Jason Singh, Tim Wild, Tim Watson, and Dan Hall started out in 1997 wiriting and playing in a lounge room in Camberwell, Melbourne. By 1998, they recorded a demo with songs for their first album. The bands' first demo was given to a friend who was a taxi driver, so that he could play the demo to passengers in the cab. They would later ask how the demo was received whilst on the "taxiride". This was the inspiration for the group's name. Soon after, they signed a joint deal between Warner Music Group in Australia and Sire Records in the U.S., where they relocated to Ocean Way Recording studios in Los Angeles to work with producer Jack Joseph Puig. Their debut album Imaginate hit the #1 spot on the Australian charts and went double platinum spawning the top 10 hits Get Set and Everywhere You Go, along the way snaring a Best New Artist ARIA award. To support the global release of their debut album, the band toured Australia, America, Japan and Europe through 1999 and 2000.
In 2001, with the departure of Dan Hall and the entering of new members Sean McLeod and Andy McIvor, Taxiride started penning songs in Melbourne, seeing then a four month move again to Los Angeles to work with producer Fred Maher and record at Conway Studios in Hollywood. In July 2002, they released their second album Garage Mahal. The album delivered the band a consecutive top 5 album and a platinum plus seller. Garage Mahal featured the top 5 hit single and number 1 radio song of 2002, Creepin' Up Slowly. As with Imaginate, Garage Mahal was released globally and supported by the band undertaking a hectic promotion and touring schedule through Europe and Japan.
In 2004, Tim Watson left the band, and the rest of the members recorded the band's third album Axiomatic, which was released in September 2005. Recorded at their own new studio in Melbourne. The new album featured songs co-written with Chris Bailey from the Australian punk band The Saints. Two singles were lifted from the album, "Oh Yeah" (released in August 2005) and "You Gotta Help Me" (released in December 2005). Neither the album nor the singles charted in Australia. A video was shot for a third single "What Can I Do", and it gained heavy rotation on VH1.
Afterglow
Taxiride Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've pushed the door against your shoes
For too long
And now you say you can't decide
Which way to run or where to hide, you're so wrong
I can't believe this is going on
Too late to steal the show
If it's over, then I have to know
You wanna leave so just go on
And half the time I'd carry on
Cause I need you, and it hurts to show
You tie me up, you tie me down
I came undone, you came around
You were so strong
And now you're free to play the field
With love to win and hearts to steal, so long
You say you're never coming back
chorus
bridge
Too late to steal the show
Long time waitin for the afterglow
Now you're leavin and it hurts to know
Lost chance and now you're gone
And half the time I'd carry on
Cause I need you, but it hurts to show
The song "Afterglow" by Taxiride is a powerful expression of heartbreak and the aftermath of a failed relationship. The lyrics depict a situation where one partner is hesitant to leave, while the other is ready to move on. The use of imagery, such as pushing the door against the shoes, demonstrates a slight physical altercation, which could represent the push and pull of emotions in the relationship.
The chorus of the song further showcases the conflicting feelings between the two partners. The line "Too late to steal the show, long time waiting for the afterglow" reveals that one partner is hesitant to let go, while the other has already moved on. The use of the phrase "afterglow" is interesting because it is often used to describe the feeling after an intimate moment, but the song uses it to describe the aftermath of a relationship.
The bridge of the song expresses the regret and sadness felt by the partner who is left behind. The lines "lost chance and now you're gone, and half the time I'd carry on, 'cause I need you, but it hurts to show" reveal the internal conflict of wanting to move on while still feeling the pain of the breakup.
Overall, "Afterglow" is a poignant representation of the complicated emotions that can arise from the end of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
So long, you gotta go
I have been holding on to you for too long, and now it is time for you to leave.
I've pushed the door against your shoes
I have been standing in your way and preventing you from leaving.
For too long
I have been doing this for an extended period and it needs to stop.
And now you say you can't decide
You are unsure of which direction to take.
Which way to run or where to hide, you're so wrong
You think that you have more options than you really do.
I can't believe this is going on
I am in disbelief that we have reached this point.
Too late to steal the show
It is too late to make a grand exit or have a big impact.
Long time waitin' for the afterglow
I have been waiting for things to settle down and for us to be happy again for a long time.
If it's over, then I have to know
If this is the end of our relationship, then I need to be told so.
You wanna leave so just go on
You have made up your mind to leave, so do it.
And half the time I'd carry on
I am able to keep going and moving forward despite my feelings of pain.
Cause I need you, and it hurts to show
I still care for you deeply, but it is painful to express my emotions.
You tie me up, you tie me down
You have held me back and kept me from being free.
I came undone, you came around
You were able to bring me back together, but only temporarily.
You were so strong
You had a significant hold on me and my emotions.
And now you're free to play the field
You are now able to pursue other relationships.
With love to win and hearts to steal, so long
You are now free to pursue others and are saying goodbye to me.
You say you're never coming back
You are sure that you will not return.
Now you're leavin and it hurts to know
You are leaving and it is painful for me to accept.
Lost chance and now you're gone
I missed my opportunity with you and now you are gone.
And half the time I'd carry on
I am strong enough to keep going despite my emotions.
Cause I need you, but it hurts to show
Although I still need you, it is hard for me to express it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phil Nicol
Killer 4 part vocal harmonies from these guys. Big vocal soundstage right in your face! Their harmonies were Beatles style re-invented.
Get another manager guys, and get back in the studio with Jack Joseph Puig.
Your vocal talent deserved to go 'a lot' further than it actually did. Even though you guys sold millions of albums. 🤙 Heck 20 years has passed 🙄 😁
Mark Ottewell
This is really good, pity these didn’t get more recognition.
JC
They got enough recognition. First two albums were very successful with many top 40 hits from them as well
Fretbound
I remember these guys on the radio here in New Zealand. They should really be bigger than they are.
surface envy
Incredibly well written song, with harmonic complexity on par with anyone
mmazz30
I spent ages looking for my Garage Mahal cd and searched hell and high water for it years ago and I just found it in the cd stacker of my old car.
The band was so good in the day. Killer harmonies.
Steven Neufeld
i love these guys so much!_ amazing songs
Tanya Legros
Love this! Revisiting one of my favourite bands and I love this song still as much now as I did back when it came out! So good!!! Jason going nuts on that swivel chair, too funny! Such a catchy tune! Well done guys.
Dean Mahoney
High end production. Brilliant.
neenykins18
Never ending talent.