Their third album, Mirror Mirror, was released on Domino on June 13th via a short trailer directed by long time collaborator Blair Young. Mirror Mirror was produced by JD Twitch of Optimo and mixed by Gareth Jones.
Sons and Daughters announced their split via Facebook on November 2nd, 2012.
http://www.sonsanddaughtersloveyou.com
Flags
Sons and Daughters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are
Another planet miles apart
Is it a question of things
You really should have cared about?
You took a drive, Countries called
More than your friends did, they watched you fall
Flags
Don't ask me how he's doing
He's doing fine
Set it straight
So there is no road left, only water
Spent your time hopelessly alone
It's no real price to pay anyway
Your first letter came,Stressing lines
Against the whitening page
Trauma type, Saturation stains
Flags
He went from riches
To rags
Oh where are my friends?
I'm a burden to their hallowed sense
When I felt my head came to an end
I made promises, promises never kept
Your head at night
So many thoughts fought for the finish line
When there's no beginning
Before you're running out of time
So hard, to ignore. on my mind from beach to trestle door
I'm thinking of you, flat out cold beneath the starboard floor
The lyrics of Sons and Daughters' "Flags" seem to touch on themes of isolation, loss, and betrayal. The first verse speaks of distance, both literal and emotional, between the singer and someone else who might be from "another planet miles apart." The next lines ask whether this distance is due to neglect on the part of the person being addressed. The second verse hints at some kind of trouble this person has experienced, perhaps involving substance abuse ("pulled the wires right from the wall"), and suggests that they've become something of a pariah as a result. The chorus repeats the idea that the subject of the song is doing fine, but the repeated mention of flags - perhaps symbolic of heraldry, of marking territories, or of representing something deeper - hints at a façade of strength that might be covering up something more damaging.
The bridge of the song is where we get some more explicit mentions of the ways in which the singer and this other person are struggling. The first line speaks of losing one's way entirely, as if "there is no road left, only water." The second suggests a lot of time wasted on sadness or hopelessness, but with the caveat that it feels like there was never any other option. In the final verse, the singer seems to be writing a letter to someone else, and the words they write seem to echo the frantic, almost feverish thoughts in their mind. They mention trauma, staining the page with saturation, and suggest that the person they're writing to has gone from riches to rags. The final lines of the song perhaps suggest that the person addressed in the song has died, or that the singer has been abandoned by someone they cared about deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
I know
The singer acknowledges an understanding of a certain situation
You are
The singer addresses the person whom they are speaking to
Another planet miles apart
The two individuals are very different and have little in common
Is it a question of things
The artist poses a question wondering if certain concerns are related to the situation
You really should have cared about?
The artist wonders if the person they are speaking to neglected certain responsibilities or duties that could have made a difference
You took a drive, Countries called
The individual embarked on a new journey and was motivated by new opportunities
More than your friends did, they watched you fall
The individual's friends may have been aware of potential pitfalls, but did not intervene to prevent them
And now you've pulled the wires right from the wall
The individual has removed themselves from a certain situation or responsibility
Flags
The artist shifts the attention to a new topic
Don't ask me how he's doing
The artist advises the listener not to inquire about an individual's situation
He's doing fine
The singer offers an assurance that the individual is doing well
Set it straight
The artist advises the listener to resolve or clarify a situation
So there is no road left, only water
The singer suggests that the situation has been made more difficult or complicated
Spent your time hopelessly alone
The individual has experienced a great deal of isolation and despair
It's no real price to pay anyway
The individual does not perceive the consequences of their actions as being significant
Your first letter came,Stressing lines
The artist recalls a particular moment characterized by extreme emotions
Against the whitening page
The artist offers a description of the physical elements of the moment
Trauma type, Saturation stains
The situation provoked intense emotions and left a lasting impact
Flags
The singer changes the subject again
He went from riches
The artist alludes to a significant change in someone's life
To rags
The artist suggests that the individual's situation has become much worse
Oh where are my friends?
The artist expresses confusion and disappointment with their social circle
I'm a burden to their hallowed sense
The singer perceives themselves as a liability or negative influence on their friends
When I felt my head came to an end
The artist recalls a moment characterized by a great deal of stress or anxiety
I made promises, promises never kept
The singer admits to making commitments that they were unable to fulfill
Your head at night
The singer contrasts their own experience with an individual experiencing difficulty sleeping
So many thoughts fought for the finish line
The person is struggling to come to a resolution or decision about a certain situation
When there's no beginning
The individual is in a situation where it is difficult to understand how their problems began
Before you're running out of time
The artist suggests that there is a sense of urgency with regards to resolving a certain situation
So hard, to ignore. on my mind from beach to trestle door
The singer is unable to stop thinking about something and it occupies their thoughts continuously
I'm thinking of you, flat out cold beneath the starboard floor
The singer directs their thoughts towards an individual who may be experiencing difficulty or harm
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.