The Hours are a band formed in 2004 in London by Antony Genn and Martin Sla… Read Full Bio ↴The Hours are a band formed in 2004 in London by Antony Genn and Martin Slattery. Antony Genn had previously played with the bands Elastica and Pulp, and also worked as a producer, including producing sessions for the electronic act UNKLE.

Martin Slattery is an established pianist and keyboard player, who had previously toured with Shaun Ryder’s group Black Grape. Both Antony and Martin also have worked with Joe Strummer as a part the group The Mescaleros.

The band is managed by Jeanette Lee, who runs Rough Trade with Geoff Travis and former Pulp bassist Steve Mackey. The artwork for the band, including the skull image was created by British artist Damien Hirst for his "For The Love Of God" Collection..

They have received support from Radio One DJ Zane Lowe, and from Jarvis Cocker who said "They understand what music is for – it's for human beings to communicate with other human beings. It's that simple, it's that important. Let them into your life. You won't regret it".

Their single "Ali in the Jungle" is featured in the EA Sports FIFA 08 football game. More recently, Nike used the song in their "The Human Chain" commercial which premiered during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. "People Say" has twice been used in the opening scenes of British soap opera Hollyoaks.

Their first album Narcissus Road was released in 2007. And led to popular singles such as Ali In The Jungle and Back When You Were Good.

Their second album, entitled See the Light, was released on 20th April 2009. It was preceded by the single Big Black Hole on the 6th April.

In 2009 the band supported Kasabian as well as U2 on their 360 Tour playing in Zagreb, Glasgow, London Wembley Stadium and Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

Icarus
The Hours Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

He had a misanthrope for a dad
Who crushed any hope he might have had
When he was just a boy
Clothed in a cloak of bitterness
He wandered through the wilderness in search of something to destroy

Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun
To the sun

I can understand why someone can go over to the dark side
'cause the devil, he's got all the tunes
And someone once said if you're not living on the edge,
then you are taking up too much room
Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun
I know he fell
But for a while there, he must have had some fun
Yeah, he must have had some fun
Yeah, he must have had some fun

In a world of such confusion, contradiction, and delusion,
We all can have a heavy heart
A certain symbiosis, paranoia, feeds psychosis
It can cause a man to fall apart
Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun
I know he fell down,
But I know that he is not the only one
No, he's not the only one

If you don't shoot,
then you don't score
I know that for sure
I know that for sure
If you don't shoot,
then you don't score
I know that for sure
I know that for sure

He had a misanthrope for a dad

Who crushed any hope he might have had
When he was just a boy

Overall Meaning

The Hours' song "Icarus" depicts a man who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is burdened by the weight of his father's bitterness and cruelty, which has crushed any hope he might have had. Like the classic mythological figure of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun with wings made of feathers and wax, the man in the song reaches for something beyond his grasp.

The song suggests that sometimes we are drawn to the darker aspects of life because they seem more alluring and exciting than the safe and ordinary. The devil, the song suggests, has all the best tunes. But these tempting pleasures come at a cost. The man in the song falls because he flies too close to the sun. He is not the only one to suffer, though. The world is full of confusion, contradiction, and delusion, and we all carry a heavy heart because of it.

The lyrics to "Icarus" serve as a reminder of the risks we take when we reach beyond our limits. They touch on themes of rebellion, temptation, and the search for meaning in an often cruel and unforgiving world. The melody is haunting and poignant, and the lyrics are full of powerful metaphors that invite the listener to reflect on their own struggles and journeys in life.

Line by Line Meaning

He had a misanthrope for a dad
His father was a person who disliked or hated other people and thus, did not allow him to hope for anything better.

Who crushed any hope he might have had
His father destroyed any aspiration that he could have fostered.

When he was just a boy
All this happened to him when he was still a young boy.

Clothed in a cloak of bitterness
He always wore a cloak that symbolized his utter resentment towards everything that happened with him.

He wandered through the wilderness in search of something to destroy
He roamed aimlessly in his life looking for something to demolish due to his life circumstances.

Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun
Just like Icarus, he got carried away and became too ambitious in his pursuit of happiness which led him to face the consequences of his actions.

To the sun
He desired to reach the sun which represents his biggest aim in life.

I can understand why someone can go over to the dark side
It's understandable that sometimes the circumstances lead people to do terrible things.

'cause the devil, he's got all the tunes
Satan is always the one that seems to offer people the alluring things that they desire.

And someone once said if you're not living on the edge, then you are taking up too much room
If you want to live life to the fullest, you need to take risks and live near the edge of possibilities. If not, you are wasting your life.

I know he fell
He failed to achieve what he wanted ultimately.

But for a while there, he must have had some fun
But in the process, he must have at least enjoyed some pleasures and moments of satisfaction.

In a world of such confusion, contradiction, and delusion, We all can have a heavy heart
In a world where confusion and illusion reign, everyone can feel the weight of their problems on their shoulders.

A certain symbiosis, paranoia, feeds psychosis
Some conditions like the association of different people, the dangerous suspicion that can numb the mind feed the illness that can make a person disable.

It can cause a man to fall apart
These circumstances might make someone lose control over their life and lose their path to success.

But I know that he is not the only one
He is not the only one who has faced such problems and obstacles in life.

No, he's not the only one
There are others in the world who are also in the same situation as him.

If you don't shoot, then you don't score
If you don't try hard enough, you cannot achieve success.

I know that for sure
It's a fact that cannot be contested.

If you don't shoot, then you don't score
If you don't try hard enough, you cannot achieve success.

I know that for sure
It's a fact that cannot be contested.

Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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