The core quartet of Howie Payne (vocals, guitar), Luke Thomson (guitar), Dean Ravea (bass), and Steve Pilgrim (drums) was complete in 2002, and the Echo Label (Chrysalis) emerged as victor in the massive bidding war to sign The Stands.
The band's first album, "All Years Leaving," produced several Top 40 hits. The Stands toured extensively with Oasis, The Libertines, Paul Weller, and Jet through 2005.
After relocating to Los Angeles to record their second album, “Horse Fabulous,” Paul Molloy (formerly of The Skylarks) replaced Luke Thompson. "Horse Fabulous", was released on Monday, 24 July, 2005 to critical acclaim. Although certain sectors of sophomoric pop press derided Payne’s toungue-in-cheek genius for homage as a “60s pastiche sound,” Payne received accolade from the more academic contingents of music journalism (Mojo, Q) and major patriarchs of the British music industry, cementing his credibility as a serious and gifted songwriter. The Echo label downsized by three quarters just before “Horse Fabulous” was released, and the album was left adrift amidst exceptional press and great demand.
On Thursday, 24 November, 2005 Howie Payne posted the following message on the band's forum:
"I thought I should be the one to break the news that after much thought I have decided to no longer continue with The Stands. It has been a wonderful few years but over the last months my heart has been slowly being drawn towards the idea of change and musical pastures new. Recent times have been both creative and difficult in equal measure, and I in order to seek clarity I want to now take the time to take some time to get some fresh air and move onto something new. We thank each and every one of you all for all your support, taking the time to listen to our records and coming to see us play. It's been a pleasure, thanks so much to you all. Howie."
Back To You
The Stands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put your empty hands in mine
Scars.
Show me all your scars you have
And hey.
If your wings are broken
Please take mine to yours
Can open too
Ooh tears. make calaidoscope in your eyes
And hurt. I know you are hurt in so am I
And love. if your wings are broken
Borrow my eyes as yours can open too.
I am gonna stand by you
We can find a way breakthrough
Even if you can find heaven
I walk through hell with you
Love you are not alone
Cause I am gonna stand by you
Even if I could find heaven
I am gonna stand by you
Even if I could find heaven
I walk through hell with you
Love you are not alone
Cause I am gonna stand by you
Yeah you all I never knew I need it
And heart. sometimes it's unclear
Why it's beated
And love if your wings are broken
We can breathe to all some oceans too
And cause I am gonna stand by you.
Truth. I guess truth this way to believe it
And fate. I think fate is have been a reason
Na na na. love. if your wings are broken borrow mine to yours can open too.
I am gonna stand by you.
Even if I could break it through
We can find a way breakthrough
I walk through hell with you
Love you are not alone
I am gonna stand by you
Even if you could find heaven
I walk through wall with you
You are not alone
I'll be you eyes
Till yours can shine
I'll be your arms
I'll be you sadly satellite
And when you can rise
Where I cry with you while hencing in me
Cause I.
The Stands' song "Back to You" is a powerful ballad about standing by someone you love through their darkest days. The lyrics are filled with metaphors of broken wings, scars, tears, and hurt, all of which convey the pain and suffering that people go through in life. The song talks about the importance of having someone to lean on, someone who's always there to offer a hand to hold, to show you the light in darkness, love you when you feel unloved or carry you when life seems too much to bear. The song's chorus is a declaration of commitment and love, where the singer promises to stand by the person they love through thick and thin, even if it means walking through hell with them.
The song's verses are filled with beautiful imagery; the tears are seen as a kaleidoscope, while broken wings can be mended by borrowing someone else's eyes. This song's message is that no one has to go through tough times alone, that we can find strength in each other, and that it's okay to lean on someone when you feel overwhelmed. It encourages people to be vulnerable, honest, and to acknowledge the dark times they face while reminding them that there's always hope, and things will get better.
Line by Line Meaning
Hands. Put your empty hands in mine
I want you to trust me and let me help you, even if it means holding your empty hands.
Scars. Show me all your scars you have
I want you to feel comfortable opening up to me about your past experiences, even if they have left scars.
And hey. If your wings are broken, Please take mine to yours Can open too
If you are feeling broken and unable to move forward, let me help you and share my strength with you.
I am gonna stand by you
I am committed to helping and supporting you, no matter what happens.
Ooh tears. make calaidoscope in your eyes
Even though you may be upset or emotional, I still see beauty in your tears and want to be there for you.
And hurt. I know you are hurt in so am I
I acknowledge and understand that you are hurting, and I am here to support you because I also relate to that pain.
And love. if your wings are broken, Borrow my eyes as yours can open too.
I want to share my perspective and help you see the world in a more positive light, even if you are struggling with your own view of things.
We can find a way breakthrough
I believe that together we can overcome any obstacle or challenge that comes our way.
Even if you can find heaven, I walk through hell with you
I am willing to support you not only through the good times but also through the toughest times that life may throw at us.
Love you are not alone
I want to remind you that you have me by your side and that you are never alone, no matter what.
Yeah you all I never knew I need it
I am grateful to have you in my life and I did not realize how much I needed someone like you until you came along.
And heart. sometimes it's unclear Why it's beated
Even though the heart can be mysterious and difficult to understand at times, I am willing to be patient and supportive as we navigate those complexities together.
And love if your wings are broken, We can breathe to all some oceans too
Together, we can experience the beauty and vastness of the world, even if you are feeling trapped or limited.
Truth. I guess truth this way to believe it
I believe that being honest and truthful with each other is the best way to build a strong foundation for our relationship.
And fate. I think fate has been a reason
I believe that fate brought us together for a reason, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be there for you.
Na na na. love. if your wings are broken, Borrow mine to yours can open too.
Once again, I want to emphasize that I am here to support you and share my strength, even if your own wings feel broken.
Even if I could break it through, We can find a way breakthrough
I believe in our ability to overcome any obstacle, and I am committed to finding a way forward no matter what.
I'll be your eyes Till yours can shine
If you are feeling lost or uncertain, I am here to guide you and help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I'll be your arms, I'll be your steady satellite
I want to offer you my support and help you feel grounded and secure, even if you feel like you are drifting in space.
And when you can rise, Where I cry with you while hence in me
As you overcome your struggles and achieve success, I will be there to celebrate with you and share in your happiness.
Cause I am gonna stand by you.
Overall, I want you to know that I will always be here for you, no matter what challenges we may face.
Writer(s): Howard Elliot Payne
Contributed by Emma S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.