Their debut EP Taking Abalonia was released in 2007. It was re-released with seven new songs on June 3, 2008, in Canada as a full-length LP under the name Howe Sounds / Taking Abalonia.
On July 1, 2009, Said the Whale released the EP The Magician to drum up anticipation for the release of their second full-length album Islands Disappear on October 13, 2009.
In the spring of 2011, Said the Whale toured the U.S. for the first time. During this time they were the subject of the CBC documentary "Winning America" directed by Brent Hodge and Thomas Buchan. The movie documented the band's trip and performances along the West Coast of North America on their way to and from Austin, Texas' SXSW Music Festival and culminated when Said the Whale won the Juno Award for New Group of the Year at the 2011 Juno Awards. The documentary aired on July 23, 2011, in British Columbia, and on April 7, 2012, across Canada.
They released their EP New Brighton on November 8, 2011, in preparation for their third full-length album, Little Mountain, released internationally on March 6, 2012.
In early 2012, the band was awarded a spot on the Canadian music magazine Rockstar Weekly's list of the "Top 12 RockStars to Watch in 2012". The list also included Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, and Rush. The band performed at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in 2012 and 2013.
Said the Whale released their fourth studio album, titled hawaiii, on September 17, 2013.
On January 4, 2017, they announced their fifth album, As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide. At the same time, they announced the departure of Spencer Schoening, and that they would move forward as a trio. The album was released March 31, 2017. The first single was "Step Into The Darkness."
On March 5, 2017, they posted an Instagram video with an email address which fans could contact in order to listen to the whole album for free before its release. Fans could stream the whole album on a personalized, private SoundCloud account from the 10th until the 15th of March without leaking or sharing the link. From the 15th until the 26th of March, the fans could invite their friends to listen to the album in a "listening party" in order to promote it but still not sharing the link to the album, keeping it strictly limited to those who were sent the link.
In September 2018, Said the Whale signed to Canadian indie label Arts & Crafts, and announced a new record to be released in early 2019. The band released a new single "UnAmerican" on October 12, 2018. They released their sixth studio album, Cascadia, on February 8, 2019.
Throughout 2021, Said the Whale released a number of singles and music videos from their upcoming album, including "Honey Lungs," "Everything She Touches is Gold to Me," "Show Me Everything," and "99 to the Moon." In May, Bancroft announced he was launching a new record label called EVERYTHING FOREVER. Said the Whale's seventh studio album, Dandelion, was released on October 22, 2021, via that label.
Mother
Said the Whale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I try to always be a better friend
Lately I've been feeling half a man
Like maybe I should be more who I am
Maybe I should fuck something up good
Or maybe I should act like someone bad
I try to live my life like David does
I'm young and maybe that's why days to me
They seem like opportunities to test my reach
Adopt some ugly habits that are bad for me
And treat some others not so equally
If I thought I knew me well it's clear as can be
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
If I thought I knew me well it's plain to see
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
It's undercover
I hope forever
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
I think it's me
But I just need to see
If this real or just something that I need
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
Try to always do what people like
And try to be a man that someone might
Look up to in a minute when they're feeling down
Like maybe I could be somebody that you love
Or maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all of myself
Until I find a way to be in love with somebody else
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Don't tell my mother
The lyrics to Said the Whale's song "Mother" explore the theme of self-discovery and self-acceptance. The singer begins by expressing his desire to be a gentleman and a better friend but admits to feeling incomplete, like he's not fully himself. He toys with the idea of breaking away from society's expectations and being someone bad, but then questions whether that's truly him. He admires others but feels like something is slightly off with himself. He's young and constantly searching for his identity, trying out different habits, treating people differently, attempting to figure out who he really is.
The singer doesn't want his mother to know about his struggles until he pulls himself together. He's uncertain if the things he's feeling and doing are real or just something he thinks he needs to do. He struggles with putting on a façade, trying to be the man others want him to be, someone to look up to, but realizes that he needs to find a way to love himself before he can truly love someone else. The song ends with him again imploring the listener not to tell his mother until he figures himself out.
Overall, "Mother" is a poignant and introspective exploration of self-discovery and acceptance that many can relate to. It encapsulates the confusion and turmoil that can come with finding one's identity and the struggle to reconcile society's expectations with individual desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I try to always be a gentleman
I try to be polite and respectful to others.
I try to always be a better friend
I strive to improve my relationships with the people I care about.
Lately I've been feeling half a man
Recently, I've felt inadequate and unsure of myself.
Like maybe I should be more who I am
Perhaps I should let go of who I think I should be and embrace my true self.
Maybe I should fuck something up good
I wonder if intentionally causing trouble might help me feel more alive or in control.
Or maybe I should act like someone bad
Perhaps I should behave recklessly and disregard what others think is right or moral.
I try to live my life like David does
I strive to emulate someone who I believe is successful or admirable (like David).
But something always feels just slightly off
I can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right or that I'm missing something important.
I'm young and maybe that's why days to me
Perhaps my youth makes me eager to take risks and make mistakes.
They seem like opportunities to test my reach
I see each day as a chance to push my limits and see what I'm capable of.
Adopt some ugly habits that are bad for me
Perhaps I'll deliberately pick up unhealthy or self-destructive behaviors.
And treat some others not so equally
I might find myself favoring certain people over others or behaving unfairly toward someone.
If I thought I knew me well it's clear as can be
If I were really honest with myself, I'd see that I'm not the person I think I am.
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
Things are going to drastically shift or transform in my life.
Don't tell my mother
I don't want my family (or anyone else) to know what I'm going through.
It's undercover
This is something I'm keeping hidden from others.
I hope forever
I wish this situation would just go away or resolve itself.
I think it's me
I believe that I'm the problem or the cause of my own struggles.
But I just need to see
I need to gain more clarity or understanding about what's really going on.
If this real or just something that I need
I'm not sure if my perceptions and feelings are accurate or if they're just a reflection of my desires.
Try to always do what people like
I attempt to please others and avoid conflict or rejection.
And try to be a man that someone might
I strive to present myself as a reliable, trustworthy, or admirable person.
Look up to in a minute when they're feeling down
I hope to be a source of inspiration or support for someone who is struggling.
Like maybe I could be somebody that you love
I wish to be someone who others deeply care about and respect.
Or maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
It's possible I'll remain self-centered and only think about my own wants and needs.
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Perhaps I'm waiting for a chance to prove myself or pursue a certain goal.
Lyrics © THIRD SIDE MUSIC INC
Written by: Tyler Grayson Bancroft
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rebekah Breun
Lyrics:
I try to always be a gentleman
I try to always be a better friend
Lately I've been feeling half a man
Like maybe I should be more who I am
Maybe I should fuck something up good
Or maybe I should act like someone bad
I try to live my life like David does
But something always feels just slightly off
I'm young and maybe that's why days to me
They seem like opportunities to test my reach
Adopt some ugly habits that are bad for me
And treat some others not so equally
If I thought I knew me well it's clear as can be
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
If I thought I knew me well it's plain to see
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
It's undercover
I hope forever
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
I think it's me
But I just need to see
If this real or just something that I need
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
Try to always do what people like
And try to be a man that someone might
Look up to in a minute when they're feeling down
Like maybe I could be somebody that you love
Or maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all of myself
Until I find a way to be in love with somebody else
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Don't tell my mother
Mr_Meng
It is absolutely incredible how much this song resonates with me. It's like 'peering into your soul' stuff.
Shhitgoose
How does this only have 19,000 hits?? Unreal. Great tune
Rebekah Breun
Lyrics:
I try to always be a gentleman
I try to always be a better friend
Lately I've been feeling half a man
Like maybe I should be more who I am
Maybe I should fuck something up good
Or maybe I should act like someone bad
I try to live my life like David does
But something always feels just slightly off
I'm young and maybe that's why days to me
They seem like opportunities to test my reach
Adopt some ugly habits that are bad for me
And treat some others not so equally
If I thought I knew me well it's clear as can be
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
If I thought I knew me well it's plain to see
That things are gonna change like a hundred degrees
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
It's undercover
I hope forever
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
I think it's me
But I just need to see
If this real or just something that I need
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother
Don't tell my mother 'til I pull myself together
Try to always do what people like
And try to be a man that someone might
Look up to in a minute when they're feeling down
Like maybe I could be somebody that you love
Or maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all of myself
Until I find a way to be in love with somebody else
Maybe I'll just keep thinking all about me
Until I get the proper opportunity that I need
Don't tell my mother
Noodle
Finally, this song's starting to get some play time on the radio. Love it!
G
I love this song, and it sucks that spotify wont play it. 🙄
wesleync
just saw them live in Waterloo Ontario, this is 100 times better live. I'm so happy I snuck in my recorder and recorded the entire show.
MorgagnpeParr
Absolutely love it :)
Smackin Baits
the new generation needs more of this kind of music. just like the 70's & 80's when they make real music.
Modest Kds
aha you do realize that the new generation doesn't listen to top 40 that much.
sisbrawny
Modest Kds This song is top 40 style.