On the January 11, 2010, The Irrepressibles released their debut studio album, Mirror Mirror, a collection of 12 baroque pop songs produced by Dimitri Tikovoi and William Turner Duffin, and written by Jamie McDermott. The album features the single "In This Shirt". Mirror Mirror received critical acclaim. The Guardian called it "theatrical and very different, a ripe, colourful riposte to all that is Cowell" and The Independent described it as "a dramatic soundscape dripping with echoes of the Weimar Republic and la belle époque."
"In This Shirt" garnered critical and public acclaim after it was used as the soundtrack for short film, The Lady Is Dead, by Israeli production company PAG Films, described by Sundance Channel as "fantastic".
In November 2012, The Irrepressibles released their second album, Nude. Self-produced by Jamie McDermott, the album similarly received critical acclaim. The Quietus described it as "remarkably varied and unpredictable album" stating that "the results border on the spectacular". The Independent gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "an act of bravery in a cowardly world" and "swaddled in the most beautiful musical finery".
2013 saw the release of Nude : Landscapes, the first of three EPs inspired by - and expanding on - the band's second album. This first EP saw the band take a "minimal symphonic" and "acoustic" direction, as described by McDermott in an interview with QX Magazine. The second EP, Nude : Viscera, released on the February 14, 2014, "brings together influences from New Wave, Grunge, and Exotica". The third EP, Nude : Forbidden, is yet to be released.
The Irrepressibles have been remixed by various artists including Iamamiwhoami, Röyksopp, Hercules & Love Affair and Zero 7. Jamie McDermott has also provided guest vocals for Rex The Dog's single "Do You Feel What I Feel" and in 2013 on Röyksopp's single "Something in My Heart", credited as 'Jamie Irrepressible'.
In This Shirt
The Irrepressibles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now our rainbow is gone
Overcast by your shadow
As our worlds move on
In this shirt, I can be you
To be near you for a while
In this shirt, I can be you
There's a crane knocking down
All those things that we were
I awake in the night
To hear the engines pout
There's a pain, it does ripple
Through my frame, makes me lame
There's a thorn in my side
It's the shame, it's the prize
Of you and me, ever-changing
Moving on now, moving fast
And this touch must be wanted
Must become through your ask
But I need Jake to tell you
That I love you, it never rests
And I bled every day now
For a year, for a year
I did send you a note
On the wind for to read
Our names there together
Must've fallen like a seed
To the depths of the soil
Buried deep in the ground
On the wind, I can hear you
Call my name, held the sounds
I am lost, I am lost
In a rainbow
Now our rainbow is gone
I am lost in a rainbow
Now our rainbow is gone
I am lost, I am lost
I am lost, I am lost
I am lost
The song "In This Shirt" by The Irrepressibles conveys a poignant message of loss and heartache. The lyrics suggest that the singer is deeply in love with another person, yet that love has been lost. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the first two lines juxtaposed against each other. The singer is lost in a rainbow, representing the vast array of emotions and colors that love can bring, yet that rainbow is gone. The rainbow is overcast by the shadow of the other person, and the two worlds have moved on. This image of a lost rainbow signifies the loss of something that was once beautiful and hopeful, yet that has now faded away.
The singer finds comfort in wearing the other person's shirt, as it allows them to feel close to them. The repetition of the lines "In this shirt, I can be you" indicates a desire to be near them, even if it is only for a short while. The use of "you" implies that the other person has left, and the singer is left with just a piece of clothing to remind them of their love.
The latter half of the song is more abstract, with references to a crane knocking down memories, engines causing sleepless nights, and a thorn in their side. However, the message is still clear: the singer is in pain, both physically and emotionally, and they are struggling to move on from this lost love. Overall, "In This Shirt" is a moving and introspective reflection on heartbreak and the complexities of romantic love.
Line by Line Meaning
I am lost in a rainbow
Confused and uncertain about my life
Now our rainbow is gone
The bright and colorful future we envisioned is no longer there
Overcast by your shadow
Your presence has darkened my world
As our worlds move on
As we grow apart and move on with our lives
In this shirt, I can be you
Wearing this shirt makes me feel closer to you
To be near you for a while
To temporarily ease the distance between us
There's a crane knocking down
Symbolic of the destruction of our past
All those things that we were
The memories and experiences we shared together
I awake in the night
Unable to sleep due to my troubled thoughts
To hear the engines pout
The sounds of the world moving on without me
There's a pain, it does ripple
The pain of losing you spreads throughout my body
Through my frame, makes me lame
It weakens me to the point of immobility
There's a thorn in my side
A constant reminder of the pain you've caused me
It's the shape, it's the prize
You and our past relationship are the cause of my suffering
Of you and me, ever-changing
Our relationship was constantly evolving and unpredictable
Moving on now, moving fast
We are both moving on with our lives at a quick pace
And this touch must be wanting
The desire to be near you is overwhelming
Must become through your eyes
I long to see things from your perspective
But I need Jake to tell you
I can't express my feelings to you directly
That I love you, it never rests
My love for you never fades
And I bled everyday now
The pain of losing you is unbearable
For a year, for a year
It has been a year since we parted ways
I did send you a note
I attempted to communicate with you
On the way for to read
On the way to your hands
Our names there together
A symbol of our past relationship
Must've fallen like the sea
The thought of us together has disappeared like waves in the ocean
To the depths of the soil
The memory of us is now buried deep
Buried deep in the ground
Unreachable and inaccessible
On the wind, I can hear you
I still feel your presence around me
Call my name, held the sound
As if you were calling to me, and the sound lingers
I am lost
I am still lost in my thoughts and emotions
I am lost in a rainbow
Still confused and uncertain about my life
Now our rainbow is gone
Without the bright and colorful future we envisioned
I am lost in a rainbow
Searching for direction and purpose
Now our rainbow is gone
Without the hope and optimism of our past relationship
I am lost, I am lost
Still feeling lost and disconnected from the world
I am lost, I am lost
My confusion and uncertainty remains
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Gerard McDermott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind