1) a well known Thai funk/pop band active in the 1970s.
2) an indie band active in the UK in the early 90s.
3) an alternative/ska band from Austin, Texas
1) The Impossibles (Thailand) composed their own hits but were also known for their covers of Western rock songs. They were among the first Thai pop bands to cover English language songs and were the first Thai rock band to record an English language album overseas during a tour of Europe. The band broke up in 1977, but they have frequently performed at reunions over the years, and its members remain active in music in Thailand.
2) The Impossibles (UK) were short-lived UK band consisting of Lucy Dallas and Mags Grundy. They had three releases on Fontana, with their first single "How do you do it?" produced by Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine and giving them some success after featuring in the NME.
3) The Impossibles (US) sprang from the ashes of the tragically named Austin, Texas band 'thefatgirls' in April of 1994 when fatgirls members Rory Phillips (vocals, guitar), Craig Tweedy (bass), and Pat Elliott (drums) found themselves looking for a new singer and a less embarrassing name. Within weeks they were practicing with Gabe Hascall, at that point also a bass player for the Austin hardcore band loophole. Gabe sang one song in Loophole's set, a cover of the Avail anthem 'March', and it was this shining moment that caught Rory’s eye and convinced the future Impossibles they had found their singer.
Acting as a stand-alone singer for the Impossibles first official show, Gabe soon also took on second guitar playing duties, a move that would prove critical to the future direction of the band. Writing songs with dual vocals and dueling walls of guitar sound, the Impossibles began to forge a sound reminiscent of their main influences at the time bringing together the alternative rock pop of bands like Weezer and The Pixies with the punk pop sound of bay area bands Green Day and Operation Ivy. After a short run of demo tapes the band recorded a full length self titled album, which they initially released on local label Red 5 Records and was soon picked up by Florida label Fueled by Ramen.
After a summer of touring on their first full length the Impossibles once again headed into the studio to record a follow up EP, ’Back 4 the Attack’. By this point the four members of the Impossibles were unsure of their futures, with several members wishing to pursue scholastic goals. The band decided to call it quits shortly after the release of their new EP, and would play their final show early the next year never to be heard from again...
Cut to winter, 1999. The first two Impossibles records on Fueled by Ramen along with the first demo recordings were collected into one CD, the Impossibles Anthology 94-97. After two years of playing in Imbroco and The Stereo, Rory found himself back in Austin and looking for a place to live. Although their contact was sporadic, Gabe and Rory somehow kept in contact enough to end up living together in a one-bedroom apartment in Austin’s Hyde Park district. Although the idea had come up from time to time, an Impossibles reunion wasn’t really feasible at any point until then, and somehow to everyone involved, it made perfect sense. Craig had been playing with Austin band Cruiserweight, but after much coaxing and convincing came back to the band solidifying the original lineup once again.
The following springs the Impossibles wrote and recorded 'Return’, their second full length and a noticeable departure from the original formula of ska meets pop rock. With two years apart and a lot of changes in musical influence, the Impossibles were now also incorporating influences from bands like Elliott Smith, Spiritualized, and Fugazi. At its core, however, the sound could still be found in the lyrical hooks and signature big rock guitars that had powered the bands earlier efforts.
The Impossibles hit the road and hit it hard in 2000, supporting acts like Less Than Jake and new found glory and headlining tours with Ultimate Fakebook and Cadillac Blindside, busting their chops and learning how to give their audience the same energy they received, pushing themselves every night to the point of breaking (sometimes literally) only to do it all over again the next night.
In spring of 2001 a new EP was recorded with hardcore super producer Brian McTernan entitled ’Brick Bomb’. The bands fourth effort broke even more new ground (much to the dismay of the third wave ska set, sorry kids) and honed their pop rock skills to a razor point. The songs are at times their most aggressive and their most subdued, but the sound is unmistakable.
After a 6 week US tour with the likes of grade and the movie life, the band found themselves at another impasse with the departure of their original drummer Pat Elliott and gearing up for 6 more months of touring, with their scheduled first tour of Europe in November 2001. Afterwards, being talked into a mini tour of Florida, the Impossibles retired to Austin, where they broke up shortly after.
On June, 2nd 2001 the Impossibles played their farewell concert at home in Austin to a packed house. A copy of their final moments were avalible on a DVD from Fueled By Ramen, and are sold out indeffinitly as no future pressings are planned.
The Impossibles will live on in the hearts and minds of the countless souls they touched with their music.
Always Have Always Will
The Impossibles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a crick in my neck and a yearning in my brain
Making myself homesick looking at your photograph
I do the best that I can to keep myself in check
But it's easy to complain when our home sits
On the binding of the u.s. page of the road atlas side 26
Coast to go and I'm holding my breath
Squeasin' my spider-man pillow to death
absence will make your heart grow fonder
All of my dreams will come true
And if your heart starts to falter
I will tell you what I'll do...
hold my breath all night
Clench my fists so tight
Wish with all my might
That I'll never fear
Grit my teeth too hard
Travel very far
Wish upon the stars
That I'll never...
I never feared you with
Thoughts of you near me
I camped out by the phone
Putting scratches in my notebook
And waiting up until dawn
Humming this song back and forth
Over and over again
I do the best that I can to keep myself in check
But it's easy to complain when our home sits
On the binding of the u.s. page of the road atlas
absence will make your heart grow fonder
All of my dreams will come true
And if your heart starts to falter
I will tell you what I'll do...
Hold my breath all night
Clench my fists so tight
Wish with all my might
That I'll never fear
Grit my teeth too hard
Travel very far
Wish upon the stars
That I'll never...
I never feared you with
Thoughts of you near me
I sleep as much as I can and hold my heart in my hand
It's as much as I can stand
My weakness comes out once again
hold my breath all night
Clench my fists so tight
Wish with all my might
That I'll never fear
hold my breath all night
Clench my fists so tight
Wish with all my might
That I'll never fear
Grit my teeth too hard
Travel very far
Wish upon the stars
That I'll never...
The Impossibles' "Always Have Always Will" is a love song about the struggle of being away from a loved one. The song speaks of the predicament of being on the road, leaving the singer homesick and longing for his significant other. The first verse sets the tone of the song and describes how the singer has fallen asleep in the van, with a crick in his neck and a yearning in his brain. The singer is looking at his lover's photograph and trying to keep himself in check, but his longing for home is intense. The second verse delves into the idea of absence making the heart grow fonder, as the singer expresses that he never feared with thoughts of his lover near him. The chorus is about the singer's determination to hold on to his love and never falter, no matter how far he is on the road.
The lyrics of the song reveal the theme of trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. The singer is camping out by the phone, putting scratches in his notebook and waiting up until dawn, humming the song back and forth over and over again. The phrase "absence will make your heart grow fonder" emphasizes the importance of the distance that makes the love between the two stronger. The chorus depicts the singer clutching on to every aspect of his love and not relenting, no matter how much he misses his significant other. The lyrics mesh perfectly with the up-tempo beats of the song, making it a catchy and memorable ode to love.
Line by Line Meaning
Fell asleep in the van
I drifted off to sleep inside the van
With a crick in my neck and a yearning in my brain
My neck was stiff and I was deeply longing for something
Making myself homesick looking at your photograph
I missed my home so badly that just looking at your photo reminded me of it
I do the best that I can to keep myself in check
I try my hardest to stay under control
But it's easy to complain when our home sits
On the binding of the u.s. page of the road atlas side 26
It's hard not to complain when your home is constantly on the move
Coast to go and I'm holding my breath
I'm anxiously anticipating the next coast that we're headed to
Squeasin' my spider-man pillow to death
I was clutching my spider-man pillow so tightly that I probably could have crushed it
I can see your eyes when I hold mine closed so tightly
When I close my eyes really tightly, I can picture your eyes in my mind
I camped out by the phone
Putting scratches in my notebook
And waiting up until dawn
Humming this song back and forth
Over and over again
I was idly waiting by the phone, doodling in my notebook, humming this song repeatedly until the sun came up
I never feared you with
Thoughts of you near me
In the comfort of having you by my side, I never had to fear anything
Hold my breath all night
Clench my fists so tight
Wish with all my might
That I'll never fear
Grit my teeth too hard
Travel very far
Wish upon the stars
That I'll never...
I'm willing to hold my breath, clench my fists, and make wishes upon stars to never have to feel fear
I sleep as much as I can and hold my heart in my hand
It's as much as I can stand
My weakness comes out once again
I try to sleep as much as I can and hold onto my emotions, but I'm only human and sometimes my vulnerability shows through
absence will make your heart grow fonder
All of my dreams will come true
And if your heart starts to falter
I will tell you what I'll do...
The time apart will only make us miss each other more, my dreams will come to fruition, and I'll always be there to support you if you need me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHNNY MEARS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind