(2) The Maccabees (2002-2016) were an indie rock band from London, UK. The line-up consisted of Orlando Weeks (vocals), Hugo White (guitar), Felix White (guitar, vocals), Rupert Jarvis (bass) and Sam Doyle (drums), who replaced Robert Dylan Thomas. Weeks stated once that the band came up with the name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. Despite adopting a name with religious connotations, he affirmed that none of the band are religious.
Debuting in 2004 with the You Make Noise I Make Sandwiches EP (released on Haircut Records), they released their first single X-Ray on Promise Records on November 28, 2005. Receiving just little significant exposure - some evening play on XFM London radio station - the band however scored a minor indie hit with their second post-punk influenced single Latchmere released in April 2006 on Fierce Panda Records.
Then inking a deal with the Polydor imprint (and former home of The Cure) Fiction Records the bands first studio album, Colour It In, was released on May 4, 2007 .
To date (late September 2007) they have released three (widely available) singles from the album (First Love, About Your Dress and Precious Time) with a fourth and final single Toothpaste Kisses released on October 8, 2007.
On May 4, 2009 the band released Wall of Arms, their second album. Preceded by the single Love You Better on April 27th. Markus Dravs, who collaborated in the past with artists such as Björk, Arcade Fire and Coldplay, produced the album. The album has been recorded in various cities including Liverpool and Paris, unlike their first long-player which was recorded in "dribs and drabs" like frontman Orlando Weeks said.
On January 9, 2012 the Maccabees released Given To The Wild, their third album. The band worked on the album at both Rockfield Studios in Wales and their rehearsal space in London's Elephant and Castle district, before decamping to Suffolk to finish the record.
Marks to Prove It, their last album, was released in 2015.
Official Website
Guitarist Felix White was initially in a band called Jack's Basement with fellow friend Jack Peñate. Felix and Hugo White are brothers, along with Will White, who is the frontman of another band called Talk Taxis. Former drummer Robert Dylan Thomas left the band in 2008.
Precious Time
The Maccabees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cheek paler than a lamp light
Take me down to light the box
And play super Scalextric
And turn this
Darkness
Into light
Forget all the hype
I'll need heart and I'll need courage
We all need...
Toe to toe, there's nowhere to go
So I'm tiptoeing around it
I held you down and I held my own
And now I feel like I'm floating
So turn to this
Head on
And keep on
Keeping on
I'll need heart and you'll need courage
We all need time
So let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Don't you know, nobody knows
If there's somebody waiting
So you'll hold yourself up and you'll hold yourself in
And then pray that you are growing
And turn to this
Darkness
You turn it into light, and you'll turn too bright
Forget all the hype
You'll need heart and I'll need courage
We all need time
So let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's make time work for us
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about it
Let's take our precious time about
Cause we'll need heart and we'll need courage
In these times
We'll need heart and we'll need courage
In these times
Because time can mean so much
Are you still mine?
The Maccabees's song "Precious Time" is a wonderfully uplifting track about perseverance, courage, and the power of time. The song talks about the challenges we all face in life and how, despite the uncertainty and precarious nature of our existence, we can still find solace in our relationships, our strength, and our hope. The lyrics, which are poetic and evocative, talk about the need to face our fears and doubts with heart and courage, rather than running away or giving up. The idea that time is precious, and that we should make the most of it, resonates throughout the song.
The opening lines "Pound for pound and cheek to cheek, Cheek paler than a lamp light, Take me down to light the box, And play super Scalextric" are a metaphor for the human condition. "Pound for pound" suggests equality or balance, whereas "cheek to cheek" implies intimacy and physical closeness. The "lamp light" is a symbol of hope or illumination, while "super Scalextric" represents the unpredictability and excitement of life. The chorus, "And turn this darkness into light, And I'll turn too bright, Forget all the hype" is a reminder that no matter how daunting the situation may seem, there is always a way to turn things around with courage and determination.
The second verse "Toe to toe, there's nowhere to go, So I'm tiptoeing around it, I held you down and I held my own, And now I feel like I'm floating" is a reflection on the pressure we face to make the right decisions in life, particularly when we feel that there are no easy choices. The metaphor of "tiptoeing around it" suggests caution or hesitancy, but also a willingness to face difficult situations head-on. The idea of holding someone down and holding one's own is a way of saying that we are all responsible for our own lives and decisions. The lines "Don't you know, nobody knows, If there's somebody waiting, So you'll hold yourself up and you'll hold yourself in, And then pray that you are growing" are an acknowledgement that we all have doubts and insecurities, but that we should still strive to grow and develop as individuals, no matter what challenges we may face.
Line by Line Meaning
Pound for pound and cheek to cheek
We are in this together, side by side, through thick and thin.
Cheek paler than a lamp light
We are scared and uncertain, feeling as if we have lost our way.
Take me down to light the box
Let's find a way to shine a light on our situation and bring it into clear view.
And play super Scalextric
Let's enjoy the moment and have some fun, even amidst the challenges.
And turn this
Let's take control and transform
Darkness
Our struggles and hardships.
Into light
A brighter and more hopeful future.
And I'll turn too bright
We will emerge from this stronger, more resilient and brighter than before.
Forget all the hype
We need to ignore distractions and focus on what truly matters
I'll need heart and I'll need courage
We will need to be brave and keep pushing forward
We all need...
As individuals and as a community, we all face challenges and have a shared responsibility to overcome them.
Toe to toe, there's nowhere to go
We are at a standstill and need to confront the challenges head-on.
So I'm tiptoeing around it
We are proceeding cautiously but steadily, trying to navigate the situation safely.
I held you down and I held my own
We have been there for each other, supporting and encouraging one another through hard times.
And now I feel like I'm floating
We are beginning to break free from our struggles and feel a sense of relief and liberation.
And keep on
We need to keep going and not give up.
Keeping on
We need to stay strong and persistent in our efforts.
We all need time
We need patience, perseverance and time to overcome our challenges
So let's make time work for us
Let's use the time we have to our advantage and make the most of it.
Let's take our precious time about it
We need to take our time and not rush things, proceed with care and caution.
Don't you know, nobody knows
We cannot predict the future and what it holds.
If there's somebody waiting
If there's hope for us and for a better tomorrow.
So you'll hold yourself up and you'll hold yourself in
We need to be strong and composed despite the challenges we face.
And turn to this
Let's take control and transform
You turn it into light, and you'll turn too bright
We can turn our struggles into something positive and emerge from them brighter, stronger and better.
Cause we'll need heart and we'll need courage
We will continue to face hardships and need to be brave and resilient.
In these times
Especially in difficult times, we need to be there for one another, offer support and encouragement.
Because time can mean so much
Time is precious and valuable, we need to use it wisely and make the most of it.
Are you still mine?
Do we still have hope for a better tomorrow and a brighter future?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FELIX WHITE, HUGO WHITE, ORLANDO THOMAS PENHALE WEEKS, ROBERT DYLAN THOMAS, SHEPHERD RUPERT ALEXANDER J. JARVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Samuel Powell
I remember buying this album on cd, amazing from start to finish, my music producer friend in high school used to show me all these great bands but this is one of the first bands I showed him I'm proud to say, NME used to have all these great bands. Miss those days, my friend has just released a brand new banging indie track, try searching Lonely Gimmick - Grumpy Days, brings back nostalgic indie memoires well worth checking out
RachEve
This is my favourite Maccabees song, why does it not have more views and comments!
Sinqobile Bandile
such an inspiring song
Roberto Blatt
Nessa eu boto fé: é uma música tranquilinha e dançante, nada desses anabolizantes sonoros.
Juan Alberto Chavarria Rodriguez
Hopefully in the future, they keep playing, they keep creating more songs, they have an exceptional talent.
BarbaraSurova
Oh God. I'm watching this for the first time since the summer when I've seen it for the really fist time and it brought me back the memories, I could smell a summer morning for a second.
maria jose Vazquez
Amo esta canción
Patrick Berwick
no where near their best song and its still fucking amazing
Ben Hudson
Seen them at Latitude and Reading this year, can never get tired of them live! :)
Rick
Amazing live band!