Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals", the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: "Dakota" (2005). Having sold around 10 million copies worldwide by 2016, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they achieved five consecutive UK number one albums.
The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V Festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, Oxegen in 2010, Tramlines Festival and TRNSMT in 2018, and Latitude in 2019. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonics
Studio albums
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive (2015)
Scream Above the Sounds (2017)
Kind (2019)
Oochya! (2022)
Drowning
Stereophonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know what is wrong
Oh no
Is karma gonna get me?
At times that's all I see
It's not real
Wanna feel
Mornings I can't breathe
Wave crashes over me
And drowns me
Wind's running rings around me
It takes me time to see
What is real?
Wanna feel
Wanna feel
Like I did before
Like I did before
Time changes things
Like I never thought
Like I never saw?
Time changes me
I'm like I never was
Oh no
I'm looking back to what I was
I've seen my face right on the floor
And I love you, being around
I say it again, I'm not fucking around
I've seen in before
I'll see you again
It's knocking my door
And it never pretends
I'm down on my knees
And I don't know where to go to find my way back home
I'm drowning [Repeat: x4]
The lyrics of Stereophonic's "Drowning" convey the feelings of a person who is struggling with their inner demons and grappling with the effects of karma on their life. The singer is unsure of what is causing their troubles and wonders if it is the universe paying them back for something in the past. The fear of repercussions is constant, and it clouds their perception of reality. Despite this, the singer yearns to feel the way they used to and tries to find their way out of the miasma of negativity.
The second stanza describes the physical and emotional toll the situation is taking on the artist. Mornings are particularly difficult, and they feel like they are drowning, overwhelmed by the trials they face. The wind seems to taunt them, making it arduous to perceive what is genuine. Although they are consumed by their troubles, they still long for the way things were before, and the last three stanzas reflect the painful realization of the passage of time.
The intense refrain of "I'm drowning" brings this feeling of deep struggle full circle by evoking the suffocating pressure the artist feels. The song portrays the inner conflict that many people feel and the need for a beacon of hope, a way out of the endless cycle of negativity.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why
The singer is unsure of the reason behind their current state of mind
I don't know what is wrong
The singer doesn't understand the root of their problems
Oh no
An exclamation that suggests a feeling of anxiety or helplessness
Is karma gonna get me?
The singer is wondering if their life circumstances are a result of past actions
At times that's all I see
The concept of karma consumes the singer's thoughts
It's not real
The singer recognizes that their belief in karma may not actually be true
Wanna feel
The singer desires to experience something specific
Wanna feel, like I did before
The singer longs to feel a certain way that they experienced in the past
Mornings I can't breathe
The singer experiences difficulty breathing during the morning hours
Wave crashes over me
The singer is overwhelmed by a figurative wave, likely related to their emotional state
And drowns me
The singer feels as though they are being consumed by their problems
Wind's running rings around me
The singer feels as though they are being tossed around uncontrollably
It takes me time to see
The singer needs time to gain clarity on their situation
What is real?
The singer is struggling to differentiate between reality and their own perception of things
Time changes things
The passage of time brings about changes in life
Like I never thought
Some of these changes are unexpected
Like I never saw?
The singer may not have been able to predict some of the events that have taken place
Time changes me
The singer has changed as a result of experiences over time
I'm like I never was
The singer has changed so much that they hardly recognize themselves
Oh no
The singer feels helpless, as though they have lost a sense of self
I'm looking back to what I was
The singer is reflecting on a time in their life when they felt more like themselves
I've seen my face right on the floor
The singer has experienced low points in their life where they felt defeated and downtrodden
And I love you, being around
The singer expresses affection towards someone who they enjoy spending time with
I say it again, I'm not fucking around
The singer is emphasizing the sincerity of their statement previously mentioned
I've seen in before
The singer has experienced situations similar to their current one in the past
I'll see you again
The singer believes they will encounter someone in the future
It's knocking my door
Something is on the horizon, probably a challenge or obstacle
And it never pretends
Whatever is coming cannot be ignored or trivialized
I'm down on my knees
The singer feels defeated and deflated
And I don't know where to go to find my way back home
The singer has become lost, both literally and metaphorically
I'm drowning [Repeat: x4]
The singer feels overwhelmed and consumed by their problems
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Kelly Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind