The Sam Isaac show frequently resembles an indie cottage industry. Friends make artwork, do recording, direct music videos and don clipboards. Perfect strangers sell his CDs. Sam’s part of the bargain is donning an acoustic guitar, a Casio keyboard or occasionally just his own voice and making the music that is at the centre of all of this.
Influenced by Bright Eyes, Spinto Band and Ed Harcourt, twenty-year-old Sam grew up in the sleepy town of Malvern in the West Midlands before moving to East London in 2005. In just a year Sam Isaac has released the now sold-out, limited edition “Compass Scattered Love EP” on London label Back2Forward Records (June 2006), completed a full two-week tour of the UK, had local radio sessions and received plaudits from press across the country.
Currently being championed by Marsha Shandur on XFM, Sam has now put out his first min-album, Sticker, Stars and Tape, available to buy from his myspace and website.
Sam also recently appeared on Radio One, his song 'Sticker, Star and Tape' was played by Huw Stephens. He is also due to appear in studio on Radio Two with Janice Long in the early hours of the 21st of May 2007.
Sideways
Sam Isaac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ride down hills
To the river with friends
And light candles in tin cans
Go on big wheels
My stomachs in cartwheels
And do kissing on cameras
And sit out
In the pouring rain
Because it's years since
We spoke or we sat down and talked out
Our past lives
Or how we would change the world
Alone
In the backseat with a satellite
And the telephone
To tell you that it wouldn't last
We caught the last train
To Bayshore faces pressed on glass
When I awoke alone
In the empty concourse
I knew that it couldn't last
It never lasts
We'll get overcome
With distance
And sideways glances
In cinemas and taxis
Get stuck
With ex-loves
In a condo in the city
Where its so cold you can't speak
And feel so tired and so proud
Of everyone we know
Alone
In the backseat with a satellite
And the telephone
To tell you that it wouldn't last
We caught the last train
To Bayshore faces pressed on glass
When I awoke alone
In the empty concourse
I knew that it couldn't last
It never lasts
We'll get bicycles
Ride downhills
To the river with friends
Light candles in tin cans
With the trickling sound
I could have been in bare feet
The loneliest boy in that town
That town
Alone
In the backseat with a satellite
And the telephone
To tell you that it wouldn't last
We caught the last train
To Bayshore faces pressed on glass
When I awoke alone
In the empty concourse
I knew that it couldn't last
It never lasts
The lyrics of Sam Isaac's "Sideways" are a reflection on the fleeting nature of time and the transience of relationships. The song opens with a nostalgic depiction of youthful innocence and carefree times spent with friends by the river, riding bicycles and lighting candles in tin cans. However, there is a sense of melancholy that runs through the song, as the singer acknowledges the passing of time and the challenges of growing older. Throughout the song, there are references to lost loves, missed opportunities, and moments of regret. The imagery of being "alone in the backseat with a satellite and the telephone" suggests a sense of isolation and disconnection, as if the singer is reaching out for connection but is ultimately left with only memories and regrets.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of change and the passing of time. The lines "we spoke or we sat down and talked out/ our past lives/ or how we would change the world" suggest a sense of nostalgia for the past and a longing for the possibility of making a difference. The line "we'll get overcome with distance and sideways glances" further emphasizes this theme of change by suggesting that even the most intimate relationships can become strained over time. The song ends with a bittersweet repetition of the opening lines, as if the singer is trying to recapture a moment of youthful innocence and connection that is slipping away.
Line by Line Meaning
We'll get bicycles
We'll buy bicycles to take rides together
Ride down hills
We'll cycle down hills for the thrill
To the river with friends
We'll bring our friends along and ride to the river
And light candles in tin cans
We'll light candles in tin cans as we chat by the river
Go on big wheels
We'll ride on ferris wheels
My stomachs in cartwheels
The ride makes me feel excited and nervous
And do kissing on cameras
We'll capture sweet moments on camera
And walk till our feet hurt
We'll walk until our feet ache, enjoying each other's company
And sit out
We'll sit outside
In the pouring rain
We'll sit outside in the rain
Because it's years since
We haven't talked like this in a long time
We spoke or we sat down and talked out
We haven't discussed our past or dreams for the future
Our past lives
We haven't talked about our past
Or how we would change the world
We haven't talked about our aspirations to make a difference
Alone
By myself
In the backseat with a satellite
Sitting in the back of a car with a satellite connection
And the telephone
Using the telephone to communicate
To tell you that it wouldn't last
To inform you that what we had was not forever
We caught the last train
We made it on the last train
To Bayshore faces pressed on glass
We watched the scenery rush by
When I awoke alone
When I woke up without you
In the empty concourse
In the deserted train station
I knew that it couldn't last
I realized that our relationship wasn't sustainable
It never lasts
Our relationship was always destined to end
We'll get overcome
We'll be overwhelmed
With distance
We'll be separated by distance
And sideways glances
And suspicious looks
In cinemas and taxis
Inside movie theaters and taxis
Get stuck
We'll get trapped
With ex-loves
With our former partners
In a condo in the city
In an apartment in the bustling metropolis
Where its so cold you can't speak
Where it's freezing and you can't even utter a word
And feel so tired and so proud
We'll be exhausted but also proud of our achievements
Of everyone we know
Of all the people we have met and formed relationships with
With the trickling sound
To the sound of the water trickling
I could have been in bare feet
I could have been shoeless
The loneliest boy in that town
The most isolated person in that place
Contributed by Xavier W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@circlemoyer
This video may only have a few thousand views, (and I’m certainly a few hundred of them!) but this is still one of my favourite songs and music videos!