Philip James Selway (born 23 May 1967) is an English musician and songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Philip James Selway (born 23 May 1967) is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of English alternative rock group Radiohead. He also plays drums and provides backing vocals, along with occasional guitar and lead vocals for 7 Worlds Collide. Selway is known for his precision and proficiency in various styles and unusual time signatures. He has worked with Samaritans since 1991. Selway released his debut solo album, Familial, on 30 August 2010.

The Ties That Bind Us
Philip Selway Lyrics

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Wait a minute, it's all gone south
Words don't matter, I'm all talked out
I want to show You another way
I want to shield you from my mistakes

Ooh, they're the ties that bind us
Ooh, it's a kind of blindness
Ooh, who needs eyes to see

The family madness running through me

You my son I held in my arms
Close and keeping you safe from harm
I want to show you another way
I want to keep you from my mistakes

Ooh, they're the ties that bind us
Ooh, it's a kind of blindness
Ooh, who needs eyes to see
The family madness running through me

So take me back to a time before
I lost my nerve and the trail went cold
I want to know there's another way
I want to shield you from my mistakes

Ooh, they're the ties that bind us
Ooh, it's a kind of blindness
Ooh, who needs eyes to see
The iamily madness running through me

Ooh, they're the ties that bind us
Ooh, it's a kind of blindness

Ooh, who needs eyes to see
The family madness running through me

Overall Meaning

"The Ties That Bind Us" by Philip Selway is a song about a father who realizes his mistakes in life and wants to protect his son from experiencing the same. The first verse talks about how the singer's words don't matter and how they are all talked out. It's clear that he wants to show his son a different way while also shielding him from his own mistakes. The chorus reflects on the familial ties that bind and blind us, leading to family madness running through the singer. The second verse focuses solely on the relationship between the father and his son. The father wants to show him another way and protect him from his own mistakes. The final verse talks about wanting to go back in time before he lost his nerve and before the trail went cold. He wants to know that there is another way and he wants to shield his son from experiencing the same mistakes as he did.

Line by Line Meaning

Wait a minute, it's all gone south
Something has gone wrong and there appears to be no hope.

Words don't matter, I'm all talked out
There is no use in saying anything because nothing can change the situation.

I want to show You another way
I am looking for alternatives and solutions to the problem to help you.

I want to shield you from my mistakes
I am trying to protect you from the negative outcomes of my actions.

Ooh, they're the ties that bind us
There are certain connections and responsibilities that link us together.

Ooh, it's a kind of blindness
The situation can sometimes blur our sight and make it difficult to see things clearly.

Ooh, who needs eyes to see
Sometimes, intuition and feelings can be just as important as sight to understand a situation.

The family madness running through me
There are certain traits and behaviors that have been passed down to me from my family that affect how I think and act.

You my son I held in my arms
I have a close relationship with my son and I care deeply for him.

Close and keeping you safe from harm
I am doing everything I can to protect my son and keep him safe.

So take me back to a time before
I wish I could go back in time and prevent the situation from happening in the first place.

I lost my nerve and the trail went cold
I became too scared or unsure to continue the pursuit of a solution, and now I am stuck.

Contributed by Daniel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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