They have released two LPs, their debut No Fate...But What We Make For Ourselves and their 2005 full-length Don't Get Lost In A Movement. Their sound has been compared to influences as widely ranging as Iron Maiden, Thrice, Strung Out and even The Police.
Originally formed in 1999, the band underwent a change of personnel in 2003 to welcome several new members and incorporated a third guitarist to produce a fuller, more dynamic sound. With help from friend and producer/engineer, Dean Hadjichristou (Addictive Sound Studios), the band began production on tracks that would eventually appear on their debut CD. After playing only a handful of shows, The Fully Down caught the attention of local label Pop Culture Records, who eagerly signed the band.
Alternative Press Magazine selected The Fully Down as winners of their Vans Warped Tour (Region 4) contest in July, 2004. The band subsequently enjoyed three weeks on the Vans Warped Tour covering the North-Eastern U.S. & Canada. The band also signed a deal that saw their CD released in Japan via Bullion Records in February, 2005.
The Fully Down signed to Fearless Records in August 2005. Their label debut, Don't Get Lost in a Movement, appeared that November. Touring continued before the band headed out the following spring on the Fear and Loathing Tour with Protest The Hero, A Wilhelm Scream, Bayside and The Spill Canvas. Halfway through April the tour ended and they began touring with Boy Sets Fire and Versus the Mirror until the end of May.
Best of Me
The Fully Down Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But all I see are perceptions changing me
Through my eyes I see the walls closing in
I'm always walking away from open doors
Everything's going to be alright
Just listen to what you're told
I'll stay true
'cause I found out
I haven't felt this way in a long time
I haven't felt this way
It's good to hear that you're doing well
But I don't need to say things you already know
We'll take the road less traveled and
See where the story ends
Our lies in our hands we take
Speaking words to myself
I should've let you know
"Best of Me" by The Fully Down is a song that reflects on the limitations that perceptions can have on one's self-awareness. The song begins with the persona looking around in search of something real. However, what they find instead are perceptions that continuously change them. The singer's reasoning, seen through their eyes, shows the walls closing in, provoking their desire to walk away from open doors. In using open doors, it is suggested that the singer overlooks opportunities presented to them because of their distorted perception.
The second verse of the song offers some sort of hope, with the singer stating that everything will be okay, and others should listen to what they're told. That hope they express is linked with the bridge of the song, where they acknowledge the belief that someone else had in the best of them. As much as they appreciated that, the singer realized that they must stay true, for they felt a way that they haven't felt in a long time, hence the repetition of the line "I haven't felt this way in a long time."
The final part of the song is about speaking to oneself, informing oneself that they should have been better. It suggests regret, acknowledging the opportunities missed because they did not embrace the fuller reality. The song overall emphasizes the internal struggles between one's perceptions and the search for what is genuine.
Line by Line Meaning
Look around to see something real
Despite searching for something that is grounded in reality, my perceptions continue to distort my surroundings
But all I see are perceptions changing me
All that I am able to apprehend are the perspectives, which have the potential to mold or shape who I am
Through my eyes I see the walls closing in
Each moment feels more suffocating as my field of vision begins to shrink
I'm always walking away from open doors
Although opportunities (symbolized by open doors) are present, I tend to shy away by walking in the opposite direction
Everything's going to be alright
Despite moments of difficulty or uncertainty, everything will ultimately work out in a positive manner
Just listen to what you're told
Instead of questioning or doubting advice, it is wise to simply accept and follow along
You believed in the best of me
You held a deep faith in who I was capable of being at my very best
I'll stay true
I will remain authentic and honest to what I believe in
'Cause I found out
As a result of my journey, I have discovered something important or significant
I haven't felt this way in a long time
It has been a prolonged period since I have experienced this particular sensation or emotion
It's good to hear that you're doing well
I am glad to know that you are in a state of prosperity and thriving
But I don't need to say things you already know
I do not need to reiterate or echo words that you are already familiar with
We'll take the road less traveled and
We will venture onto a road that is less commonly taken or explored
See where the story ends
We will observe the conclusion of this experience or journey
Our lives in our hands we take
We are responsible for the direction and choices made in our lives
Speaking words to myself
Internal dialogue, where I am speaking to myself
I should've let you know
I regret not having communicated a particular message or feeling to you sooner
Contributed by Logan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.