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.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Sheppard Lyrics
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Where love is not illusion based
And fear is just a word they can define
Where I've heard hope and happiness
Is found in every beating chest
'Cause all those hearts are more or less inclined
The answer that we never seem to find
The hand we always take disintegrate without a trace
And we're the ones they've always left behind
Help me understand the best is yet to come
Take me by the hand before I come undone
'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb
But it's darkest right before the sun
Now I've let mullings pass me by
But I refuse to leave my life
To fall between the cracks of my control
I was unspoken 'til I woke up in
All the chains that were imprisoning my soul
Help me understand the best is yet to come
Take me by the hand before I come undone
'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb
But it's darkest right before the sun
And if you try to swim the other way
Then they'll never let you see another day
But I've been there before
I've been a soldier in this war
If you take it in your stride
You might just see the other side
Just breath, breath
Because everything you see
Is just a stone throw away
Help me understand the best is yet to come
Take me by the hand before I come undone
'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb
But it's darkest right before the sun
In Sheppard's song "The Best Is Yet To Come," the singer asks to be taken to a different place where love is real and fear is just a word they can define. The song talks about hope and happiness being found in every beating chest and how we should be willing to give our all without the fear of what's to break. Throughout the song, the singer urges the listener to help them understand that the best is yet to come and take their hand before they come undone.
The song also touches on the concept of overcoming obstacles, and not letting fear or insecurities control our lives. The singer talks about refusing to leave their life, to fall between the cracks of their control, and how they woke up in chains that were imprisoning their souls. The song ends on a hopeful note, urging people to keep pushing and breathing because everything is just a stone throw away.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Best Is Yet To Come" speak to the desire for hope and happiness, and the struggle to stay optimistic when facing obstacles in life. The song urges listeners to keep pushing and not let fear or negativity control their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me to a different place
I want to escape to a place where love is not a lie, and fear has real meaning.
Where love is not illusion based
I want to go somewhere where love is not a mirage, where people can love without being scared.
And fear is just a word they can define
I want to go somewhere where people are not scared of fear, but instead can understand it.
Where I've heard hope and happiness
I've been told that hope and happiness are found in a place like this.
Is found in every beating chest
People carry hope and happiness within themselves.
'Cause all those hearts are more or less inclined
People are either more or less willing to give all their love away, and face the risks that come along with it.
To give it all away without a fear of what's to break
Some people are willing to give up all their love without fearing the consequences.
The answer that we never seem to find
We are still looking for the answer.
The hand we always take disintegrate without a trace
Sometimes the people we rely on the most can disappear in an instance.
And we're the ones they've always left behind
We are often left behind by people who once cared for us.
Help me understand the best is yet to come
Please show me that good things are yet to happen.
Take me by the hand before I come undone
Please guide me before I reach a breaking point.
'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb
I feel empty inside and I am numb.
But it's darkest right before the sun
I know things will get better.
Now I've let mullings pass me by
I wasted my time thinking about unnecessary things.
But I refuse to leave my life
I refuse to waste any more time and want to actively participate in my own life.
To fall between the cracks of my control
I don’t want to lose control.
I was unspoken 'til I woke up in
I’ve been silent for too long.
All the chains that were imprisoning my soul
All of my fears and negative emotions have been holding me back.
And if you try to swim the other way
If you try to avoid your problems, you’ll never overcome them.
Then they'll never let you see another day
You must confront your issues if you want to survive.
But I've been there before
I’ve been in tough situations before.
I've been a soldier in this war
I’ve been fighting my battles.
If you take it in your stride
If you accept challenges without getting too worked up about them,
You might just see the other side
You will eventually overcome them.
Just breath, breath
Stay calm and take deep breaths.
Because everything you see
Because sometimes all the problems feel overwhelming.
Is just a stone throw away
But those problems can be solved easily.
Help me understand the best is yet to come
Please assure me that things will get better.
Take me by the hand before I come undone
Please help me before I collapse.
'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb
I am feeling numb.
But it's darkest right before the sun
Things will get better.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JASON BOVINO, AMY LOUISE SHEPPARD, GEORGE JOSEF SHEPPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind