ThouShaltNot have built strong fanbases through their national tours and their work with acts such as The Dresden Dolls, VNV Nation, Alphaville and David J (of Bauhaus). Their club hits "Cardinal Directions," "Without Faith," "Last Comfort," and "Inside of You, In Spite of You," have been played at nearly every dark alternative and goth venue in America, while their more organic "True Love" and "When Everyone Forgets" have appeared to acclaim on high profile compilations that exceed the limits of genre.
ThouShaltNot's music, throughout its thoughtful subject matter, is hook-laden and complex in its emotional and intellectual architecture. With their latest releases, Land Dispute and the New World EP, ThouShaltNot is poised to change the way you think and feel about music.
The band consists of: Alex Reed (vocals, keyboards, guitars, programming, samples), Aaron Fuleki (percussion, programming, samples, guitars, backing vocals) and Jeremy David (guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, programming).
When Everyone Forgets
ThouShaltNot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With new language you lead me adrift
To find and swallow you
Into this continental rift but
Will all songs be ancient text when
Affairs of lust and power lost on
Railroad tracks or slaveship decks
Why has your love become neglect?
A truth that lives in lies
An echo of the way you knew me under foreign skies
Will I live in hiding
Between these silhouettes?
Will you remember me when everyone forgets?
Do you know me anymore?
Wasn't I your comfort and your god
And weren't you the shore
I called you home and cried for you but
Sons rise up and Shadow falls
Over rooftops, years and eyes are in
The hopes that you'll recall
Wasn't I a god to you?
Somewhere there's a memory
A truth that lives in lies
An echo of the way you knew me under foreign skies
Will I live in hiding
Between these silhouettes?
Will you remember me when everyone forgets?
I promise I will still be there
Even when I haven't got a prayer
Just a lonely stranger in America, but
I'm still here
Oh, god, I'm here
I swear
Somewhere there's a memory
A truth that lives in lies
An echo of the way you knew me under foreign skies
Will I live in hiding
Between these silhouettes?
Will you remember me when everyone forgets?
The lyrics in ThouShaltNot's song "When Everyone Forgets" speak to the feeling of being abandoned and forgotten by a loved one. The opening lines of "You followed me, I followed you" suggest a mutual relationship, but the new language that the other person speaks leads the singer astray. They end up swallowed in a continental rift, feeling lost and disconnected. The lyrics then question whether all of our experiences, even the affairs of love and power, will eventually become meaningless ancient texts, forgotten like railroad tracks or slaveship decks. The singer wonders why their love has become neglect and whether they will live in hiding or be remembered when everyone, including their loved one, forgets.
The chorus repeats the idea of a memory that lives in lies, suggesting that memories are often distorted and may not accurately represent the truth. The singer longs for the way their loved one once knew them, under foreign skies. They question whether they were ever truly known by their loved one, and if they know them now. The idea of being a god to their loved one implies that they were once put on a pedestal, but now they have fallen.
The final verse speaks to a promise to continue being there, even though the singer may feel like a lonely stranger in America. The repetition of the chorus highlights the singer's fear of being forgotten and their hope that someone, even just one person, will remember them.
Line by Line Meaning
You followed me, I followed you
We had a back and forth relationship where we were both leading each other
With new language you lead me adrift
You took me on a journey and introduced me to new ideas and ways of living
To find and swallow you
I wanted to fully embrace your lifestyle and become one with you
Into this continental rift but
However, our relationship began to fall apart
Will all songs be ancient text when
I wonder if all of our memories will become meaningless with time
Affairs of lust and power lost on
Our relationship was based on fleeting desires and selfish motives
Railroad tracks or slaveship decks
Our journey together was a tumultuous one, like that of slaves transported on a ship or train
Why has your love become neglect?
I feel like you have abandoned me and our relationship
Somewhere there's a memory
Despite our falling out, there are still good memories of our past
A truth that lives in lies
However, those memories are bittersweet and tinged with deception
An echo of the way you knew me under foreign skies
Those memories take me back to a time when we were both different people in a foreign land
Will I live in hiding
I am afraid of moving on and living without you
Between these silhouettes?
I feel like a shadow of my former self now that our relationship is over
Will you remember me when everyone forgets?
I hope that you will still think of me even when our memories have faded with time
Do you know me anymore?
I feel like you no longer understand who I am as a person
Wasn't I your comfort and your god
I used to be the one you turned to for emotional support and guidance
And weren't you the shore
You were my rock, my anchor in life
I called you home and cried for you but
I longed for you and missed you deeply
Sons rise up and Shadow falls
Time passes and things change, and now I am stuck in the shadows of our past
Over rooftops, years and eyes are in
The memories of our time together continue to linger despite the passing of time
The hopes that you'll recall
I still hold onto hope that you will remember me and our relationship
I promise I will still be there
I will always care about you and be there for you, even if we are no longer together
Even when I haven't got a prayer
Even when it seems like all hope is lost
Just a lonely stranger in America, but
I may be alone, but I am still here and still care
I'm still here
I am still present and still care
Oh, god, I'm here
A plea to God to help me through this difficult time
I swear
A promise to always be there for you, even if our relationship is over
Contributed by Lillian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.