Glenn Mercer and Bill Million formed the band as The Outkids in 1976, and changed their name to The Feelies later that year. The band moved to New York and began receiving critical acclaim for their performances. By the 1978, the band consisted of Mercer, Million, basist Keith DeNunzio and drummer Anton Fier. The band released their debut single "Fa Cé-La", on Rough Trade Records in 1979.
In 1980, the band released their debut album, "Crazy Rhythms" on Stiff Records. Fier and DeNunzio left the band shortly after the release of the album, and the band was put on hiatus as Mercer and Million pursued other projects. The two continued to occasionally perform with other musicians as The Feelies throughout the early 1980's.
The band reformed in 1985 with a lineup consisting of Million, Mercer, Dave Wackerman, Brenda Sauter and Stan Demeski and released "The Good Earth" in 1986. The album was co-produced by R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. The Feelies toured with Lou Reed and R.E.M. during 1986.
In 1988, the band released "Only Life" on A&M Records, and in 1991, released "Time for a Witness" on the same label. The band disbanded in 1992.
The band reunited in 2008 and toured with Sonic Youth, before beginning a schedule of festival dates throughout 2009 and 2010. The band released their fifth album, "Here Before", on Bar/None Records in 2011.
Again Today
The Feelies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It felt like miles apart
I turned around and looked away
Dark clouds a-rumblin'
Great wall was crumblin'
I turned my back and walked away
And we are in too far to find the way today
Look for a place to hide
That made it hard for me to stay
Red light a-shining down
Blocked off that part of town
Everybody went away
And we are gone too far to find the way today
And we are in too far to find the way again today
And we are gone too far to find the way today
The Feelies's song "Again Today" presents lyrics that discuss feelings of detachment from oneself and the world. The first stanza describes the singer's realization that their mind and heart are disconnected from each other. They suggest that they turned around and looked away from the issue, symbolic of avoiding their problems. The "dark clouds a-rumblin'" and the "great wall was crumblin'" seem to represent the overwhelming feelings of anxiety and distress the singer feels. In response to the distress, they turn away and walk away from their problems, perhaps choosing avoidance over confrontation.
The second stanza suggests that the singer has too many thoughts on their mind and feels the need to hide from them. The "red light a-shining down" could represent feeling exposed and vulnerable. The light has "blocked off that part of town," which could signify that the singer feels trapped and unable to escape their thoughts. The line "Everybody went away" may indicate that the singer feels alone in their struggle.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of internal struggle and the difficulty of overcoming one's personal obstacles. The singer seems unable to find a way to confront their problems and is left feeling detached from themselves and the rest of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
My mind and my heart
The disconnect between my thoughts and feelings
It felt like miles apart
The emotional distance was significant
I turned around and looked away
Avoidance of emotional confrontation
Dark clouds a-rumblin'
An indication of impending trouble
Great wall was crumblin'
A metaphor for a sense of inner turmoil
I turned my back and walked away
A decision to abandon the situation
And we are in too far to find the way today
The situation has gone too far to be easily resolved
Too many thoughts collide
The internal chaos is overwhelming
Look for a place to hide
Desire to escape from the pressures of the situation
That made it hard for me to stay
Difficulty remaining present and engaged
Red light a-shining down
A warning signal or danger ahead
Blocked off that part of town
A metaphorical closing off of options and opportunities
Everybody went away
Feeling isolated and abandoned
And we are gone too far to find the way today
The situation is beyond recovery
And we are in too far to find the way again today
The cycle of emotional turmoil continues
Contributed by Ella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.