After a short period of playing in local bars and clubs, The Prayer Boat had attracted a cult following in Dublin. Their two albums, Oceanic Feeling and Polichinelle received high praise and commendation from music journals but unfortunately sales were meagre.
Despite not having performed for several years, The Prayer Boat still have a website which is visited by afficionados of the band. The band's achingly beautiful music has found devotees around the world and frontman Emmett Tinley regularly receives emails from passionate lovers of his voice and The Prayer Boat's unique music. Emmett is a truly gifted singer and songwriter, and Melody Maker summed this up when they said of him, 'the man can make a cat's cradle of your heart strings.'
As Emmett has now embarked upon a solo career, releasing his first album, Attic Faith in 2005, and only occasionally sees the other members of The Prayer Boat (with the exception of his brother Patrick) it remains doubtful whether the band will play together in the near future. However, this has never been ruled out, and fans of The Prayer Boat continue to remain steadfast in their loyalty to this highly talented Irish band.
Band members are:-
Emmett Tinley (vocals, guitar, piano, hammond organ)
Patrick Tinley (guitar, charango)
Tony Byrne (bass guitar)
Tim Houlihan (drums)
Balance
The Prayer Boat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I try to say
When you wrap me 'round you
But I never stay
'Cause you've got the kiss
To steal what I lifted
Out of the hollow
Heart that I give
I'm balancing fear with you in my hands
I'm balancing joy with tears in my eyes
I'm balancing sorrow drinking for the laugh again
Waiting on the line for the sun to rise
Stumbling through the scene of the crime
Hiding the clues, wasting your time
'Cause I know it hurts
I know how it feels
To lose the balance and fall away from you
I'm balancing fear with you in my hands
I'm balancing joy with tears in my eyes
I'm balancing sorrow drinking for the laugh again
Waiting on the line for the sun to rise
If you knew everything
That I try to say
When you wrap me 'round you
But I never stay
'Cause You've got the kiss
To steal what I lifted
Out of the hollow
Heart that I give
The lyrics of "Balance" by The Prayer Boat is about the struggle of maintaining balance in a relationship. The first verse talks about the difficulty of expressing everything one needs to say, and how the partner has the power to take away what was lifted from the hollow heart. It portrays a sense of helplessness and the feeling of being unable to express oneself in a way that the partner can understand. The second verse highlights the contrast of emotions that the persona experiences, balancing fear with the partner's embrace, joy with tears, and drinking sorrow in search of joy. The chorus emphasizes the difficulties of maintaining balance in a relationship when one feels like they are on the verge of falling away from their partner.
The lyrics also stress the importance of knowing when to hide and when to stay. The persona acknowledges that hiding the clues and wasting the partner's time is not good, but sometimes it is necessary because they understand that it hurts to lose balance in a relationship. The song leaves the listener with the feeling of a constant struggle in which one is never fully comfortable.
In the end, the song is about trying to maintain balance in a relationship and how it can be difficult to express oneself's feeling to their partner. It talks about the pains that come with the loss of balance in a relationship and the struggle that comes with balancing different emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
If you knew everything
I have things to say that I keep hidden from you.
That I try to say
I attempt to express my innermost thoughts and feelings to you.
When you wrap me 'round you
Being close to you makes me feel protected and loved.
But I never stay
I have trouble committing and staying in relationships.
'Cause you've got the kiss
Your kiss has a powerful effect on me.
To steal what I lifted
You have the ability to take away what I've gained or achieved.
Out of the hollow
My efforts to fill my emptiness still feel insufficient.
Heart that I give
I'm trying to make a genuine emotional connection with you.
I'm balancing fear with you in my hands
My anxiety is tempered when I'm close to you.
I'm balancing joy with tears in my eyes
I find happiness in your presence, but it's tinged with sadness.
I'm balancing sorrow drinking for the laugh again
I'm using humor to cope with my pain.
Waiting on the line for the sun to rise
I'm holding onto hope that things will get better.
Stumbling through the scene of the crime
I'm trying to navigate the aftermath of a difficult situation.
Hiding the clues, wasting your time
I'm withholding information that would help our relationship grow.
'Cause I know it hurts
I'm aware of the pain my actions may cause you.
I know how it feels
I empathize with the emotional struggles you face.
To lose the balance and fall away from you
I fear losing the connection we have built together.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMMETT TINLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind