The Frames (formed 1990) is a band based primarily in Dublin, Ireland. As o… Read Full Bio ↴The Frames (formed 1990) is a band based primarily in Dublin, Ireland. As of late 2004, the band consists of Glen Hansard (vocals, guitar), Joe Doyle (bass guitar, vocals), Colm Mac Con Iomaire (violin, keyboard and vocals), Rob Bochnik (lead guitar), and Johnny Boyle (drums). On both versions of the album "Fitzcarraldo" the band went by the moniker "The Frames DC", to avoid being mistaken with a United States band of the same name.

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

The Side You Never Get To See
The Frames Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you come, come alone
Please don't take anyone else
'Cause we're never alone
And tonight I want you for myself
Take it back, take it back
Those words that you never can help

And the side you'll never get to see

Is the part I keep from everyone
And the side you'll never get to reach
Is alive, is alive

Will you dance monkey dance?
Don't have me repeating myself
'Cause you came here by chance
And I'll knock you right down again

And the side you'll never get to see
Is the part I keep from everyone
And the side you'll never get to reach
Is alive, is alive

And the side you'll never get to see
Is the part I keep from everyone

And the side you'll never get to reach
Is alive, comes alive

Overall Meaning

The Frames' song "The Side You Never Get To See" is a haunting tune that conveys a sense of secrecy and hidden emotions. The lyrics seem to illustrate the common human desire to keep certain parts of ourselves private, to reveal only what we choose to, and hold back everything else. The opening lines, "If you come, come alone, please don't take anyone else" give the impression that the singer is about to reveal something very personal and intimate.

The repeated phrase "And the side you'll never get to see" acts as a kind of refrain, emphasizing the sense of mystery and distance between the singer and the listener. The lyrics also contain a sense of frustration, as evidenced by lines like "Take it back, take it back, those words that you never can help" and "Will you dance monkey dance? Don't have me repeating myself." This indicates that the singer is perhaps tired of having to explain or justify themselves and is pleading for understanding from the listener.

The final lines, "And the side you'll never get to see, Is alive, comes alive" has a somewhat paradoxical meaning. It seems to suggest that the side of the singer that is kept hidden is actually the most vital, vibrant part of them.

Line by Line Meaning

If you come, come alone
I want to spend time with you and get to know you better, and I'd rather you not bring any distractions or other people with you.

Please don't take anyone else
I'd like this time to be just between us and not have any interruptions.

'Cause we're never alone
There are always people around, it's hard to find a moment to be truly alone and connect with someone.

And tonight I want you for myself
I really want to focus on our time together tonight and enjoy getting to know you intimately without any outside distractions.

Take it back, take it back
Please take back any hurtful or untrue words you might have said. Let's start fresh and not hold onto negative feelings.

Those words that you never can help
I know sometimes we say things without thinking or mean things in the heat of the moment. I understand.

And the side you'll never get to see
There's a part of myself that I keep hidden from others. It's a vulnerable and private side that not many people get to see.

Is the part I keep from everyone
It's hard for me to let my guard down and show my true self. I'm afraid of being judged or misunderstood.

And the side you'll never get to reach
There's a deeper level to me that most people won't ever have the opportunity to experience or understand.

Is alive, is alive
Despite everything, this hidden part of me is still thriving and present, even if it's not always visible to others.

Will you dance monkey dance?
I am tired of people trying to manipulate or control me. I want to be treated with respect and not like a circus animal performing tricks.

Don't have me repeating myself
I've already made my intentions clear, I don't want to have to keep restating them or explaining myself over and over.

'Cause you came here by chance
I didn't necessarily plan for you to end up in my life, but now that you're here, I want to make the most of our time together.

And I'll knock you right down again
If you don't treat me with kindness and respect, I won't hesitate to put you back in your place and protect myself.

Is alive, comes alive
The hidden part of myself that most people don't see comes to life when I'm with someone who truly understands and accepts me for who I am.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLM MACCONIOMAIRE, GLEN HANSARD, GLEN JAMES HANSARD, JOSEPH DOYLE,, JOSEPH PHILLIP DOYLE, ROBERT BOCHNIK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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