from what i have heard so far!
Delphinus Kirch
MTT Brand Cookie Cats I've been looking for the AMV I heard this x.x do you know which one?
kalenatothemoon
you guys are amazing. thanks for hanging out with me and entertaining me with music while i was waiting for the atl show to start