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.
When You Know
The Feelies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking back at me
See the signs of life
Wonder what's inside
Open your door
One more time
It's not that
When you know
Try with all your might
He can't take all night
Maybe then you'll know
Long before we go
Open your mind
Let it be
It's not that
Hard to see
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
Open your door
One more time
It's not that
Hard to find
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
When you know
The Feelies’ song “When You Know” is a reflective message to one’s self, trying to figure out what is going on in their lives. The lyrics suggest that there are “signs of life” but the singer isn't sure what is inside. The song continues with their message to open your door and try with all your might, suggesting that it's not hard to find answers when you know what you're looking for. “Open your mind, let it be, It's not that hard to see when you know,” is a plea to the listener to open their minds to possibilities and to be open to change.
The repetition of the phrase “when you know” throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and importance, urging the listener to search within themselves and figure out what they truly want. The chorus also repeats the phrases “open your door” and “one more time,” reinforcing the idea that the door to self-discovery is always open and there's always a chance for change.
Overall, The Feelies’ song “When You Know” is an introspective and reflective message to the listener to search within themselves for answers to life’s questions. It encourages the listener to open their mind, try with all their might, and be open to change.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I see
Every time I lay eyes on something
Looking back at me
I try to examine it thoroughly
See the signs of life
I could sense the presence of vitality
Wonder what's inside
I'm curious about what's concealed within it
Open your door
Be willing to expose yourself to possibilities
One more time
Give it another chance
It's not that
It's not as
Hard to find
Difficult to locate
When you know
Once you've discovered
Try with all your might
Exert all your effort
He can't take all night
It won't take forever
Maybe then you'll know
You might realize it by then
Long before we go
Before it's too late
Open your mind
Be receptive to new ideas
Let it be
Allow things to happen naturally
Hard to see
Challenging to perceive
When you know
Once you've comprehended
When you know
Once you're aware
When you know
Once you've realized it
When you know
Once you've figured it out
Open your door
Be open-minded
One more time
Give it another try
Hard to find
Not easy to uncover
When you know
Once you've discovered it
When you know
Once you've comprehended it
When you know
Once you're aware of it
When you know
Once you've figured it out
When you know
Once you've realized it
Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gobeco
My favourite album song!!!
@jlr_65
Génial !
@Jointanatomy
The Feelies just stole the first place from Young Marble Giants beeing the best record i've heard this year. Maybe all my life.