The band were founded at the University of Dundee in 1994 by Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison of Shrug. After briefly using the name Polarbear, releasing the EP Starfighter Pilot (1997) and losing Morrison as a member, the band became Snow Patrol in 1997 and added Quinn to its lineup. Their first two studio albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), released by the independent record label Jeepster Records, were commercially unsuccessful. The band then signed to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002.
Connolly joined Snow Patrol in 2002, and after their major-label debut album, Final Straw, the following year, with "Run", the album's biggest hit, the band rose to national fame. The album was certified 5x platinum in the UK. Their next studio album, Eyes Open (2006), and its hit single, "Chasing Cars"—reported in 2019 to be the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio—propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and was the best-selling British album of the year. In 2008, Snow Patrol released their fifth studio album, A Hundred Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now; and, in 2011, their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires, was published. The band released their seventh album, Wildness, on 25 May 2018.
During the course of their career, Snow Patrol have won seven Meteor Ireland Music Awards and been nominated for six Brit Awards and one Grammy. Final Straw, Eyes Open, and A Hundred Million Suns have sold ten million copies worldwide, combined.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Patrol
Studio albums
Songs for Polarbears (1998)
When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001)
Final Straw (2003)
Eyes Open (2006)
A Hundred Million Suns (2008)
Fallen Empires (2011)
Wildness (2018)
The Last Shot Ringing in My Ears
Snow Patrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take her past this evening
I'm not sure
Sure if I believe you
You carry a gun for fun
You use it twice as easy
I'm sure she is
She is someone's daughter
Wrapped around my head
I don't know what she's done
I don't even want to think about it
She was beautiful
The prettiest girl I've ever seen
I saw everything
Things I hoped I'd never see
She got away from him
And got on a plane this morning
I couldn't even feel like it was
Wrapped around my head
I'm coming down
Coming down the next day
The song "The Last Shot Ringing in My Ears" by Snow Patrol is a haunting and emotionally intense ballad that explores the fallout of a violent encounter between a man and a woman at a bar. The song begins with the singer bringing the woman in question home after an evening out, but there is a palpable sense of unease and skepticism in the lyrics. He is not sure if he believes her account of what happened, and he knows that she is involved with a man who carries a gun and uses it without hesitation.
As the lyrics progress, it becomes clear that something awful has taken place between the man with the gun and the woman, and the singer is struggling to process the feelings of fear, horror, and guilt that are overwhelming him. He cannot even bring himself to think about what might have happened to her, but he cannot escape the images of her beauty and vulnerability that are seared into his memory. In the end, the woman escapes from her abuser and leaves town, but the singer is left to grapple with the aftermath of what he has witnessed.
The song is a powerful meditation on violence against women, toxic masculinity, and the corrosive effects of trauma. It showcases Snow Patrol's ability to craft lush, emotive melodies and lyrics that resonate on a deeply human level. The instrumental backing is sparse and atmospheric, with mournful piano chords and ethereal guitar riffs anchoring the track. Overall, it is a poignant and deeply affecting piece of music that speaks to the complexities of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Take her home
Bring the girl home
Take her past this evening
Take her home before the night ends
I'm not sure
I am uncertain
Sure if I believe you
I am not sure if I can trust you
You carry a gun for fun
You carry a gun for your own amusement
You use it twice as easy
You are careless with the gun
I'm sure she is
I am certain that she is
She is someone's daughter
She is somebody's child
I couldn't even feel that it was
I was unaware of what was happening
Wrapped around my head
Going through my mind
I don't know what she's done
I have no idea what she might have done
I don't even want to think about it
I do not even want to consider it
She was beautiful
The girl was stunning
The prettiest girl I've ever seen
I have never seen a girl more beautiful than her
I saw everything
I witnessed everything that happened
Things I hoped I'd never see
Events that I wished would never happen
She got away from him
She escaped from his grasp
And got on a plane this morning
She boarded a plane this morning
I couldn't even feel like it was
I was so lost in thought that it felt surreal
Wrapped around my head
Going through my mind
I'm coming down
I'm finally returning to reality
Coming down the next day
Returning to reality in the next day or so
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LIGHTBODY, MCCLELLAND, QUINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Seamans
A dark song, but my favorite from the Polar Bears LP. Johnny's spot-on drumming and Marks hypnotic bass really add depth to the song.
Putrid Corpse
nice bass
at_brunch
love the title