From their third album (Neon Ballroom) onward, the band have tried to experiment with slightly more complex song structures, pop influences, and the usage of orchestral backing on a few songs, most notably on their fourth album Diorama with composer Van Dyke Parks contributing to three of the tracks. This change is shown on their performance in their only live album "Live At Faraway Stables" where the band plays two sets - the first comprising newer material where they are backed by two keyboardists to simulate orchestral arrangements, and the second containing their earlier material.
2007 saw the release of the band's latest album Young Modern, featuring the lead single Straight Lines; the song reached number one on the ARIA singles charts. The album was supported by a full tour of North America (their first since 1999), and an extensive tour of Australia and New Zealand with fellow Aussie post-grunge rockers Powderfinger, entitled "Across the Great Divide."
To quote Daniel Johns, "I've been thinking a lot since we finished [[album artist=Silverchair]Young Modern] about where this fits into the other stuff we've done. The way I see it, the first album was naivete, the second one was anger, the third one was depression and the last one was escapism. Young Modern is all about acceptance."
The band announced an indefinite hiatus in May 2011:
"We formed Silverchair nearly 20 years ago when we were just 12 years old. Today we stand by the same rules now as we did back then ... if the band stops being fun and if it's no longer fulfilling creatively, then we need to stop. [...] Despite our best efforts over the last year or so, it's become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn't there between the three of us at the moment. Therefore after much soul searching we wanted to let you know that we're putting Silverchair into "indefinite hibernation" and we've decided to each do our own thing for the foreseeable future".
—Daniel, Ben and Chris, chairpage.com (Silverchair Official Website), 25 May 2011.
Members:
* Daniel Johns (vocals, guitar)
* Chris Joannou (bass)
* Ben Gillies (drums)
Albums:
* Tomorrow (EP) (1994)
* Frogstomp (1995)
* Freak Show (1997)
* Neon Ballroom (1999)
* The Best Of - Volume One (2000)
* Diorama (2002)
* Rarities 1994-1999 (2002)
* Live From Faraway Stables (2CD & DVD) (2003)
* Young Modern (2007)
Slave
Silverchair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To place where I can't die.
Lost my soul lost my confidence in me.
Can't be something but I'll try.
Lived too long and waited to just drown.
In my self pity I keep falling down.
Want to be your soldier
I have no pride in myself
Only book that I own is called "How to Lose".
Pick a chapter I know them all just choose.
Lived too long and waited to find
A place where I can die
Lost my soul lost my confidence in me
Give me something but I'll try
Want to be your soldier
Want to be your slave
Have no pride in my self
That's how I behave
The lyrics to Silverchair's Slave speak to a deep sense of hopelessness and despair, as the singer feels trapped and lost in their own self-pity. They have lived too long in this state of mind and now they are being taken to a place where they can't die, metaphorically, prolonging their suffering. The singer laments that they have lost their soul and confidence in themselves, and they feel that they cannot be anything but they will try regardless, demonstrating a lack of self-worth.
The second verse highlights the singer's desire to be controlled by someone else, either as a soldier or a slave. They feel as though they have no pride in themselves and that the only book they own is "How to Lose," showcasing their sense of defeat. The singer is aware of every chapter in the book, indicating that they have tried multiple times to pick themselves up but have failed and given in to their negative thought patterns. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer wants to be a slave or soldier, serving someone else, which is both an admission of their own weakness and a cry for help.
The song is a raw expression of the struggles of depression and feeling trapped in one's own negative thoughts and emotions. The imagery of being a slave or soldier speaks to the need for someone else to take control, perhaps a way for the singer to escape their own thoughts for a while. The repetition of the lines "Want to be your soldier / Want to be your slave" highlights the depth of the singer's desire and emphasizes their desperation for help.
Line by Line Meaning
Lived too long now you've come to take me too
I've been alive for too long and now you're here to take me somewhere I can't die, maybe even to eternal torment or a meaningless existence.
To place where I can't die.
The place you're taking me is somewhere I can't escape or find release from my suffering.
Lost my soul lost my confidence in me.
I've completely lost my sense of self and my faith in myself, possibly due to past traumas.
Can't be something but I'll try.
I don't think I can be anything worthwhile, but I'll make an attempt anyway.
Lived too long and waited to just drown.
I've been alive for too long and I've just been waiting to slowly drown in my own despair.
In my self pity I keep falling down.
I feel sorry for myself and it keeps dragging me further down into a pit of hopelessness.
Want to be your soldier
I want to be completely devoted to you, like a soldier would be to their commander.
Want to be your slave
I want to serve you blindly and unconditionally, without regard for my own well-being.
I have no pride in myself
I feel completely worthless and have no pride in anything I do or am.
Only book that I own is called "How to Lose".
I only have negative self-help materials that reinforce my belief that I am a failure.
Pick a chapter I know them all just choose.
I'm intimately familiar with all the ways to fail and feel miserable.
Lived too long and waited to find
I've been alive for too long and I've spent that time searching for something, probably meaning or happiness.
A place where I can die
I just want to find a way to end my suffering and find some sort of release or oblivion.
Give me something but I'll try
Even though I don't have much faith in myself, I'll still make an attempt to find something worthwhile or to make you happy.
Have no pride in my self
I still feel completely worthless and I don't take any pride in anything I do.
That's how I behave
This is just how I am and how I've been conditioned to see myself and my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DANIEL JOHNS, BEN GILLIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind