Formation and Early Success
Founded in 1994 by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Peter Lawlor to showcase music he composed for the British Levi's television advertisement "Creek," Stiltskin rose to fame with their hit single "Inside," which reached the top of the UK Singles Chart. Despite this initial success, subsequent releases like "Footsteps" achieved moderate chart positions, with the band's original lineup releasing their debut album, "The Mind's Eye," which attained a silver record in the UK and garnered attention in the US music scene.
Changes and Continued Pursuits
Following the disbandment of the original lineup in 1996 during the recording of their unfinished second album, members pursued other projects. Lawlor continued his work in music production and composition, contributing to various high-profile projects and also delving into economics. Other former members, such as McFarlane and Wilson, ventured into different musical endeavors, with Wilson notably joining Genesis and later launching a solo career.
Revival and Recent Activities
In 2005, Wilson assembled a new lineup under the Stiltskin moniker and released the album "She" in 2006. The band toured extensively in Europe, culminating in the release of a live album in 2007. Subsequent albums followed, including "Unfulfillment" in 2011. Over the years, there have been lineup changes, with drummer Ashley Macmillan departing the band in 2015.
Discography
The Mind's Eye (1994)
She (2006)
Unfulfillment (2011)
Footsteps
Stiltskin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You tell him things I don't know
And even when the bonds hold fast
You make me hate the past
Walking in your footsteps
I used to walk by your side
How could you leave me
Suicide...
He leaves you traces I can see
He takes the things you gave to me
And even in the coldest place
I'm just an empty space
Walking in your footsteps
I used to walk by your side
How could you leave me
On the very edge of suicide
I'm lost without you
But well I know you go your own way
You never needed me no matter what you say
Walking in your footsteps
I used to walk by your side
How could you leave me
On the very edge of suicide
Suicide...
Walking in your footsteps
I used to walk by your side
How could you leave me
On the very edge of suicide
Suicide?
The lyrics of Stiltskin's "Footsteps" narrate the emotional turmoil that the singer is going through after a painful breakup. The persona is addressing their ex-partner who seems to have moved on with another person, who has replaced the singer's role in the former's life. The distance between them is accentuated in the lines "You take him places I can't go, You tell him things I don't know." These lines suggest that the new relationship has exposed the persona's limitations in being inadequate in satisfying their ex-partner's needs. The reference to hate in "You make me hate the past" conveys the pain that the singer harbors for the hurtful experiences of their past relationship.
The chorus section of the song, "Walking in your footsteps, I used to walk by your side, How could you leave me, On the very edge of suicide?" plainly expresses the enormous effect the breakup has had on the singer's life. By using the metaphor of walking in someone's footsteps, the singer seems to be yearning for the return of the past relationship. The phrase "On the very edge of suicide" amplifies the immense grief and despair that the singer is feeling. The repetition of the last phrase "Suicide" shows that it is the fundamental issue in the singer's mind that they cannot shake themselves off from it.
Overall, the lyrics of "Footsteps" are a poignant and powerful expression of heartbreak, grief, and the longing for the return of the past. The singer's feelings are evocatively captured, and the song touches on the pain of losing someone close to you that leaves a vacuum in your life.
Line by Line Meaning
You take him places I can't go
You have experiences with him that I am unable to have with him
You tell him things I don't know
You share information with him that I am not aware of
And even when the bonds hold fast
Even when we seem bonded tightly
You make me hate the past
You make me regret and dislike our shared history
Walking in your footsteps
I am following the path that you have set
I used to walk by your side
I was formerly your close companion
How could you leave me
I can't understand how you could abandon me and move on
On the very edge of suicide
I feel like I am about to take my own life due to the pain I'm feeling
He leaves you traces I can see
He has a history with you that I am aware of and can witness
He takes the things you gave to me
He possesses items or qualities that I received from you
And even in the coldest place
Even in the harshest of circumstances
I'm just an empty space
I feel like I am void of anything meaningful
I'm lost without you
I am directionless and unhappy without your presence
But well I know you go your own way
I understand that you have your own life to live
You never needed me no matter what you say
You didn't require my companionship, no matter what you said or did
Suicide...
Death by suicide is a possibility that haunts me due to the pain of our separation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER LAWLOR, PETER JOHN LAWLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arska
the interlude at 2:38..oh, still rocks like crazy. One of the best guitar riffs of early 90's.
Çizmeli Kedim Pet Shop
For many years this song is still my number one !
Gair
Great song...👍😎
deceiver
Still as powerful 25 years later
Gianluca Scarpa
Maybe I listen this song one million time when my first girlfriend leaves me! Stiltskin help me to forget her! Thank you Ray
gokhan alagoz
It's a great song and album from early 90's....
Elliott Wood
Who's still listening in 2020??
Mark S
Me.
A friend had this album. I heard it.
I walked into town the next day, with the sole intention of getting it on CD. I succeeded.
Mark S
Oh, my youth, goose bumps.
Forgot about this song. Foolish me.
shai.samim Shai
lol my song