In 2000, Thrice signed with Sub City Records and released two LP's. The first, Identity Crisis (2000), only received 1.5 stars in the AMG review and little buzz. The second, The Illusion of Safety (2002), was widely acclaimed and received attention from major record labels. Even though Thrice's music has always included metal influences, The Illusion of Safety contained a heavier metalcore sound. The album was recorded in Beltsville, Maryland and the track The Beltsville Crucible reflects this.
In 2003 Thrice signed up with Island Records and released The Artist in the Ambulance, which featured more metal oriented songs while keeping true to their hardcore influences. In 2005 a DVD outlining their entire career to date was released under the title If We Could Only See Us Now. It included a CD with live tracks from the Apple Store and various b-sides.
Thrice released their fourth full-length album, Vheissu, on October 18, 2005. The album was characterized by many critics as being experimentally different, using non-traditional Thrice elements in the process. From keyboard melodies ("For Miles") to Japanese music-box undertones ("Music Box") to chain gang chant choruses ("The Earth Will Shake"), Vheissu introduced a new sound to the band's post-hardcore roots. UK producer Steve Osborne, whose past credits include many Brit-pop hits, was sought by Thrice to gain a new perspective on the songwriting process, enabling the band to expand their musical influences and produce a different album. The album garnered widespread critical acclaim and peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200.
The band releasedRed Sky, an EP comprised of various b-sides as well as live recordings, shortly after Vheissu.
Thrice released the first and second volume of The Alchemy Index, a highly experimental project based on the four traditional elements (fire, water, earth, and air), on October 16th 2007. Over the summer Thrice parted ways with Island records and signed with Vagrant. The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II - Fire & Water was released on October 16, 2007, and sold 28,000 copies in its first week. The album consists of the first two volumes, Fire and Water, and features 12 songs, 6 on each disk. The third and fourth volumes, Air & Earth were released on April 15, 2008.
The "Fire" disc features the heavier post-hardcore sound traditional Thrice fans will quickly embrace, harking back to their pre-Vheissu albums. The "Water" disc, however, is comprised of ambient songs similar to those found in Vheissu, Thrice's previous album release. The "Air" disc brings a whole new element of electronic elements and delayed guitar riffs to Thrice's sound. In "Earth", much like Dustin Kensrue's solo album, "Please Come Home", Thrice introduces an indie-folk sound combining intricate piano and acoustic guitar.
Thrice's sixth studio album Beggars was released digitally through Vagrant Records in the UK on August 9, 2009 and in the US on August 11 with a physical release containing bonus material pencilled in for September 15. These dates deviate from the original proposed release date of October 13 because of a leak via Vagrant Records web player, which has meant the artwork for the album has also changed. The first single to be taken from the album is All the World Is Mad and was first made available through Guitar Hero: World Tour on July 23.
Dustin Kensrue has described the album as being "more visceral and more raw - both in the songwriting and in the overall sound. It moves with a different energy than any of our past records. It was born out of us playing together in a room, almost as a backlash to the giant headgame that was The Alchemy Index" and has been well received critically.
The seventh studio album Major/Minor came out on September 20, 2011 through Vagrant Records. Yellow Belly, Promises and a few other songs were made available for the listeners to stream online before the release date. The album received extremely positive reviews from many online websites. Alex Djaferis of Absolutepunk.net gave Major/Minor a rating of 95%. Tracks like Promises and Listen Through Me reflected a natural progression from the sound Thrice created in Beggars, which was widely appreciated by the early listeners.
Thrice decided to take a break from being a full time band on November 21, 2011. In late spring/early summer Thrice announced the 'Farewell' tour for the spring/summer of 2012 , which would be the bands final tour before going into an indefinite hiatus.
In early 2015 it was announced that the band intends to release new music and tour again. Announcements were done via the bands website http://www.thrice.net/ and social media outlets with an accompanying picture with "Thrice 2015" text.
The Whaler
Thrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well they beg me to stay
I know the stars
They will sweep me away
My daughter's eyes
They are two tiny seas
Whose water will rise
And they will run down her cheeks
[Chorus:]
Father where do you go?
So far out upon the sea
when are you coming home to me?
Darling, why do you leave?
The north wind begins to blow
Will you be coming home to me?
The boat and the plank
They are all that I know
The sea calls my name
And so I must go
While they still sleep
I slip out the door
How can I leave when my anchor's ashore
[Chorus]
In Thrice's song The Whaler, the singer is torn between his two loves - the sea and his family. The song begins with the singer's lover, whose arms he says beg him to stay. Yet, despite their plea, he knows that the stars will eventually sweep him away. The following lines describe his daughter, and how her tears will roll down her cheeks like the rising water of the sea. These lines represent the singer's emotional conflict as he tries to balance his love for his family and his wanderlust, which draws him to the sea.
The chorus of the song is about his family asking him when he is coming back home. The daughter asks when her father is coming back and the lover asks why he is leaving. The chorus seems to be the plea of his family to come back home, where he belongs. They miss him, and they want him to come back to them. However, the singer is compelled to answer the call of the sea. He is drawn to it as it symbolizes freedom and adventure. The song ends with the singer leaving his home quietly while his family sleeps, and feeling the pain of leaving his anchor behind.
The Whaler tells the story of the age-old conflict between freedom and responsibility, between passion and duty. The lyrics are melancholic yet reflective and a true testament to the deep emotions that a sea-farer experiences when he is torn between the loved ones he cannot take along and the sea that he cannot resist. The song is not only a musical masterpiece, but it conjures up vivid images of sailing through the vastness of the sea, the wind blowing at one's back, and the bright sun in the sky. The Whaler is a timeless classic that will continue to inspire generations of sailors and music lovers alike.
Line by Line Meaning
My lover's arms
The embrace of my partner is comforting
Well they beg me to stay
My partner doesn't want me to go
I know the stars
I am aware of the beauty of the night sky
They will sweep me away
I am drawn to the allure of the open sea
My daughter's eyes
The gaze of my child carries a lot of emotion
They are two tiny seas
Her eyes are like oceans, deep and full of feeling
Whose water will rise
She will cry when I leave
And they will run down her cheeks
Her tears will symbolize her sadness and disappointment
[Chorus:] Father where do you go?
My child wants to know where I am traveling
So far out upon the sea
My journey will take me far away from land
when are you coming home to me?
My child is asking when I will return
Darling, why do you leave?
My partner is questioning why I must go
The north wind begins to blow
The changing weather signals the time for me to set sail
Will you be coming home to me?
My partner is expressing hope that I will come back safely
The boat and the plank
These are the only things that comprise my vessel
They are all that I know
The sea and my boat are my home
The sea calls my name
I am compelled to answer the call of the ocean
And so I must go
I have no choice but to depart
While they still sleep
My family is still dreaming while I sneak away
I slip out the door
I make a quiet exit, not wanting to disturb them
How can I leave when my anchor's ashore
It is difficult to say goodbye when my home and family is my anchor
[Chorus]
Repeat of chorus lyrics
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUSTIN MICHAEL KENSRUE, EDWARD CARRINGTON BRECKENRIDGE, JAMES RILEY BRECKENRIDGE, TEPPEI TERANISHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bo Turner
My lover's arms
Well they beg me to stay
I know the stars
They will sweep me away
My daughter's eyes
They are two tiny seas
Whose water will rise
And they will run down her cheeks
Father where do you go?
So far out upon the sea
when are you coming home to me?
Darling, why do you leave?
The north wind begins to blow
Will you be coming home to me?
The boat and the plank
They are all that I know
The sea calls my name
And so I must go
While they still sleep
I slip out the door
How can I leave when my anchor's ashore
Father where do you go?
So far out upon the sea
when are you coming home to me?
Darling, why do you leave?
The north wind begins to blow
Will you be coming home to me?
jaysoni348
I am so in love with this band. Hauntingly beautiful.
Kris Skulls
Exactly what I would have said, you nailed it. I've heard this song over and over.
wings fly
Beautiful words.
Dealoius hits a haunting way for me as well. The beginning, its so beautiful actually hurts
Thank you.
Agreed!!!
P B
One of my favorites.
Thanks again for all the amazing work you've all put in over the years.
Clayton Campbell
This is such an amazing song! Reminds me of the movie In the Heart of the Sea.
Bo Turner
My lover's arms
Well they beg me to stay
I know the stars
They will sweep me away
My daughter's eyes
They are two tiny seas
Whose water will rise
And they will run down her cheeks
Father where do you go?
So far out upon the sea
when are you coming home to me?
Darling, why do you leave?
The north wind begins to blow
Will you be coming home to me?
The boat and the plank
They are all that I know
The sea calls my name
And so I must go
While they still sleep
I slip out the door
How can I leave when my anchor's ashore
Father where do you go?
So far out upon the sea
when are you coming home to me?
Darling, why do you leave?
The north wind begins to blow
Will you be coming home to me?
No No
Bo Turner second line of the second chorus is “Its further than i can see”
Leah
Father where do you go?
It's farther than I can see
When will you come home to me?
Darling when do you leave?
Chris Holland
For some reason this is my sleep aid song when I can't sleep. This song helps me sleep it's got such a relaxing tune to it.
Chris Holland
Love beautiful tunes like this song. It's awkwardly beautiful.