Reamonn was a German rock and pop band that is well known all over Europe. They recorded six albums and disbandoned in 2010.
In 1998, Rea Garvey left his band The Reckless Pedestrians and home town of Tralee, Ireland to go to Germany with not a lot money and a demo CD in his pocket. He put an ad into local paper Stockacher Anzeiger stating, "Singer requires band for recording and live shows." Mike Gommeringer (Gomezz) saw this ad and accurately assumed it must have been Garvey, whose original band he had once seen play live. The twosome met up and subsequently recruited Uwe, Sebi and Phil. Their first gig was played on New Year's Eve 1998 in Stockach.
In order to secure a recording contract, they set up a showcase at Logo, a small club in Hamburg, in front of 16 representatives from various record labels in 1999. The band was quickly offered several contracts, settling on signing with Virgin Records Germany. As of 2006 they are now releasing their music through Universal Music.
Their best known songs are: Supergirl and Tonight(2006).
In 2011, Rea started his solo career and as of 2018, released 4 albums so far: Can't stand the silence, Pride, Prisma and Neon. Rea continues to work with national and international artists like Kool Savas, Jam & Spoon, Paul van Dyk or Mary J. Blige.
In the past, he recorded a new version of "All good things come to an end" with Nelly Furtado.
For several German movies he provided solo tracks even before Reamonn disbandoned.
He regularely appears at a coach of the German Version of "The Voice" or "The Voice Kids".
Rea married in 2002 and together with their child, they live in Berlin.
How I Used To Be
Rea Garvey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sitting silent
On the sidewalk
I remembered how she used to love life
Used to love
She said I left for the hope of something better
What you miss is what you once had got right
Crazed by the fear of more pain
I thought I had got her back
I thought that she was back
I saw you after a long time of searching
I didn´t know I broke your heart
I didn´t want to break your heart
And I realized now the only reason I was feeling bad
Was because I wanted something
That I couldn´t have
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
Let´s be the same again
Lost in this doorway where I told you I would wait
Will you answer should I go or should I stay?
Feel you standing listening to me leaving
Is there no hope of one last embrace?
And she falls into my arms
Crazed by the fear of more pain
I thought I had got her back
I thought that she was back
I saw you after a long time of searching
I didn´t know I broke your heart
I didn´t want to break your heart
And I realized now the only reason I was feeling bad
Was because I wanted something
That I couldn´t have
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
And I, I can´t explain why we do these things we do these things
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
Let´s be the same again
And I realized now the only reason I was feeling bad
Was because I wanted something
That I couldn´t have
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
And I, I can´t explain why we do these things we do these things
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
Let´s be the same again
And I realized now the only reason I was feeling bad
Was because I wanted something
That I couldn´t have
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
And I, I can´t explain why we do these things we do these things
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
We´re the same
Let´s be the same again
Rea Garvey's "How I Used To Be" is a song about regret and longing for something that has been lost. The singer meets someone who used to love life but now seems lost and disheartened. The person confesses that they left in search of something better, but now they realize they miss what they had before. The singer sees this as an opportunity to reconnect with someone they once knew and loved, but as they try to bring back the past, it becomes clear that what they seek is unattainable. They realize that the only reason they feel bad is that they want something they can no longer have. The song ends with a plea to be who they were before, but the reality is that they can never go back.
The song portrays the theme of nostalgia, where the singer longs for something that is impossible to attain. They want to capture what they've lost, but the past is a memory that they can never replicate. The lyrics also reflect on how people often take for granted the things that they have until they're gone, and only in retrospect can they see how much they mattered. The line, "What you miss is what you once had got right," echoes this sentiment.
The song's chorus, "Every time you feel like you're running from the way side, oh you know that you cannot believe me. Every time you're hurting when you feel like it's over, we're the same, let's be the same again," is a call to embrace the present and recognize that things will never be the same as they once were. This recognition could prevent people from taking good things in their life for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
She looked lost
She appeared confused and without direction
Sitting silent
She was quietly sitting, likely lost in thought
On the sidewalk
She was seated on the pavement by the side of the road
I remembered how she used to love life
I thought about how she used to have a positive outlook on life
Used to love
She used to have a great appreciation and affection for life
She said I left for the hope of something better
She mentioned that I had left in search of something more desirable
What you miss is what you once had got right
You long for what you used to have because you had it right the first time
And she fell into my arms
She collapsed into an embrace with me
Crazed by the fear of more pain
She was overcome by the anxiety of further emotional discomfort
I thought I had got her back
I believed that I had regained her affection and loyalty
I saw you after a long time of searching
I found you after much effort and exploration
I didn´t know I broke your heart
I was unaware that I had hurt you emotionally
And I realized now the only reason I was feeling bad
I came to understand that the sole cause of my distress was my unattainable desire
Was because I wanted something
My negative emotions stemmed from my yearning for something
That I couldn´t have
I was unable to obtain my desired outcome
Every time you feel like you´re running from the way side
Whenever you believe you are avoiding the fringes of society
Oh you know that you cannot believe me
You are aware that I am not reliable or trustworthy
Every time you´re hurting when you feel like it´s over
Whenever you are in pain and think it is the end
We´re the same
We are alike in our experiences and emotions
Let´s be the same again
Let us return to a state of similarity or unity
Contributed by Benjamin K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.