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.”
Pretend
The Parlotones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smiles are flaking
I am not the one to blaim
Pretend
We're best friends
Pretend
We're best friends
Deliciously tempting
This is so inviting
I must leave before i fall in lust and in love
Pretend
We're best friends
Pretend
We're best friends
And i need her x3
More than water
I'll stop breathing x3
Till i have her
Is my ambition
I'm sure of her intentions
I've stayed too long
And now i lust and i love
And i need her x3
And i need her more than water
I'll stop breathing x3
Till i have her
The Parlotones's song Pretend is a hauntingly melancholic track that seems to revolve around unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. The opening lines of the song are particularly evocative: "And eyes are melting, Smiles are flaking, I am not the one to blame". These lines suggest that the singer is feeling overwhelmed by emotions that they cannot control. The melting eyes and flaking smiles perhaps signify the fleeting nature of happiness and joy, and the fact that these feelings are not durable or long-lasting.
The chorus of the song is a plea to pretend that the singer and their love interest are best friends. This perhaps suggests that the singer knows deep down that their love will never be reciprocated, and so they are willing to settle for a friendship instead. The lines "Deliciously tempting, This is so inviting, I must leave before I fall in lust and in love" suggest that the singer is struggling to resist their feelings and is afraid of falling too deep in love.
The closing lines of the song are perhaps the most poignant. The repeated refrain of "And I need her more than water, I'll stop breathing till I have her" suggests an all-encompassing love that is all-consuming and bordering on obsession. The fact that the singer is willing to sacrifice even their own basic needs like water and air for the sake of love signifies the depth of their emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
And eyes are melting,
My desire and need for this person is so intense that it feels like my eyes are melting.
Smiles are flaking
The facade of happiness and calmness is starting to crack and reveal my true emotions.
I am not the one to blaim
I cannot control my feelings and desires, and therefore cannot be blamed for them.
Pretend
We're best friends
To avoid acting on my intense attraction, I will pretend that we are only friends.
Deliciously tempting
This is so inviting
The pull towards this person is strong and irresistible, making it all the more tempting.
I must leave before i fall in lust and in love
In an attempt to protect myself from acting on my desires, I must distance myself before I fall too deeply in love or lust.
And i need her x3
More than water
My need and desire for this person is all-consuming and more important to me than anything else, even the basic need for water.
I'll stop breathing x3
Till i have her
I am so consumed by my desire that I feel like I cannot live without her and will do anything to be with her.
Is my ambition
I'm sure of her intentions
I've stayed too long
And now i lust and i love
My ambition is to be with this person, and I am convinced that they feel the same. I have waited too long to act on my feelings, and now I am consumed by both lust and love.
Contributed by Penelope Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.