The band started up by playing a couple of gigs at the 13th Note in Glasgow, creating half hour-long pieces of music using guitars, bass, drums, theremin, tape loops from films and old folk/country songs, effects pedals, toy keyboards, thumb pianos, saws, computer games, and a lot of noise, in an attempt to try and discover a sound they could call their own and continue to develop. After these two shows, they rejected many gig offers, and became a more reclusive unit, spending any spare time they had in the studio focused on writing and sculpting away at new material.
In September 2005, they produced a 4-song demo with a 24-track desk, trying to get the best representation as possible, sent it over to Brighton-based Fat Cat Records. Alex Knight, co-founder of the label, went to Glasgow to watch the band perform their third gig and signed them on the spot. In November 2006, they made their first official release with The Twilight Sad, a US-only EP that helped bring attention to the band, as well as performances at CMJ '06 and SXSW '07 Festivals.
Their debut album, Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters, was recorded over a short period of three days and featured the first songs the band had ever created. It received good critical reception from the independent music media and turned the band into a reference point for the up-and-coming scottish indie scene at the time. Where the band’s recorded sound is layered with many melodies, their live sound is a more intense experience which replaces the intricacies of the recordings with a more visceral wall of sound, which is something the band intended to do all along.
In June 2008, they released the Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did EP, which included off-the-cuff reworkings of songs from the debut album, alongside the title track and a cover of Daniel Johnston, an artist they've cited as one of their main influences. The idea came about after the band played at London's Union Chapel, a venue with noise restrictions that forced them to perform with a more basic line-up of a fan organ, glockenspiel and percussion. During this time, the band recruited Martin "Dok" Docherty (formerly of Aereogramme) to play keyboards and additional guitar during the live shows. At the end of 2008, they released Killed My Parents and Hit the Road, a compilation to help fund their tour with fellow scots Mogwai. It consisted of live recordings, acoustic tracks, previously unreleased material, new demos and covers, which included The Smiths, Joy Division and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Their second album, Forget The Night Ahead, was released in September 2009. For the recording process, the band disposed of their effect pedals and experimented with natural reverb using early krautrock techniques, like mic'ing up inside the studio walls and rooms on the other side of the building to get the drum sound. During this time, original bassist Craig Orzel left the band to pursue other projects. He was replaced in the live setting by Johnny Docherty of Take a Worm for a Walk Week. A year later the band released The Wrong Car EP that featured two b-sides from the 'Forget' sessions as well as remixes by fellow Scottish acts Mogwai and Errors.
The release of their third album No One Can Ever Know saw the band pursue a change in style, virtually eliminating delayed guitars and relying on vintage analog synthesizers instead. The album was recorded in February/March 2011 at The Pool studios in London and featured production assistance by Andrew Weatherall.
Pills I Swallow
The Twilight Sad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never left your side,
Oh have you known
Always ends up in a fight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
Now keep you on my side
I never won a fight
Oh have you known?
With you eyes are all uptight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
You're telling me what not to do
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
The Twilight Sad's song "Pills I Swallow" is a moody and melancholic track with lyrics that seem to explore themes of deteriorating relationships, toxic behavior, and questioning why one stays in such situations. The song begins with a confession of never having left someone's side despite the relationship always ending up in fights. The singer then addresses the other person's careless behavior, highlighting that they are always the cause of conflict and attempting to control their actions. The chorus repeats "Oh why her?" which could be interpreted as the singer questioning why the other person is fixated on someone else or comparing themselves.
The lyric "With your eyes are all uptight" suggests that the other person's tension and jealousy are impacting the singer's experience in the relationship. Despite this, the singer continues to be around the other person, always losing fights and being told what not to do. The repetition of "Won't you let me vanish now?" could represent the desire to escape the situation but being unable to do so due to attachment or emotional manipulation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Pills I Swallow" paint a picture of a turbulent and stifling relationship where one person is constantly causing conflict and imposing their will onto the other.
Line by Line Meaning
It started on that night
The situation being described began on a certain night
I never left your side
Throughout the entire incident, I remained close to you
Oh have you known
As someone who is familiar with your behavior, you understand that this always ends up in a fight
Always ends up in a fight
This situation inevitably leads to conflict
So careless, that's you
You demonstrate a lack of concern or attention
That's you
This is a characteristic that defines you
And it's always you
This behavior is consistently exhibited by you
You're telling me what not to do
You are instructing me on the actions I should avoid
Oh why her?
What is the reason that you specifically focus on her?
You want only eyes to find her
Your desire is for her to be solely noticed by others
Won't you let me vanish now?
Can you allow me to disappear at this moment?
Now keep you on my side
Currently I am keeping you close to me
I never won a fight
I have never emerged victorious from a conflict
With you eyes are all uptight
In your presence, I feel uncomfortable and anxious
Won't you let me vanish now?
Can you allow me to disappear at this moment?
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chaostube100
It started on that night
I never left your side,
Oh have you known
Always ends up in a fight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
You're telling me what not to do
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
Now keep you on my side
I never won a fight
Oh have you known?
With you eyes are all uptight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
You're telling me what not to do
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
@ozuu8496
It started on that night
I never left your side
I'll have you know
Always ends up in a fight
So callous
Its you
Its you
Its always you
You're telling me
What not to do
So callous
Oh Isla
You were only asked to find her
Oh Isla
You were only asked to find her
Will you let me finish now
Will you let me finish now
I'll keep you in my sight
I never want to fight
I'll have you know
And your eyes are water tight
So callous
Ts you
Its you
Its always you
You're telling me
What not to do
So callous
Oh Isla
You were only asked to find her
Oh Isla
You were only asked to find her
Will you let me finish now
Will you let me finish now
You were only asked to find her
You were only asked to find her
Oh Isla
Oh Isla
Oh Isla
Will you let me finish now
Will you let me finish now
You were only asked to find her
You were only asked to find her
@naiamermaid9600
it's the twilight sad, best opening band I've ever had the pleasure of hearing...first you're like 'who da fuck?' and then you're like: ooooooooh . Magical- the real deal
@matswestfeld909
Sometimes I forget what a brilliant album that was, and then I'll have a gem like this in my Autoplay
@ktinha765
Love!!!❤❤❤❤
@chaostube100
It started on that night
I never left your side,
Oh have you known
Always ends up in a fight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
You're telling me what not to do
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
Now keep you on my side
I never won a fight
Oh have you known?
With you eyes are all uptight
So careless, that's you
That's you
And it's always you
You're telling me what not to do
So careless
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Oh why her?
You want only eyes to find her
Won't you let me vanish now?
Won't you let me vanish now?
@elcast2258
Belleza de canción!
@ktinha765
Perfeita harmonia sonora!!!
@Rybolove48
Прекрасная музыка)
@ktinha765
❤
@duantorruellas716
this song sounds like a cross between the national and motoroma , and will be added to my collection of music.
@matejilakovac4173
Forever Dolphin Love