Collaboration with Josh Haden: Tough Guys Don't Dance (2000-2005)
After a series of successful EP releases in 2000–2002, in 2003 they recorded their first studio album Tough Guys Don't Dance. The vocalist and co-author of three of the nine songs was Josh Haden - bassist and vocalist for Spain. The release was not successful either commercially or critically. After the release of the EP "Closer" in 2004, the musicians were engaged in mixing tracks for other artists.
Collaboration with Mark Lanegan: It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land and Broken (2006-2009)
See also: It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land and Broken (Soulsavers album)
In 2006, collaboration begins with American singer, musician and songwriter - Mark Lanegan. On It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land album, his vocals are featured in eight of the eleven songs, and he is also featured as co-author of five songs. In addition, the album has a remake of Lanegan's song "Kingdoms of Rain", originally released on his 1994 album, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost. Soulsavers recorded an album in England and Lanegan completed his vocals in Los Angeles.
On the next Broken album, released in 2009, Lanegan's vocals are featured in nine out of thirteen songs, and he co-authored eight songs. Broken, was released on 17 August 2009. Other prominent musicians such as Mike Patton (of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk and other projects), Jason Pierce (of Spiritualized and Spacemen 3), Richard Hawley, and Gibby Haynes (of Butthole Surfers) also feature on the album. The non-album single "Sunrise," a song written by Lanegan and sung by Will Oldham, preceded the album release on 3 August 2009. The B-side is a cover of Palace Brothers' "You Will Miss Me When I Burn," a song written by Oldham and sung by Lanegan, that is also featured on the Broken album.
The pair have also worked as film score composers, such as on BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge produced by the Guerrilla News Network.
Their song "Revival" was featured on the 22 November 2007 episode of Grey's Anatomy, titled "Crash into Me" part 1. The song was also featured on 10 December episode of Friday Night Lights, titled "Giving Tree". It is also featured in the snowboarding movie That's It, That's All. Revival also featured in the trailer of the 2011 film Machine Gun Preacher. "Kingdoms of Rain" featured in the Lie to Me episode "Truth or Consequences," which aired on 5 October 2009. They supported Depeche Mode during the European leg of their Tour of the Universe in late 2009.
Collaboration with Dave Gahan: The Light the Dead See, Angels & Ghosts and Imposter (2010-present)
In October to December 2009, Soulsavers supported Depeche Mode during a tour in support of their album Sounds of the Universe. The idea of collaboration between band members and Depeche Mode vocalist Dave Gahan was embodied in the 2012 album The Light the Dead See, consisting of ten songs and two instrumental tracks. Dave wrote lyrics to all the songs on the album and performed lead vocals for them.
In May 2013 Soulsavers started to work on material for their up-and-coming fifth studio album in collaboration with Dave Gahan. The album was released in October 2015 under the name Angels & Ghosts and in its support two singles were released - "All this and nothing" and "Shine". In addition, a mini-tour was organized in support of the new album (for the first time with Gahan), in which songs from the current album, The Light the Dead See were performed as well as some Depeche Mode's and the vocalist's solo songs in encore.
Shortly after a series of concerts in support of the album Angels & Ghosts, the Machin and Glover had released the album Kubrick consisting of completely instrumental eight tracks (for the first time in the project's history). After that the collective suspended its activities.
On 12 November 2021, Soulsavers released new album, Imposter.
Through My Sails
Soulsavers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into paradise I soared
Unable to come down
For reasons I'd ignored
Total confusion
Disillusion
New things I'm knowing
I'm standing on the shoreline
It's so fine out there
Leaving with the wind blowing
But love takes care
Know me, know me
Show me, show me
New things I'm knowing
Wind blowing through my sails
It feels like I'm gone
Leaving with the wind blowing
Through my sails
The lyrics of Soulsavers' "Through My Sails" are open to interpretation, but there are a few recurring themes that emerge. The song seems to be about a person who is caught between two worlds. On the one hand, they are "glaring from the city lights," which may represent the stresses and demands of modern urban life. On the other hand, they are trying to connect with nature and the sublime ("Into paradise I soared"), which represents a desire to escape from those stresses.
However, the singer is "unable to come down" from this paradise, which suggests a kind of dissociation or psychological distancing from reality. They are in a state of "total confusion" and "disillusion," which may suggest that their attempts to escape the pressures of the world have not been wholly successful.
Despite this, the singer is also learning new things and discovering new perspectives ("New things I'm knowing"). They are aware of the dichotomy between these two worlds, and they are trying to find a way to reconcile them. The song culminates with the image of the wind blowing through their sails, which represents a kind of surrender or acceptance of their situation. They are "gone" with the wind, but they are also carried by it, and the wind takes them to new places and new experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Still glaring from the city lights
I'm still feeling the effects of the bright lights and fast-paced life I left behind
Into paradise I soared
I was uplifted and transported to a place that felt like paradise
Unable to come down
I didn't want to return to my old life and responsibilities
For reasons I'd ignored
I didn't know why I was drawn to this new place or why I didn't want to go back
Total confusion
My mind was in a state of disarray and indecision
Disillusion
I was beginning to see through the illusions and false promises of my old life
New things I'm knowing
I was becoming aware of new ideas and experiences
I'm standing on the shoreline
I'm at a crossroads, unsure of which way to go
It's so fine out there
The possibilities and opportunities of the unknown are enticing
Leaving with the wind blowing
I'm leaving behind my old life and heading towards something new
But love takes care
I trust that love will guide and protect me on my journey
Know me, know me
I want to be understood and seen for who I am
Show me, show me
I want to be shown the way forward
Wind blowing through my sails
I feel propelled forward by the force of change and new experiences
It feels like I'm gone
I feel like I'm leaving behind my old self and becoming someone new
Leaving with the wind blowing
I'm embracing the unknown and allowing myself to be carried away by the winds of change
Through my sails
I'm being transformed and carried forward by the energy of the universe
Contributed by Christian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.