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)
Paralysed
The Prayer Boat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something that would betray me
And tell you I was older in my head
More scared than I said
Oh but I wait one more day
Hoping for the stalemate to end
Immobile and fading
We reach for anything
Paralysed
You were the motion and I
Was always the lone one
I need you now to decide
There's a difference here
Between the future and I
I Don't look for reasons to live
I never want to die
Paralysed
You were the motion and I
Was always the lone one
I need you now to decide
Ooh ooh
All that I had is trapped in the ruins of our life
How long before I lose the light
How long before I lose the light
How long before I lose the light
How long before I lose the light
I wanted to write you a letter
Something that would betray me
And tell you I was older in my head
More scared than I said
Paralysed
You were the motion and I
Was always the lone one
I need you now to decide
The lyrics to The Prayer Boat's song Paralysed express the emotions and helplessness one feels when caught in a stagnant situation. The singer desires to communicate their vulnerability and fears to someone but is hesitant to do so. The repetition of "paralysed" emphasizes the feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward. The line "You were the motion and I was always the lone one" suggests that the singer relies on someone else to bring change in their life. They need this person to make a decision, to take action, and alleviate their stuck state. The lyrics also touch on the struggle of finding a reason to live and the fear of dying.
The repetition of "How long before I lose the light" could have a dual meaning. It could imply the singer's lost hope or their eventual death if the situation does not improve. The lyrics capture the pain, helplessness, and fear of being stuck in a situation that drains one's life and hope. However, the last line "I need you now to decide" offers a glimmer of hope. The singer acknowledges that they can't change the situation alone and need someone else's help to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted to write you a letter
I wanted to express my feelings to you through writing.
Something that would betray me
Something that would reveal my true emotions, even if they were not comfortable.
And tell you I was older in my head
And let you know that I have matured in my thoughts and emotions.
More scared than I said
But I am still more afraid than I am willing to admit.
Oh but I wait one more day
I am still waiting and hoping that our situation will change.
Hoping for the stalemate to end
Hoping for the situation where we are stuck in will come to a resolution.
Immobile and fading
Feeling stuck and uncertain, and losing energy and hope.
We reach for anything
We try to grasp onto something, anything that might give us comfort or direction.
Paralysed
Feeling unable to act or move forward.
You were the motion and I
You were the one who brought energy and direction to our relationship.
Was always the lone one
While I was always the one who felt isolated and alone in that relationship.
I need you now to decide
I am reaching out to you, hoping that you might make a choice that will change things for us.
There's a difference here
We are not on the same page.
Between the future and I
I have a different vision of our future than you do.
I don't look for reasons to live
I am struggling to find reasons to keep going.
I never want to die
But I am also scared of dying.
Ooh ooh
All that I had is trapped in the ruins of our life
All of the good moments and memories that we had are now overshadowed by the pain and difficulties.
How long before I lose the light
How much longer can I keep going before I break down completely?
I wanted to write you a letter
I still have things I want to share with you.
Something that would betray me
Things that I might not feel completely comfortable sharing, but that I need to express nonetheless.
And tell you I was older in my head
To let you know that I am growing and changing, and that our relationship needs to grow and change with me.
More scared than I said
Even though I am trying to be brave, I am still scared.
Paralysed
I am still unable to move forward, to make space for us to heal.
You were the motion and I
I need you to help us change things for the better, to be the one to move us forward.
Was always the lone one
I have always felt like I was in this alone.
I need you now to decide
I need you to make a choice that will allow us to move forward - or to choose to walk away.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMMETT TINLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind