The Frames have been together since 1990 and are a survivor of Dublin's prolific early 90's rock and roll scene. They have also been essential in the development of the current crop of emerging Irish rock bands, such as Turn. The Frames have toured with various other Irish artists, including Damien Rice and Bell X1. In December 2004, Hansard appeared on stage in a collaboration with singer songwriter Paddy Casey.
The name The Frames reportedly arose from Hansard's habit, at a young age, of fixing the bicycles of many of his friends. The large number of bicycle frames lying around his house led neighbours to dub it the "house with the frames".
Their new, 6th studio album, The Cost, is available in Ireland since 22 September 2006 and worldwide since 20 February 2007.
Lead singer Hansard recently collaborated with Czech musician Markéta Irglová, which led to the solo album "The Swell Season". Glen and Markéta also star and perform in the John Carney movie Once (www.oncethemovie.com). The movie received several awards including the World Cinema Audience Award - Dramatic at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival as well as an Oscar for best Song for the track "Falling Slowly".
On several occasions the members of The frames appear on stage during the Swell season gigs.
www.theframes.ie
Plateau
The Frames Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not where I belong
It's taken so many years
To figure out my way
Upon this plateau
It's all been said and done
And every time I try
The words make little sense until you're gone
And everything must change
Everything must change
Upon this plateau
The diamond sky's enough to take you miles ahead
Where the past can't ever catch us
And all your good friends
Are gathering all around
They say the time is now
And so I must resolve to say
It's just me myself again
And I'm just talking to the wall this time
It's just me myself and I
Deciding on a plan
And everything must change
Everything must change inside you now
Everything must change inside and out
Everything must change, change...
I'm on a plateau
I'm on a plateau...
The Frames' song Plateau is a contemplation of one's position in life, particularly when one feels stuck in a certain place, which is represented by the metaphor of a plateau. The opening lines, "I'm on a plateau / It's not where I belong / It's taken so many years / To figure out my way" suggest a sense of displacement and a desire for change. However, the singer is also aware that they have reached a point of no return, where everything they could have said or done has been said and done. The line "And every time I try / The words make little sense until you're gone" hints at some form of loss or separation that has caused confusion.
The song then takes a more uplifting tone, suggesting that change is necessary and even desirable. The diamond sky, which is evoked in the line "The diamond sky's enough to take you miles ahead", represents a new, limitless future that lies ahead. The singer's friends are also supportive of this change, urging them to embrace it. However, ultimately the decision to change is up to the singer alone. The line "It's just me myself again / And I'm just talking to the wall this time / It's just me myself and I / Deciding on a plan" suggests a sense of independence and self-reliance in making this decision.
Overall, Plateau is a song about being at a crossroads, feeling stuck in one place but also apprehensive about the changes that might come. It is an introspective and reflective piece that encourages the listener to reflect on their own position in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on a plateau
I feel stagnant and stuck in my current situation
It's not where I belong
I know that I need to move on to something better
It's taken so many years
I have been searching for a way out for a long time
To figure out my way
To find the path that will lead me out of this situation
Upon this plateau
In this stagnant place where nothing changes
It's all been said and done
I've exhausted all my options in this place
And every time I try
Every attempt to leave has been unsuccessful
The words make little sense until you're gone
I can't see the way out until I leave this situation
And everything must change
I know that in order to move forward, everything must be different
The diamond sky's enough to take you miles ahead
The beauty of the world outside this place gives me hope for the future
Where the past can't ever catch us
Leaving this place means leaving behind the problems of the past
And all your good friends
The people who care about me want me to succeed
Are gathering all around
They are there to support me and help me through this transition
They say the time is now
My friends are urging me to take action and make a change now
And so I must resolve to say
I need to make a decision and commit to taking action
It's just me myself again
I am alone in making this decision and taking action
And I'm just talking to the wall this time
I have been trying to make changes for so long, it feels like no one is listening
It's just me myself and I
Ultimately, the responsibility for my future lies with me alone
Deciding on a plan
I need to come up with a concrete plan of action to move forward
Everything must change inside you now
This change needs to start from within me, before anything else can change
Everything must change inside and out
The changes I need to make are both internal and external
Everything must change, change...
The need for change is urgent and cannot be ignored
I'm on a plateau
I'm still stuck in this place, but I know I need to make a change
I'm on a plateau...
The need for change is weighing heavily on me
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.