1. Brisbane band The Ripti… Read Full Bio ↴There are four bands called the Riptides.
1. Brisbane band The Riptides was one of the classic Australian new wave groups. The band's blend of diamond-hard power pop, snappy surf melodies and whomping backbeat was irresistible and eminently danceable. After becoming one of the biggest drawcards on the Australian pub circuit during the early 1980s, The Riptides called it a day in 1983, although various incarnations have regrouped in the decades since, even recording a live album, titled Resurface in 1987.
2. The Riptides are a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1998 in Ottawa, Ontario. From 1999-2001, the band recorded and released several independent records through their own label Goblin Records. From 2002-2005 the band toured throught Canada and the U.S. with bands like The Queers, The Dwarves, The Methadones, Moral Crux and The Vapids. Goblin Records set up a recording studio in downtown Ottawa and recorded many local punk rock bands including The Vapids, The Creeps, Dying Riot, The Sewer Rats, The Jollys, Uninspired Empire, Sack Lunch, Sexhead and The PG-13s. In 2009 the band signed to Asian Man Records and recorded the full-length "Tales From Planet Earth."
3. The Riptides was a 60s-era instrumental surf group largely known for the single "Machine Gun."
4. The Riptides was an early incarnation of 60's band Shakespeare's Head, recording several demos from 1963-1965.
Eternal Flame
The Riptides Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ever done me any good at all (Yeah, yeah)
Well I'm not so proud
But I always seem to fall (No, no)
Well it a big stumble
But it's still a little step (Yeah, yeah)
And when I look around me there's
Others that aren't even walking, walking yet
Everybody's dying to be heard (To be heard)
They shoot their guns
And they shoot their words (Shoot their words)
I can't feel it 'cause this coldness numbs
And the cut is deep before the pain comes
I say, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
I've seen it burning at the cenotaph
I've seen it burning in the pouring rain
Hey
Well, they're all together
And you know they're marching in a straight line (Yeah, yeah)
They're all going to the same place
At the same time (Yeah, yeah)
You better be careful
Else you're gonna get out of step (Yeah, yeah)
And you'll cop a packet and then
You know, there'll be nothing left
Everybody's dying to be heard (To be heard)
They shoot their guns
And they shoot their words (Shoot their words)
I can't feel it 'cause this coldness numbs
And the cut is deep before the pain comes
I say, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
I've seen it burning at the cenotaph
I've seen it burning in the pouring rain
Hey
Hey
Well I just wonder
If it's always gonna be the same
Some kinda fun
But you know it's not a game
Oh no
Well it maybe dark
But the flame it always burns (Yeah, yeah)
Beside the railway station
In the memory of the soldier's tomb (No, no)
A hole in the ground is sitting
Next to the sacred square (Yeah, yeah)
There used to be something
Now there's nothing, no there's nothing there
Sayin' everybody's dying to be heard (To be heard)
They shoot their guns
And they shoot their words (Shoot their words)
I can't feel it 'cause this coldness numbs
And the cut is deep before the pain comes
I say, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
I've seen it burning at the cenotaph
I've seen it burning in the pouring rain
Hey
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
Well, I can't feel it
Oh, no
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
Well, I can't feel it
Just can't feel it
The lyrics of The Riptides’ song Eternal Flame seem to convey a sense of detachment and numbness towards life and its struggles. The singer wonders if his efforts and hard work have paid off in any way, and admits to his own failures and lack of pride. He seems to be struggling to find a purpose or direction in life as he sees others advancing ahead of him, and is frustrated that he can’t seem to feel the passion or the pain that others around him do. He speaks of the struggle to be heard in a noisy world and the consequences of not being in step with others - being left with nothing.
The singer seems to lose himself in the song’s title - Eternal Flame - a symbol of the lasting legacy and memory of those who have gone before us. Perhaps he feels like he too is lost in the passing of time and unable to leave a lasting impact on the world. He sees the eternal flame burning at the cenotaph and in the pouring rain, but can’t feel its warmth or significance. Even as he recognizes the importance of remembering the soldiers’ memory, he realizes that nothing lasts forever and everything is bound to change.
In summary, Eternal Flame is a song that touches upon themes of disillusionment, detachment from purpose, and the fleeting nature of life itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I just wonder if it's
Ever done me any good at all (Yeah, yeah)
The singer questions if what he's been doing has been worthwhile and if it has benefited him in any way.
Well I'm not so proud
But I always seem to fall (No, no)
The singer admits to not being perfect and tends to make mistakes frequently.
Well it a big stumble
But it's still a little step (Yeah, yeah)
While acknowledging his mistakes, the singer takes comfort in knowing that it's still progress and a step closer to his goal.
And when I look around me there's
Others that aren't even walking, walking yet
The singer observes that there are others who haven't started their journey yet, and he is grateful that he has made some progress.
Everybody's dying to be heard (To be heard)
They shoot their guns
And they shoot their words (Shoot their words)
I can't feel it 'cause this coldness numbs
And the cut is deep before the pain comes
People are eager to be noticed and express themselves, but the singer is emotionally numb and doesn't feel the impact of their words until it's too late.
I say, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel it
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
I've seen it burning at the cenotaph
I've seen it burning in the pouring rain
Hey
The singer can't connect with the passion and enthusiasm that others have. He's seen this 'eternal flame' in the past, but now he is emotionally distant from it.
Well, they're all together
And you know they're marching in a straight line (Yeah, yeah)
They're all going to the same place
At the same time (Yeah, yeah)
The singer observes that everyone is following the same path and striving towards the same goal, in a very organized and predictable manner.
You better be careful
Else you're gonna get out of step (Yeah, yeah)
And you'll cop a packet and then
You know, there'll be nothing left
The singer warns that straying from this path could result in consequences and a loss of everything that's been worked towards.
Well I just wonder
If it's always gonna be the same
Some kinda fun
But you know it's not a game
Oh no
The singer worries if life will always be monotonous and lack any real fulfillment, and that despite sometimes enjoying it, it's not something to be taken lightly.
Well it maybe dark
But the flame it always burns (Yeah, yeah)
Beside the railway station
In the memory of the soldier's tomb (No, no)
Even in bleak and depressing times, there's a sense of hope and remembrance, symbolized by a flame at the soldier's tomb.
A hole in the ground is sitting
Next to the sacred square (Yeah, yeah)
There used to be something
Now there's nothing, no there's nothing there
The singer observes an empty space where something once was, and how time destroys and erases things over time.
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
Well, I can't feel it
Oh, no
Well, I can't feel that eternal flame
Well, I can't feel it
Just can't feel it
The singer reiterates that he cannot connect with the passion and enthusiasm of others and feels emotionally distant from it, no matter how hard he tries.
Contributed by Alexandra G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.