The Parlotones’ three studio albums —2005’s Radiocontrolledrobot, 2007’s A World Next Door To Yours, and 2009’s Stardust Galaxies, have racked up numerous platinum and gold certifications and South African Music Awards, while their three live CD/DVD packages (culminating in 2010’s Live Design) have cemented their reputation as a fiery force to be reckoned with onstage. Confronted with the sight of powerfully expressive frontman Kahn Morbee leading the band — which also includes guitarist Paul Hodgson, bassist Glen Hodgson, and drummer Neil Pauw — to soaring emotional heights during their Fall 2011 club tour of the U.S., the Boston Herald predicted that “The Parlotones could become huge here. Killers huge, Muse huge, Coldplay huge.” Filter magazine reckoned that “their earnestness, work ethic, and charm may be their biggest weapons.”
Those qualities will serve The Parlotones well in 2012 as they prepare to expand their loyal fanbase beyond South Africa and Europe (where they also have a devoted following) to the United States with the release of their new album Journey Through the Shadows, via their own Sovereign Entertainment label, on May 8th. “America dictates trends around the world,” Morbee says. “If you’re big there, the rest of the world listens. It has a ripple effect. We would be very proud to achieve success in the U.S. because very few artists from our country have managed it. I think for a long time, South Africans have had an inferiority complex in terms of our place in the world and our relative insignificance compared to the super powers. It would be nice to have a success story, especially in a nation that needs uplifting, and instill in folks back home that ‘can do’ belief.”
To achieve their goal, The Parlotones have crafted the kind of melody-minded arena-filling songs that transcend language and culture barriers on Journey Through The Shadows. First single “Save Your Best Bits,” with its theme of not allowing negative things from the past to affect the good parts of your soul, and the celebratory “I Am Alive” are about catharsis. They chase those moments of universal human experience when everyone in the room is uplifted by a shared emotion. “My goal is to connect with people across the world, and I think the human condition is very similar regardless of where you are,” Morbee says. “I think the theme of these songs is hope and that life is worth living regardless of its ups and downs.”
That theme informs the album’s title, Journey Through The Shadows, which, Morbee explains, is a metaphor for the human experience. “You’re not given a guidebook or map at birth that guarantees the smoothest path,” he says. “Ultimately, we all walk through with a candle that only allows us to see so far in front of ourselves. You never know what’s around the corner, so it’s an analogy for life.”
In keeping with The Parlotones’ big themes are big ideals. Ever since these four school friends formed the band in the Johannesburg suburb of Roodepoort in the late ’90s they have always aspired not only to have fun making music, but also to give back to their community. Over the years, they have raised funds and awareness for a variety of social and environmental organizations, lending their high profile to initiatives such as Live Earth, Earth Hour, The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Carbon Free campaign, Nelson Mandela’s 46664, and Live Earth’s Run for Water, among others. They are also ambassadors for the anti-poaching organization Rhino Force, United Against Malaria, and several other non-profits that combat problems that acutely affect South Africa. In March 2012, they will join with Africa Unites for a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise global awareness about ending violence against women and girls in Africa. The band sees the music and the activism, as well as their other creative business endeavors (the band has its own boutique wine label, which has released three highly successful blends) as one and the same: methods of expression, communication, and connection.
“People in the public eye have the ability to spread a message very quickly and effectively,” Morbee says. “So we try to do so when it concerns issues we feel strongly about. But we never want to come across as a band that's preaching. All we're really doing is drawing attention to causes that we support. South Africa is our home and home to our families and our friends. We certainly want to make sure they have a bright future. If we can get involved and encourage people to get involved, it can only have positive effects.”
The Parlotones are excited to be representing their homeland and shining a spotlight on it in the process. “Every band dreams of making a living, touring, and having a large fan base around the world,” Morbee says. “Those were our aspirations from the beginning, but because the music market in South Africa wasn’t developed, they were very difficult to achieve. We had to pave our own way. For me the success is not in what we may eventually achieve but in actually taking the journey. Yes there's a lot of risk associated, but we’ve soaked up such a wealth of experiences that it makes it all worthwhile.”
Beautiful
The Parlotones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You effervescent champagne
And I’ll be the words
You be the canvas, the page
And I'll be the wings
You be the nightingale
Flowers may fade but our colours will stain
Sail away on a ship made of love
Fly away on a purple dove
And I'll be the fire that burns all your sand to glass
Well if you be my summer when winter refuses to pass
Seasons grow old but I hope that you know
Forever a beautiful life
A beautiful life
A beautiful life will be golden
Life will be golden
Life can be sick
I’ll be your cure and your fix
I will protect you
Life can be wild
I'll tame the crazy inside
I will defend you
Galaxies and milky ways aren't big enough to describe
Our story, our beautiful life
A beautiful life
A beautiful life will be golden
Life will be golden
Life will be golden
Life will be golden
Life will be golden
All of these lines crease our faces with good times
Revealing a beautiful life
The Parlotones's song "Beautiful" is a love song that expresses a deep desire for a life shared with someone special. The lyrics are about being there for each other through thick and thin, and the ups and downs of life. The song sets the tone with the opening lines, "I'll be the water, You effervescent champagne," which establishes a commitment to be the perfect complement to the other person. The lyrics use poetic imagery throughout, describing one person as the canvas and the other as the words, or one as the nightingale and the other as the wings. The couple grows stronger together, with their colors staining forever and their life being beautiful.
The song emphasizes the importance of supporting each other, and how a life shared with someone special can be a beautiful thing. It speaks to the underlying desire that many of us have to find someone who complements us, who provides us with what we need, and who understands us on a deep level. The chorus repeats the phrase "A beautiful life will be golden," emphasizing that life is indeed full of beauty if we find the right person to share it with.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be the water
I will be a source of calm and stability in your life.
You effervescent champagne
You are bubbly and exciting, like champagne.
And I’ll be the words
I will always have something to say or express.
You be the canvas, the page
You are full of potential and ready to be filled with beautiful experiences.
And I'll be the wings
I will help you fly and reach your goals.
You be the nightingale
You have a beautiful voice and can sing your own song.
Flowers may fade but our colours will stain
Although things may change, our memories will remain colorful and vivid.
Together a beautiful life
We will create a beautiful life together.
Sail away on a ship made of love
We will embark on a journey of love and adventure.
Fly away on a purple dove
We will fly away on the wings of our love.
And I'll be the fire that burns all your sand to glass
I will help you overcome any obstacles in your life.
Well if you be my summer when winter refuses to pass
If you are the source of warmth and light in my life, even when things are difficult.
Seasons grow old but I hope that you know
Although things change, our love will endure.
Forever a beautiful life
We will have a beautiful life together that lasts forever.
Life can be sick
Life can be difficult and challenging.
I’ll be your cure and your fix
I will help you overcome difficult times and find solutions to problems.
I will protect you
I will be there to keep you safe and secure.
Life can be wild
Life can be unpredictable and exciting.
I'll tame the crazy inside
I will help you find balance and calmness when things become overwhelming.
I will defend you
I will be there to support and protect you during trying times.
Galaxies and milky ways aren't big enough to describe
Our love and life together is beyond words and grander than the universe itself.
Our story, our beautiful life
Our love and life together is a beautiful story.
All of these lines crease our faces with good times
Our memories together bring joy and happiness to our lives.
Revealing a beautiful life
Our life together is beautiful and full of happiness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Allan
Still a brilliant song after all these years
tabycatxoxo
What a masterpiece.
David James
This song needs to have more coverage. I often think of it when I look at collections of extinct animals in museums or bodies on a battlefield. It is powerful song and this video doesn't actually do it even halfway justice.
Andries Smit
What a band👌
Wisdom
Best live band I have ever seen...better than U2 and Coldplay...respect ..
c w
Awesome
Pfunzo Lambani
Damn and i remember telling this to my friend and he laughed at me...he loves Coldplay😅
Luciana Nogueira
❤💋
G-Squared
Yes babe face without a name. I love you!
Ronnie Smith
Only you