Sheppard's international hit single Geronimo was the Brisbane band's battle-cry, a super-sophisticated stadium pop anthem shot through with all the mixed emotions of being young. With this, the six-piece, formed around siblings George, Amy and Emma Sheppard, launched their debut album Bombs Away.
The Sheppard story starts two and half thousand miles from Brisbane in the tropical Pacific paradise of Papua New Guinea, where the family moved with their lawyer father. Music was in the air from day one: while dad blasted Cat Stevens in the house to get them out of bed in the mornings, mum sent them for lessons in piano and music theory. But their biggest influence was a music teacher at their Port Moresby school, Baruka Tau-Matagu, keyboard player of the legendary Aboriginal group Yothu Yindu and top session man for the likes of Janet Jackson and Madonna. From Tau the Sheppards picked up their love of harmony.
Sheppard came about by accident, back in Australia, in fact, when middle child Amy was studying for a music diploma and felt that one of her songs (working title *Cheese on Toast*) lacked a certain something. Brother George, then a drama student in Sydney, helped out on harmonies, and the pair realised they could write together. They added young composer and producer Jay Bovino, fresh from Sydney band Vienna Circus, and in the space of two months the trio Bovino / Sheppard / Sheppard had written 30 tracks. Brisbane musicians Michael Butler and Dean Gordon joined them on guitar and drums, with younger sister Emma on bass guitar. After trying out various producers, they finally hit upon one - Stuart Stuart of Analogue Heart Records - who let them be themselves. "With Geronimo," says Amy, "we kind of knew it was a hit. We wrote it in about two hours - there were so many hooks, and so many more hooks we could have added and didn’t.”
At the ARIA Music Awards of 2013, Sheppard were nominated for Best Independent Release for "Let Me Down Easy". At the 2014 ceremony, they were nominated for Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Independent Release, Best Pop Release, Song of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Best Video.
On 1 November 2016, "We Belong" was released.
Flying Away
Sheppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm flying away from a state of decay
What a mess, my princess.
Everything we made eroded away.
I promised a game, it's a shame you've been tamed.
Never mind, you're too kind,
I'm flying away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away
I'm flying away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away!
Ohhhhhhhh
Ohhhhhhhh
I'm flying, I'm flying
It's hurting to stay in this frame that won't fade,
You promised a kiss in a bottomless pitt,
And you wonder why I'm lying awake.
You say you've had enough, you say we're outta love,
But this is something that we both thought we could rise above.
You say you're missing me, we're both in agony,
Or is it just the thought of someone else taking me?
I'm flying,
I'm flying
I'm flying, away
I'm flying away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away!
So let go of all regret
And forget all things we said.
I'm flying away, feel the strain, feel the pain.
But I'll be ok, I'll be safe.
Ooohohooooooooo
Ooohohooooooooo
I'm flying away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away
I'm flying, I'm flying, away
I'm flying away
The opening of "Flying Away" by Sheppard is evocative, consisting of the singer's repeated "Ooooo." Then the lyrics proclaim "I'm flying away from a state of decay." They're speaking about escaping from something that is perhaps rotting or corrupt. The only solace for the singer is being able to leave "shame" behind. The chorus repeats that the singer is flying away.
The second verse is even more intense, with a sense of desperation. There's a reference to a "bottomless pit," which is often synonymous with the phrase of going down any further. Between the breakup and the implication of infidelity, things have really gone bad. Nevertheless, the chorus repeats that they're flying away. The songwriter suggests that by letting go of all regrets and forgetting everything that was ever said, things might be better, though it's unclear what will happen next. The ending is relatively optimistic, with the singer proclaiming they'll be okay and safe, which contrasts with the earlier lines about a frame that would not fade or being in pain.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm flying away from a state of decay
I'm leaving a bad situation behind.
What a mess, my princess.
You've really let things fall apart, love.
Everything we made eroded away.
Our relationship has crumbled to nothing.
I promised a game, it's a shame you've been tamed.
I had great plans for us, but your spirit has been broken.
Never mind, you're too kind,
But that's okay, you're still a good person.
And I'm only trying to save some face..
I'm doing this to protect my own reputation.
It's hurting to stay in this frame that won't fade,
Staying here hurts and I can't move on.
You promised a kiss in a bottomless pitt,
You made an extreme promise that ended up meaning nothing.
And you wonder why I'm lying awake.
No wonder I can't sleep with all this stress.
You say you've had enough, you say we're outta love,
You think we're done and over with.
But this is something that we both thought we could rise above.
We believed we could overcome our struggles.
You say you're missing me, we're both in agony,
You're feeling the same pain I am.
Or is it just the thought of someone else taking me?
Or maybe you're just jealous of the idea of me seeing someone else?
So let go of all regret
Don't hold onto the past.
And forget all things we said.
Just forget about all the things we said to each other.
I'm flying away, feel the strain, feel the pain.
Leaving is tough, but necessary.
But I'll be ok, I'll be safe.
I'll survive and thrive in the end.
I'm flying away
I'm leaving for good.
I'm flying, I'm flying, away
I'm really, truly leaving this time.
Ohhhhhhhh
Ooohohooooooooo
I'm flying
I'm leaving.
I'm flying away
I'm leaving for good.
I'm flying, I'm flying, away!
I'm really, truly leaving this time.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JASON BOVINO, AMY LOUISE SHEPPARD, GEORGE JOSEF SHEPPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind