The band was formed by singer and guitarist Brian Briggs, multi-instrumentalists Jon Ouin and Oli Steadman, and the latter's brother Rob Steadman on drums. The band was often joined by trumpeter Adam Briggs and violinist Rahul Satija. Named after the Hebridean town on the Isle of Lewis, which appears on all UK televised weather reports and shipping forecasts, the group incorporates string instruments and keyboards, supported by a typical pop backline of guitar, drums, and bass guitar. The band is signed to the British independent record label 4AD.
Stornoway's first radio play came in March 2006 with a demo version of "I Saw You Blink" on BBC Oxford Introducing. One of the band's first high-profile live appearances was at Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2009, held in Lydiard Park, Swindon. Stornoway self-released their first single "Zorbing" in July 2009, playing at a number of UK summer festivals including six sets at Glastonbury Festival 2009.
The band signed to the independent record label, 4AD, and on 22 March 2010, they released their third single, "I Saw You Blink". They released their debut album Beachcomber's Windowsill on 24 May 2010.
On 19 November 2012 Stornoway announced the release of their second studio album, Tales from Terra Firma, which was released on 11 March 2013, after spending most of 2012 recording the album. The album's first and lead single, "Knock Me on the Head", premiered on 1 January 2013 and was released alongside the album on 11 March 2013.
In June 2014, Stornoway announced the upcoming release of their third album, Bonxie.
In October 2016 the band announced that they would be splitting up after a farewell tour during spring 2017. They played their final show on 12 March 2017. A live recording of the final show of that tour was later released as, The Farewell Show Live at New Theatre, Oxford
In 2022, the band reformed for a one-off set of gigs (including the Truck Festival in Oxfordshire and WOMAD Charlton Park in July 2022) and the set of gigs is continuing in 2023 (including a gig with Fyfe Dangerfield in London in April 2023, and the Cambridge Folk Festival in July 2023).
They announced in April 2023, via their Instagram and other channels that they had reformed to record an album called Dig the Mountain!. The release date was 8 September, with a UK tour for the album in the Autumn of that year. Original drummer, Rob Steadman is not part of this reformation.
I Saw You Blink
Stornoway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My way home
I caught the sun on my way home
My way home
When I got lost in thinking
And I missed the train
On my way home
I missed the train on my way home
My way home
'Cause I was still day dreaming
But I need to know
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
'Cause I need to know
Are you the one I've been waiting for?
I saw you blink
And I missed your eyes your blue eyes
Mmmmm
I saw you blink and I missed your eyes
Your blue eyes
When we were talking upstairs
And what would I see
If I looked in through the window?
What I've seen if id looked deep through the colored glass in through the window
But I need to know
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
'Cause I need to know
Are you the one I've been waiting for
And I climbed up the hill when I got home
And faced up towards you
What are you thinking of then?
What are you thinking?
'Cause I need to know
Are you the one?
Are you the one?
Cos I need to know
Are you the one I've been waiting for
For so long
The song "I Saw You Blink" by Stornoway is a romantic and introspective piece of music that explores the uncertainty and curiosity of falling in love. The singer of the song seems to be on his way home, catching the sun on the way, lost in his thoughts and daydreams. He misses his train because of this, indicating a certain level of obsession and focus that may be linked to his thoughts of the person he's addressing in the song.
The main question the singer asks is whether or not this person is the one he's been waiting for, the one he's been looking for. The lyrics suggest a deep emotional connection between the two, as well as a certain level of hesitation and doubt. The singer wants to know if this person is really the one he's been dreaming of, the one who might complete him and make him feel whole.
The lyrics become even more poetic and abstract in the second half of the song, as the singer contemplates the nature of attraction and love. He describes the moment when he saw the person he's addressing "blink" and how this small gesture made him miss her "blue eyes". He then wonders what he would see if he looked through the window and saw her, suggesting a level of intrigue and mystique about this person. The song ends with the singer climbing a hill and facing the person he's addressing, asking the same question once again: "Are you the one I've been waiting for?"
Overall, "I Saw You Blink" is a beautifully written and performed song that captures the complex emotions of falling in love and wondering if someone is really the one for you. The lyrics are poetic and almost dreamlike, while the music is light and ethereal, creating a feeling of floating and drifting through the air.
Line by Line Meaning
I caught the sun on my way home
I experienced the warmth and brightness of the sun during my journey home
My way home
While traveling towards my place of residence
When I got lost in thinking
When my mind became preoccupied with thoughts and ideas
And I missed the train
As a result of being lost in thought, I failed to board the train
On my way home
During my journey back to my place of residence
On my way home
While traveling towards my place of residence
I missed the train on my way home
I failed to catch the train during my journey back to my place of residence
My way home
During my journey towards my place of residence
'Cause I was still day dreaming
Because I was still lost in thought and not fully present in the moment
But I need to know
I have a desire or need to know something
Are you the one?
I am questioning whether or not someone is a particular individual I am seeking
Are you the one?
I am questioning whether or not someone is a particular individual I am seeking
'Cause I need to know
Because I have a pressing need or desire to know something
Are you the one I've been waiting for?
I am asking if someone is the long-awaited individual I have been searching for
I saw you blink
I observed someone briefly closing and opening one eye
And I missed your eyes your blue eyes
My attention was momentarily diverted and I did not have an opportunity to see the person's eyes that I had been observing
Mmmmm
A nonverbal vocalization expressing unspecified emotions or thoughts
I saw you blink and I missed your eyes
I briefly observed someone's eye movement and did not have a chance to see the color of their eyes
Your blue eyes
The specific color of the person's eyes that I was attempting to observe
When we were talking upstairs
During a conversation that took place on an upper level of a building
And what would I see
I am considering what would be the case if a certain situation occurred
If I looked in through the window?
If I had a view of what was going on inside the building through the panes of glass that let in light and air
What I've seen if id looked deep through the colored glass in through the window
If I had peered intently through the tinted window, what would I have been able to discern
And I climbed up the hill when I got home
After arriving at my place of residence, I physically ascended an incline
And faced up towards you
I turned my body towards someone or something and directed my attention towards them
What are you thinking of then?
I am inquiring about the thoughts or ideas that are occupying someone's mind
What are you thinking?
I am inquiring about the thoughts or ideas that are occupying someone's mind
'Cause I need to know
Because I require or desire knowledge about a specific matter
Are you the one?
I am inquiring if someone is the individual I have been seeking
Are you the one?
I am inquiring if someone is the individual I have been seeking
Cos I need to know
Because I have an immediate or important need for knowledge or information
Are you the one I've been waiting for
I am asking if someone is the specific person I have been searching for a long period of time
For so long
Over an extended or lengthy period of time
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN DAVID JAMES BRIGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M Gomes
caught the sun on my way home, my way home
I caught the sun on my way home, my way home
When i got lost in thinkin'
I missed the train on my way home, my way home
I missed the train on my way home, my way home
Cos i was still day dreaming
Oh and i need to know
(Lucy could you really be the one that i've been wishin for?)
are you the one are you the one
(Lucy i can't stop myself from wondering)
yes i need to know,
are you the one i've been waiting for?
(are you the one i've been waiting for?)
I saw you blink and i missed your eyes, your blue eyes
I saw you blink and i missed your eyes, your blue eyes
When we were talkin' on the stairs
What would i see, if i looked in through the window
What would i see, if i look deep through the coloured glass
in through the window
Oh cos i need to know
(Lucy could you really be the one that i've been wishin' for?)
are you the one are you the one
(Lucy i can't stop myself from wondering)
Yes i need to know, are you the one?
i need to know,
(Lucy could you really be the one that i've been wishin for?)
are you the one i've been waiting for?
(are you the one that i've been waiting for?)
And i climbed up the hill, when i go home, when i go home
And i faced out towards you
What are you thinkin' over there?
Over there, what are you thinkin' over there?
Oh cos i need to know
(Lucy could you really be the one that i've been wishin' for?)
are you the one are you the one (harmony: are you the one?)
Yes i need to know, are you the one? (harmony: are you the one?)
(Lucy i can't stop myself from wondering)
yes, i need to know,
(Lucy could you really be the one that i've been wishin for?)
are you the one i've been waiting for?
(are you the one that i've been waiting for?)
So so long
(Are you the one i've been waiting for?)
For so long
The Yellow Cursor
This song is so infectuous. I was at work and the radio started playing and I couldn't stop myself from head swinging even though I'm greatly inhibited but the lyrics and melody just overpowered me. Thank god there's still people with an ear for carefree melancholy and hopeless romantics making music for the rest of us who appreciate this kind of music.
luvmelonqtym
You know that song you’ve been looking for, for years... I cried real tears finding this again #nostalgia
Secret C
that's nice.
Bluegrass Banjo
I remember this song, one of my favourites, listening to this now is so nostalgic.
Dirk V
The perfect infectious pop tune for Summer 2010. I can't get it out of my head. So before it gets (over)used in a commercial or as a US network TV promo theme and we all get sick of it, enjoy this now...
Denis Smith
I feel bad it never got overused 😞
georgina r
I saw them at Womad for the first time ever in 2022 = their final gig. I was gutted. Id love to see them again.
Marts
these guys deserve fame but then i'll be all sad when they're not a hidden secret anymore.
andreadlc
My sister made me listen to this song. I loved it. Love the way the song makes me feel all fuzzy and happy and warm. And how it's so DIFFERENT from music now-a-days. Then I saw the drummer. Needless to say, I am now a hard-core fan of Stornoway. Amidst my growing obsession with the drummer, I also found the bassist very attractive. Only to find out that they're brothers. With wonderful names- Oli and Rob Steadman. :)
LikidySplitz
I remember when I first saw this video while just aimlessly going through music on youtube. Now over a year later its the most nostalgic song I know and beachcombers windowsill is the most nostalgic album I own. <3 stornoway