The group began in 1999 when two musicians -- Jamie Woolford of Animal Chin and Rory Phillips of the Impossibles -- combined their solo projects at the recommendation of their label. After tape trading and phone calls, Woolford jumped in his van and drove to Austin, TX, where the duo recorded their entire full-length debut, Three Hundred. The material was then sent to producer J. Robbins, who gave it his famous touch, and was released on Fueled by Ramen in 1999.
After touring in support their first record, Phillips left the group. But Woolford pressed on, enlisting the help of friends and releasing the New Tokyo Is Calling EP along the way. Guitarist Erik Hanson joined, soon left the group, and was replaced by Ross Felrath, only to re-join the band again. The Stereo's second album, No Traffic, not surprisingly, dealt with issues of betrayal, loss, and abandonment, but secured the band an offer for a large-scale tour of Japan.
At this point, Jamie Woolford was the only remaining member of the Stereo but in need of a touring band, so Woolford asked friends from Animal Chin and Pollen to join him, and in the process secured the Stereo's lineup.
With a collection of musicians including Ben Woolford, Dan Hargest, Thomas Laufenberg, Kevin Scanlon, Christopher Serafini, Bruce Joshua Wuollet, and Katie Riemann, Jamie Woolford went into the studio to record the band's third album. Rewind + Record, released on Fueled by Ramen in June of 2002, realized Woolford's goal of crafting a big album with songs that inspire listeners to get their lighters out on the slow songs and enjoy the rock show. ~ Charles Spano, All Music Guide
2) The Stereo are also a French synth pop group from the early 80's.
3) Slovak 2 piece pop band from Košice city.
4am
The Stereo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I am wide awake and staring at the wall
My mind is mess
As my eyes beg for rest my ears wait for your call
Lying in bed
Thinking of ways to stack my cards so they won't fall
I feel like I'm dead
The puzzle pieces fit but make no sense at all
I can't go on
It won't be long
Who's that knocking at my door?
Who could be there?
My guess it's the one I adore
Cause I can't get to sleep anymore
When I do it's dreams of you at my door
It's a feeling just too hard to ignore
Cause it's you I want to be there at my door
All things said and done you were the worst to come my way
But nothing has changed since you've gone away
When I look around reminded how you took my breath away
I know have issues, like maybe I miss you
What would it take for you to stay?
What else is there I could say?
The lyrics to The Stereo's song "4am" explore the feeling of longing and heartbreak that follows the end of a romantic relationship. It's evident from the first lines that the singer of the song is grappling with sleeplessness that can be attributed to the absence of the person they had feelings for. The first paragraph also refers to the state of confusion and despair that persists in the singer's mind, as they try to come to terms with their emotions.
The song further delves into the singer's thoughts, as they dream of their lost love and wish they could find a way to keep them back in their life. Despite acknowledging that the person they once had romantic feelings for was perhaps not the best match for them, the singer is also acutely aware of their own flaws and issues. This is especially evident in the lines "I know I have issues, like maybe I miss you/What would it take for you to stay?/What else is there I could say?"
The overall message of the song is one of heartbreak and yearning, with the singer of the song struggling to move on from a past relationship. The melancholic tone of the song, combined with the introspective lyrics, make for a poignant exploration of the aftermath of a breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
It's 4am
The time is 4 o'clock in the morning.
But I am wide awake and staring at the wall
Despite the late hour, the singer is unable to sleep and is instead fixated on the wall.
My mind is mess
The singer's thoughts are chaotic and disorganized.
As my eyes beg for rest my ears wait for your call
Although the artist is tired, they are anticipating a phone call from someone they miss.
Lying in bed
The artist is in bed.
Thinking of ways to stack my cards so they won't fall
The singer is considering how to keep things stable in their life so as to avoid failure.
I feel like I'm dead
The singer feels emotionally numb or disconnected.
The puzzle pieces fit but make no sense at all
While things seem to be in order, they do not add up to a coherent whole.
Now that you're gone
The person the artist misses is no longer in their life.
I can't go on
The artist feels unable to continue without the person they miss.
It won't be long
The singer anticipates that something will happen soon, though it is not clear what.
Who's that knocking at my door?
The artist hears a sound and is wondering who is making it.
Who could be there?
The singer is unsure who might be at their door.
My guess it's the one I adore
The singer has a suspicion that the person they miss might be at the door.
Cause I can't get to sleep anymore
The singer is unable to fall asleep.
When I do it's dreams of you at my door
When the artist does sleep, they dream about the person they miss coming to see them.
It's a feeling just too hard to ignore
The artist's longing for the person they miss is difficult to dismiss or disregard.
Cause it's you I want to be there at my door
The singer wishes that the person they miss could be with them in person.
All things said and done you were the worst to come my way
Reflecting on the past, the singer acknowledges that the person they miss was not good for them.
But nothing has changed since you've gone away
Despite this, the artist's feelings for the person they miss have not diminished.
When I look around reminded how you took my breath away
Seeing reminders of the person they miss makes the artist feel emotionally overwhelmed.
I know have issues, like maybe I miss you
The artist realizes that missing the person is causing them emotional trouble.
What would it take for you to stay?
The singer wonders what they could do to bring the person they miss back into their life.
What else is there I could say?
The artist is at a loss for words or ideas about how to move forward without the person they miss.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind