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.
We Are Leaving
The Naked and Famous Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear that you're doing well
Back again for long this time?
Looks like they put you all through hell
But you seem to be coping fine
Trust me the stress will pass with time
And you'll be back around again
Yes you'll be back again
I don't mean to make you curse
But it could have been much worse
And as far as I can tell
It seems that you're doing well
Come quick, things worth seeing
Life-sick, we are leaving
Time-framed, changing season
Same-same, we are leaving
And I bet you constantly ask
How did we get here so fast
Cause I have been there once before
And all the dates they made me raw
Wait and weight, it's all the same
Sinking underneath the waves
Hell it couldn't be much worse
Than diving in head first
And I don't mean to make you curse
But it could have been much worse
And as far as I can tell
It seems that you're doing well
Come quick, things worth seeing
Life-sick, we are leaving
Time-framed, changing season
Same-same, we are leaving
In the song, "We Are Leaving," The Naked and Famous tell a story of a person who seems to be going through a tough time but is coping well enough to move forward. The chorus repeats the line "Life-sick, we are leaving," which suggests that the person is ready to leave the past behind and start a new chapter. The first verse seems to be addressing someone who has been through a difficult experience, but the second verse takes a more general approach to the lyrics. The band members sing about how they have been through difficult experiences themselves and can empathize with the listener's pain.
The song has a very introspective vibe with its lyrics about change and moving forward. The chorus is especially powerful, as it speaks to the idea of leaving the past behind and embracing a new future. The song seems to be about taking control of one's life and holding onto hope in difficult times.
One interesting fact about "We Are Leaving" is that it was written during the recording sessions for the band's album, "Simple Forms." The lyrics and melody came together relatively quickly and the band decided that it was worth including on the album. Another interesting fact is that the song was initially titled "Simple Forms," but the band decided to change the title to "We Are Leaving" to better reflect the song's theme of moving forward.
Another interesting fact about "We Are Leaving" is that the band has performed it live multiple times with a slightly different arrangement. In some live versions, the song features an extended instrumental break, while in others the vocals are more prominent. Lastly, the chords for We Are Leaving are: F, C, G, Am, and Em in standard tuning.
Overall, "We Are Leaving" is a powerful song about resilience and the ability to move on from difficult experiences. The Naked and Famous do a great job of conveying a sense of hope in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Cover up your shaky hands
Hide your insecurity and try to appear confident
I hear that you’re doing well
I've heard that you're doing fine
Back again for long this time?
Are you back for good this time?
Looks like they put you all through hell
Seems like you had a rough time
But you seem to be coping fine
But it looks like you're managing to handle it
Trust me the stress will pass with time
Believe me, the stress will go away eventually
And you’ll be back around again
And you'll return to your usual self
Yes you’ll be back again
Indeed, you'll be back to normal
I don’t mean to make you curse
I don't mean to upset you
But it could have been much worse
But things could have been much more difficult
And as far as I can tell
From what I see
It seems that you’re doing well
It looks like you're doing fine
Come quick, things worth seeing
Hurry up, there are things worth experiencing
Life-sick, we are leaving
Feeling exhausted with life, we're moving on
Time-framed, changing season
With time passing quickly, the season is changing
Same-same, we are leaving
Consistently feeling the same, we're departing
And I bet you constantly ask
I'm sure you often wonder
How did we get here so fast
How did we end up here so quickly
Cause I have been there once before
Because I've been in that situation before
And all the dates they made me raw
All the memories made me feel vulnerable
Wait and weight, it’s all the same
Waiting or carrying the burden, it's all equally difficult
Sinking underneath the waves
Feeling overwhelmed and struggling to stay afloat
Hell it couldn’t be much worse
It really can't get much more difficult than this
Than diving in head first
Than fully immersing oneself in the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALISA XAYALITH, THOM POWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind