After their initial formation in 2008, their debut album "Passive Me, Aggressive You" was released on the "Somewhat Damaged" label during September 2010. The single "Young Blood" debuted at number one on the New Zealand chart - the first New Zealand artist to do so in three years. On 6 December 2010, the BBC announced that The Naked and Famous had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll.
Their second album, 2013's In Rolling Waves, reached the top 5 on the New Zealand Albums chart, and top 15 on the Australian Albums and US Billboard Top Alternative Albums charts. Their following album, Simple Forms, was Xayalith and Powers' first release as a two-piece. Their fourth album, Recover, was released in 2020, and peaked at 19 on RMNZ's New Zealand Artist Albums chart.
Monument
The Naked and Famous Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Torn and broken monument
This piece, it doesn't seem to fit
Hear amongst our discontent
Oh, it's the love we lost
Here as we're lifting off
We love (We love)
We leave (We leave)
I feel my lungs (My lungs)
Dive deep (Dive deep)
The waves crash over me
Oh, it's the love we lost (Monument)
Here as we're lifting off (Monument)
Tie it tight, this tourniquet
And lose a part to save my skin
Pain and loss will intonate (Intonate)
Grow back like phantom limbs
We love (We love)
We leave (We leave)
And time begins to freeze
I feel my lungs (My lungs)
Dive deep (Dive deep)
The waves crash over me
Oh, it's the love we lost (Monument)
Here as we're lifting off (Monument)
Oh, it's the love we lost (Monument)
Here as we're lifting off (Monument)
Oh, it's the love we lost (Intonate)
Oh, it's the light left off
Let me go or let me love you
We love (We love)
We leave (We leave)
And time begins to freeze
I feel my lungs (My lungs)
Dive deep (Dive deep)
The waves crash over me
We love (We love)
We leave (We leave)
And time begins to freeze
I feel my lungs (My lungs)
Dive deep (Dive deep)
The waves crash over me
Oh, it's the love we lost (Monument)
Here as we're lifting off (Monument)
Oh, it's the love we lost (Monument)
(Oh, it's the light left off)
The lyrics of The Naked and Famous's song "Monument" express a deep emotional struggle and introspection that the singer is experiencing. The first verse sets a somber tone as the singer sits at the foot of a torn and broken monument, symbolizing a relationship that has withered and fractured. The inability of the piece to fit signifies the disconnect and discord within the relationship, highlighting the discontent that surrounds them.
The repeated mention of "the love we lost" showcases the theme of lost love and the pain that comes with it. The conflicting emotions of love and loss are intertwined as the singer navigates the tumultuous waters of moving on from a significant relationship. The imagery of lifting off suggests a sense of departure or moving forward, yet the weight of the past love lingers, depicted as a tourniquet that binds them.
The lines "We love, we leave, and time begins to freeze" encapsulate the cycle of love and abandonment that seems to repeat itself. The singer dives deep into their emotions, feeling the crashing waves of pain and heartache overwhelm them. The reference to phantom limbs growing back symbolizes the enduring nature of emotional wounds, even when attempts are made to heal and move forward.
The plea to "Let me go or let me love you" portrays the internal conflict and indecision the singer grapples with regarding their feelings. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea of a continuous struggle between holding onto the past and embracing the future. Ultimately, the song captures the bittersweet essence of lost love, the internal battles it incites, and the haunting legacy it leaves behind, like a solemn monument of memories and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sitting at the foot of this
Reflecting on the brokenness and imperfection of this monument
Torn and broken monument
A symbol of pain and destruction that we must face
This piece, it doesn't seem to fit
Feeling out of place and disconnected in the midst of chaos
Hear amongst our discontent
Listening to the dissatisfaction and unrest around us
Oh, it's the love we lost
Acknowledging the lost love that haunts us
Here as we're lifting off
In the process of moving on and letting go
Tie it tight, this tourniquet
Attempting to heal and close wounds, even if it means sacrifice
And lose a part to save my skin
Giving up something valuable to protect oneself
Pain and loss will intonate
The suffering and grief will resonate deeply within us
Grow back like phantom limbs
Memories and emotions resurfacing and lingering like ghostly reminders
Oh, it's the light left off
The absence of brightness and hope in the aftermath
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alisa Xayalith, Bradley Hale, Luna Shadows, Thomas Powers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind