On 18 April 2009, the band announced on its site that it was no longer Pretty Balanced, but would instead be performing under the name The Alphabet. On the band's website, Shimer says "it was a long time coming; we talked about it for well over a year and finally settled on one we all really loved. one of the main beefs with "pretty balanced" was that people had a hard time remembering it (got a lot of "perfectly balance" and stuff) and also, it was a little complacent for what we've become. and as anna maria stjarnell pointed out in her review on collected sounds, "pretty balanced make an album that is anything but." she meant it as a compliment, and we took it that way. it is good to be excitingly funny-looking and terrifyingly aschew."
On 17 February 2010, Jude announced on their blog for side project The Sneaky Mister that the band had recently dissolved.
The musicians were Jude Shimer (also of The Sneaky Mister), Forest Christenson (also of Solarist, formerly The Liberty Tax), and Parker Ross.
Floating
Pretty Balanced Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fond of rebellion and heresy and other noise
They lived in a room in a school in the country somewhere
Without a care
Tommy liked smoking and laughing and messing around
Nathan liked sitting and reading not making a sound
They loved each other like healthy teenagers should
Not like brothers
But like lovers
They had been told all their lives that these feelings were wrong
They didn't dare tell each other the truth for so long
But with every second it became less easy to bear
Taking this care
They could hide plenty of things from their teachers at school
They hardly ever got caught and they broke every rule
But hiding something from each other was harder to
Do so well
Brushing hands a
Blushing matter
What's the matter
What's the matter
What kind of world do we live in
Where two people can't tell each other they've fallen in love
'cause of what all the others would say what they'd do the exclusion
The pain and stupidity isn't it tought when those
One every ten have to suffer while everyone
Else can enjoy their free fucking in public why
Is it that even in this day and age they're beat
Down
They can't just say
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
It came out eventually they both knew that it would
Stumbled and fast and the consequences weren't good
Loving together for sixty small seconds
Alone
Opposite sides
Of a big room
Nathan said "we'll never see each other again"
Maybe they won't maybe someday but god who knows when
The song "Floating" by Pretty Balanced tells the story of two teenage boys, Tommy and Nathan, who fall in love with each other but are afraid to express their feelings due to social stigmas and prejudices against same-sex relationships. The song portrays the difficulties that they face by hiding their true selves from each other while living together in a school dormitory. Tommy is described as a rebellious and carefree person, who enjoys smoking and having fun, while Nathan is a shy and introverted boy who loves reading and staying quiet. Despite their different personalities, they share a deep emotional bond that goes beyond brotherhood and resembles a romantic attachment.
The lyrics highlight the pain of keeping a secret love affair with someone who is supposed to be just a friend. Tommy and Nathan have been taught that such feelings are wrong and unacceptable, so they struggle with their own desires and fears. They can break every rule in school, but they cannot express their true emotions to each other. The song exposes the absurdity of a world that discriminates against people just because of their sexual orientation, and it questions the double standards of allowing heterosexual couples to express their love publicly while condemning homosexual ones.
The lyrics are full of imagery and metaphors that capture the complex emotions of the two boys. The line "Taking this care" refers to the weight of the silence that they carry in their hearts, while "brushing hands a blushing matter" shows how even small gestures can be meaningful and intense. The repetition of "I love you" at the end of the song is a powerful statement of their love that they can finally express openly, but it also highlights the tragedy of a love that is doomed to be unfulfilled.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the beauty and pain of love that transcends norms and boundaries. It shows how social norms can suppress individual feelings and hinder genuine connections, and it calls for a more inclusive and accepting society where love can be celebrated in all its forms.
Line by Line Meaning
Tommy and nathan were just two inseparable boys
Tommy and Nathan were two boys who were very close friends
Fond of rebellion and heresy and other noise
They enjoyed doing things that were considered rebellious, going against the norm
They lived in a room in a school in the country somewhere
They resided in a dormitory room that was situated in a school located in a rural area or countryside
Without a care
They lived their lives without any worries or concerns
Tommy liked smoking and laughing and messing around
Tommy enjoyed smoking, laughter and playing about with things
Nathan liked sitting and reading not making a sound
Nathan enjoyed sitting and reading quietly
They loved each other like healthy teenagers should
They had a strong fondness for each other in a way that was normal for teenagers
Love someone else
They had romantic love for someone in addition to the love between them as friends
Not like brothers
Their romantic love for each other was not like the love between brothers
But like lovers
Their romantic love for each other was like the love between two people who are in love
They had been told all their lives that these feelings were wrong
They were consistently told throughout their lives that having romantic love for someone of the same gender was wrong
They didn't dare tell each other the truth for so long
They were afraid to tell each other the truth about their romantic love for each other and kept it a secret for a long time
But with every second it became less easy to bear
As time went on, their love for each other became increasingly difficult to bear as they continued to keep it hidden
Taking this care
They had to be very careful in hiding their love for each other
They could hide plenty of things from their teachers at school
They were able to hide a lot of things from their teachers at school
They hardly ever got caught and they broke every rule
They rarely got caught doing things they were not supposed to do and they broke all the rules
But hiding something from each other was harder to do so well
Hiding their romantic love for each other was more difficult than hiding other things from each other
Brushing hands a
When their hands brushed against each other, it made them both blush
Blushing matter
Blushing in response to their hands touching each other was significant
What's the matter
They were questioning why they were feeling these emotions and what it meant
What's the matter
They were questioning why they were feeling these emotions and what it meant
What kind of world do we live in
They were wondering about the world they live in
Where two people can't tell each other they've fallen in love
They were questioning why it was not acceptable for two people to be in love with each other
'cause of what all the others would say what they'd do the exclusion
Because of what others would say or do and the exclusion they would face, they felt they couldn't express their love for each other
The pain and stupidity isn't it tought when those
The pain and stupidity of the situation was overwhelming
One every ten have to suffer while everyone
Only one in ten people have to suffer through the pain of hiding their love
Else can enjoy their free fucking in public why
While others are able to express their love in public, they are forced to hide it
Is it that even in this day and age they're beat
They question why, in a world where society is more accepting, they still feel forced to hide their love
Down
They are being oppressed and suppressed
They can't just say
They are afraid to express their love for each other
I love you
The words 'I love you'
I love you
The words 'I love you'
I love you
The words 'I love you'
I love you
The words 'I love you'
I love you
The words 'I love you'
It came out eventually they both knew that it would
Eventually, their love for each other came out and they both knew it would happen eventually
Stumbled and fast and the consequences weren't good
Their confession of love was not flawless and it resulted in negative consequences
Loving together for sixty small seconds
They were able to express their romantic love for each other briefly
Alone
There was no one there to witness or judge them
Opposite sides
Physically separate from each other
Of a big room
In a large space
Nathan said "we'll never see each other again"
Nathan realized that they cannot be together and said that they will never meet again
Maybe they won't maybe someday but god who knows when
He is unsure of whether they will see each other ever again or in the future
Contributed by Christopher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.