The band's music is a mixture of 1960s-style psychedelia and folk-rock with old-fashioned country and modern alternative rock influences. The Coral have released nine albums (The Coral, Magic and Medicine, Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker, The Invisible Invasion, Roots & Echoes, The Singles Collection/Magic & Mysteries, Butterfly House, The Curse of Love, and Distance Inbetween). Their self-titled debut album was nominated for the 2002 Mercury Music Prize and later voted the fourth best album of the year by NME Magazine. It was announced on 9 January 2008 that Bill Ryder-Jones would be leaving, but the band would continue as a 5-piece.
Darkness
The Coral Lyrics
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Suddenly I change my mood
Start to believe that I'm right
All of my words are in spite
Gone just as quick as they came
Feels like I've been shortchanged
Silence now empties the air
Stand naked my soul laid bare
I've been down time and time again
But there's something I found
To shelter from the rain
So beautiful, so beautiful to me
I've searched for miles around
Nowhere is love to be found
Darkness has returned so soon
Death by pale afternoon
But I've been down time and time again
And there's something I found
That shelters from the rain
So beautiful so, beautiful so
Beautiful so, beautiful to me
The Coral's song 'Darkness' explores the theme of fluctuating moods and the impact it can have on an individual's mental state. The lyrics suggest a sudden shift in attitude where the singer moves from feeling positive and right about the world around them to feeling shortchanged and exposed. As the singer's mood changes, they expose their soul to the audience, suggesting that during moments of vulnerability, individuals can be the most transparent. As the silence empties the air, the singer is left feeling exposed and naked, implying that they have been left feeling vulnerable by these sudden shifts in mood.
The lyrics also hint at the difficulties of finding love, with the line "Nowhere is love to be found". The ultimate suggestion that "darkness" returns so soon, and the subsequent line "death by pale afternoon", implies that the singer's mood swings can be incredibly painful and damaging, leading to feelings of hopelessness and despair. However, the concluding lyrics suggest that the singer has found shelter and comfort from these moods, suggesting that they have found a solution for weathering these emotional storms, even if it is only temporary.
Line by Line Meaning
Darkness has entered my room
The feeling of gloom and despair has pervaded the room in which I reside.
Suddenly I change my mood
My emotional state has undergone a sudden transformation in response to the surrounding darkness.
Start to believe that I'm right
The bleak environment reinforces the belief in my own convictions and opinions.
All of my words are in spite
The words I utter are motivated by resentment or anger due to the negative atmosphere.
Gone just as quick as they came
The negative thoughts and feelings disappear as quickly as they arose, leaving a sense of unfulfillment.
Feels like I've been shortchanged
There is a sense of dissatisfaction due to the absence of any lasting impression from the negativity.
Silence now empties the air
There is a stillness that hangs in the air after the disappearance of negativity.
Stand naked my soul laid bare
The negativity has stripped me emotionally, leaving me vulnerable and exposed.
I've been down time and time again
I have encountered this situation frequently and I am familiar with this feeling.
But there's something I found
Despite the negativity, I have discovered something that helps me cope with it.
To shelter from the rain
This coping mechanism helps me find refuge from the emotional storm.
So beautiful, so beautiful to me
This coping mechanism is a source of beauty and comfort that is deeply appreciated.
I've searched for miles around
Despite my efforts, I have not been able to find love or positivity in my surroundings.
Nowhere is love to be found
There is a complete absence of love and positivity in my surroundings.
Darkness has returned so soon
The negative atmosphere has re-emerged rather quickly after disappearing earlier.
Death by pale afternoon
The negative atmosphere brings about a sense of hopelessness and despair even during the daytime.
Beautiful so, beautiful so
The coping mechanism that I have discovered is a source of profound beauty and comfort.
Beautiful so, beautiful to me
The coping mechanism that I have discovered is a deeply personal source of beauty and comfort.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES SKELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind