Shortly after the release of Transient Effects, Vadim Taver, a friend of the band and the former guitarist of death/grind band A Life Once Lost (who are also from the Philadelphia area) joined This Day Forward along with guitarist Brendan Ekstrom (formerly of 200 North), and in 2002, this new lineup went on to release the Kairos EP. While Transient Effects had been a progression from the first release but had stayed more or less true to the same style, Kairos was a definite shift. The riffs were often more subtle and not strictly metal-influenced, and the songs, while still generally heavy, were interspersed with many softer parts. In addition, Shaw varied the vocals greatly, incorporating clean singing and an almost spoken-word-like yelling in addition to his original throaty scream. The album was well-received by critics and featured Thursday's Geoff Rickly doing guest vocals at the end of the song "Sunfalls and Watershine," which received a fair amount of play on college radio stations.
This Day Forward signed to Equal Vision Records in late 2002, by which time they had already completed several US tours, and in the following year released In Response. This album strayed even farther from their initial sound, largely abandoning the screams and incorporating more traditional song structures as well as softer backup vocals by Taver. As a result, the band was predictably accused of selling out by some fans, though others still consider it their best and most original work. In the months following the album, the band toured extensively, playing with bands such as Thursday, Murder by Death, Since by Man, and Christiansen before announcing their breakup in November. The reasons for this are not well known. Among the rumors circulating were that some members were dissatisfied with In Response or disillusioned with the hardcore scene, but none of these appeared substantiated, although at one of their final shows with Poison the Well, Mike walked offstage in the middle of a song after a fight broke out, saying "and then you wonder why bands break up." The band played the final leg of their last tour in December with Alexisonfire, ending with their last show at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia - a cherished local music venue where they had played early in their career.
One And One
This Day Forward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sending this promise that's clenched by your fist
echoes falling short the distance
all these efforts make no difference
now that i'm writing our names out in full
say it in inside one thousand times
one and one together can still become zero
one and one zero zero
these tracks, i have they wont lead me back to you
these criss-crossed steps
short deep breaths
they wont lead me back to you
"but it wont be long" and "i'll see you soon"
"yeah we'll keep in touch"
you said "we'll see this through"
it was a matter of time
filed down our last romance
i replay the words that passed
as we slept with nothing left
as we slept with nothing ...
i watched you turn around
one and one together can still become zero
one and one zero zero
i watched you turn around
The lyrics of This Day Forward's One and One are quite cryptic, but they convey a sense of regret and loss in a relationship that failed to thrive despite the efforts made. The first verse talks about sweet promises that are not fulfilled, no matter how hard one tries. The lyrics suggest that despite the promises made, the relationship could not endure and that there is no use in trying to hold on to it. The chorus repeats the idea that love and unity can turn into nothingness and how futile it's to hold on to a past that is long gone. The singer talks about the tracks that used to lead them to their lover but can no longer do so. They also mention the many times that they repeated their lover's name and how it helped them feel close to them, but in the end, it did no help.
The second verse is all about broken promises and lost opportunities. The singer repeats some of the empty promises made by their former lover, like "it won't be long," "I'll see you soon," and "we'll keep in touch," which were eventually not fulfilled. They try to file down the memories of their last romance, but they cannot forget it. The last line talks about the moment when the singer saw their lover turning around, which could signify that the relationship has come to an end, and there is no going back. The whole song is a lament for a relationship that could not work out, despite the investment made by both partners.
Line by Line Meaning
scribble the sweetness concealed by your lips
Write down the loving words you hide so well beneath your lips
sending this promise that's clenched by your fist
Sending a promise you hold tight in your hand
echoes falling short the distance
Words spoken with love, but not enough to bridge the gap between us
all these efforts make no difference
Despite all our efforts, it seems like we're still too far apart
now that i'm writing our names out in full
When I write our names together, it feels like we could be something more
say it inside one thousand times
Repeating it to myself over and over again, trying to make it true
one and one together can still become zero
Even though we're together, it still feels like we're apart
one and one zero zero
Together, we're nothing
these tracks, they can't lead me back to you
The paths we've taken can't bring me back to you
these tracks, I have they won't lead me back to you
I have these memories, but they can't bring you back to me
these criss-crossed steps, short deep breaths
The paths we took together, the moments we shared, all feel like a distant memory
they won't lead me back to you
No matter how hard I try, it seems like we can never come back together
"but it won't be long" and "I'll see you soon"
The words we said to each other before we parted, hoping to see each other again soon
"yeah we'll keep in touch", you said "we'll see this through"
We promised to stay in touch and work through our problems
it was a matter of time, filed down our last romance
In the end, time was not on our side, and our love slowly faded away
i replay the words that passed, as we slept with nothing left
I keep thinking back to the promises we made, but in the end, they meant nothing
as we slept with nothing ...
As we lay beside each other, but with no love left between us
i watched you turn around
As you walked away from me, I stood there and watched
one and one together can still become zero
Even though we were together, it still felt like we were alone
one and one zero zero
Together, we were nothing
Contributed by Riley T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alex cer
Esto es muy hermoso le FELICITO!!!! es de gran inspiracion la letra y la musica es hermosa!!! y las voces son muy hermosas le felicito, bendiciones!!!
Alex cer
Esto es muy hermoso le FELICITO!!!! es de gran inspiracion la letra y la musica es hermosa!!! y las voces son muy hermosas le felicito, bendiciones!!!
darwinwj
Thank you guys so much for this song. It really says what's on the heart of the believer toward his/her spouse. Thank you also for the background music too! Say Isaac, can I push this just a little more? Would it be possible to get the guitar chords somehow??? Please, please, please :-) God bless you, we're getting married August 30th by the grace of God!
_G_ SEPEROT,WL
Good day!! I just wanna say that I love this song very much. I am planning to sing this for my sister's birthday. May I ask for the chords of this beautiful song please <3
Isaac Surh
Here is a Dropbox link to the chords. God bless!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ktpovzkoi6b949s/From%20This%20Day%20Forward.doc?dl=0
Isaac Surh
Absolutely! That's why I put it on YouTube, so that other people could use it. I'm glad you like it and I hope it's a real blessing to you and everyone at your wedding. God bless!
Nialler Horan
So beautiful! :')
Sarah Robinson
This is beautiful!
Isaac Surh
As it says in the description, it was sung and recorded by me and my wife.^^
elimami
Hello, I absolutely love this song, so beautiful. im getting married in 2months and would love to sing this song with my future husband to be. would you have only the background music with out lyrics? let me know if this is possible :)