Formed in 19… Read Full Bio ↴Powderfinger were a rock band from Brisbane, Australia.
Formed in 1989, the band managed to keep the same line up since they hit the big time, Bernard Fanning (Vocals, guitars), Darren Middleton (guitars), Ian Haug (guitars), John Collins (Bass) and Jon Coghill (drums). Powderfinger are winners of nearly every major award in Australia – including the ARIA (Australian Record Industry Awards) for Album of the Year, Best Rock Album and Song of the Year.
Their musical style changed significantly over the years from a predominantly Grunge influenced one (Parables for Wooden Ears, Double Allergic) to their own brand of Alternative Rock on the following albums Internationalist and Odyssey Number 5. Several songs on Vulture street were in tribute to classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC and Songs on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence feature a prominent Neil Young influence- to whom they owe their band name from his song of the same name.
The band released seven studio albums and a greatest hits album, Fingerprints - The Best of Powderfinger 1994-2000, in 2004. Their final album, Golden Rule, was released in late 2009. Despite their popularity in Australia, Powderfinger never achieved similar success overseas.
They toured with Silverchair on the "Across the Great Divide" Concert, from August to October 2007, trying to raise awareness of the indigenous people of Australia.
On the 9th of April 2010, it was announced at a press conference and on the band's website that after 20 years together, Powderfinger would be disbanding after their farewell Sunsets Tour. Of the split, frontman Bernard Fanning stated:
With the completion of our last album, Golden Rule, we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group. We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date.
Already Gone
Powderfinger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All weekends and overtime
While you're trying to unwind
You can't relate to the leisured life
Another day meanders by
Keeping nature's tabled time
All these things just pass you by
And you can't relax in a scheduled life
Promises already gone
There's no escape it's said and done
So keep your love forever young
You've been trying to decide
Multiply or just divide
All these things are on your mind
And you can't relax in a leisured life
Promises already gone
There's no escape it's said and done
So keep your love forever young
The lyrics of Powderfinger's song Already Gone describe the struggle of a person who has been working hard all their life just to keep up with the demands of work and responsibilities. The lyrics suggest that they have been unable to find a balance between work and their personal life. The person is trying to unwind after working overtime and on weekends, but they are unable to relax because their mind is preoccupied with work and other duties. The person seems to envy those who lead a leisurely life, where they can enjoy nature's pace and not be constrained by schedules.
The lyrics use the metaphor of promises already gone to convey a sense of resignation and regret. The person seems to have given up on the hopes and dreams they had for their life. They feel that there is no escape from the life they have created for themselves, and they must keep their love forever young to survive. The lyrics suggest that the person is torn between deciding whether to multiply or divide, symbolizing the idea of whether to keep pursuing their original dreams or settle for less.
Overall, the lyrics of Already Gone are a melancholic reflection on the struggles of maintaining a work-life balance in a society that increasingly values productivity over leisure. The song serves as a reminder that we must prioritize our personal lives and pursue our dreams, as we only have one life to live.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been working all your life
You've spent your entire life working.
All weekends and overtime
You work on weekends and do overtime.
While you're trying to unwind
When you try to relax.
You can't relate to the leisured life
You can't understand the life of leisure and relaxation.
Another day meanders by
Each day passes by without much direction.
Keeping nature's tabled time
You're following nature's schedule.
All these things just pass you by
You're missing out on things because of your busy life.
And you can't relax in a scheduled life
You're unable to relax due to your strict schedule.
Promises already gone
Your promises have already been broken or forgotten.
There's no escape it's said and done
There's no way out, it's over.
So keep your love forever young
Hold on to your love and keep it fresh and youthful.
You've been trying to decide
You've been struggling to make a decision.
Multiply or just divide
To either expand or reduce in some manner.
All these things are on your mind
All of these things are constantly weighing on your mind.
And you can't relax in a leisured life
Even in a leisurely life, you can't seem to relax.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Sloan, Mitch James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LunaMaverick
I can't say that I am a patriot but I will say that Powderfinger are one of those things that make me proud to be Australian.
Jiggyman
@LunaMaverick Everything has flaws. Hopefully this one is rectified in our lifetimes. But we should be happy we live in this age and in this country. Objectively, it's better than the vast majority of alternatives, and we have the opportunity to make it more so.
LunaMaverick
@Jiggyman there are truly awesome things about this country but I find it hard to feel the patriotism when our First Nations people are not getting the justice or treatment they deserve.
Jiggyman
Why do you feel shame to be patriotic? We live in a truly awesome country, don't let the media fool you.
LunaMaverick
@Billie Hits right to the soul. Makes perfect sense why you did that.
Billie
Right? That's literally the reason I went to see Fanning live on one of his album tours. Also cos Powderfinger had already broken up.
Scott MacLellan
The only band to bring me to tears with a live performance. Would make my life complete if they did a reunion tour.
legit_khajiit
Happy 20th anniversary to Already Gone. One of the best aussie bands, and one of my favourite songs.
Quick Car
Already gone are my favourite band.
Gary Patterson
I've always loved this song, but it's one of the most dark, depressing songs ever written. "The promise is already gone, there's no escape, it's said and done..."
Damn, it's a great song though.