The first home-made tapes were recorded and copied in 1994. Lupe was the last to join the band in October scratching his way to create a new version of Thumb. Record companies began to show an interest and EMI signed a deal in March 1995. Six months later on 14th September Thumb’s debut was in the shops. A new star had entered the crossover arena. Genre-related bands Bad Religion, Dog Eat Dog, Henry Rollins and Foo Fighters kept the band company in the next two years at live gigs in Germany. Then it was time for the five to set to work in January 1997 and write the songs of their second album Exposure.
The album duly appeared on 5th May that year and proved to be a great surprise, because Thumb had changed direction. Thumb’s new sound is sharp-edged and at the same time so earthy that the critics are not the only ones to stand there open-mouthed. They have effortlessly succeeded in escaping the crossover stereotypes. The fans appreciate this move and the ensuing live shows lift Thumb above routine into a success story. Their path even leads them to America where they play in front of nearly 180,000 during the 1998 Vans Warped Tour. They played alongside greats like the Deftones, Bad Religion, NOFX and many more at thirteen shows in three weeks. Needing to recharge their batteries, they take a long break - and very nearly don't return from it.
Preparations for the third album slowly got underway at the start of 2000 but were abruptly interrupted when guitarist Axel Hilgenstöhler left the band half way through the year, the shock was compounded by the band's creative crisis. The band was on the brink of disintegrating, however, they were saved when new guitarist Axel Praiat along with the new blood coursing through the band's veins took things upwards again. Everything written and recorded up to that point was axed. Claus looks back on this phase: "It wasn't just a question of finding a new guitarist who could fill the gap. We wanted to be writing proper songs as an ensemble. In the past three years we have kept trying to do just that, but we never really came up to our own expectations." Their new-found strength virtually gave them wings. Anyone who thought that Thumb had reached the apogee of their creative career with Exposure soon had to think again. Whereas their old crossover companions had by now almost all retreated from the scene the Gütersloh crew were back with a heavyweight crossover/hardcore/alternative steam hammer unequalled in its genre and in its home country.
The new album showed progress. Thumb were coming in through the front door and they hadn't bothered to unlock it either. Beefy, powerful, with plenty of groove, intelligent arrangements and blazing anger in their belly they are forcing their way into the limelight. The sound was very dense. There are many ways to approach it and many small discoveries to be made about it. "Thumb's idea was never basic rock," explains Claus. "We always aimed to go deeper. Of course, we needed the sound to back that up. The first release from the third album, 'Down Like Me', is a typical example which shows that Thumb songs are more than just music to stomp to." 'Down Like Me' literally drives its way through the loudspeakers. PHAT! Steffen pushes the song forward with stoic, primal force, Axel's guitar work is mean and insidious, Jan Hendrik offers a nice soft pillow to cry on, Claus joins in with furious polyphonic arguments, and Lupe strings together chains of nuances to fuse the sound together. All this is crowned with psychedelic sounds within sounds and electronic elements reminiscent of Portishead. This single is a tailor-made opener, but the rest of the songs - this much we can guarantee - are in no way inferior."
Reality
Thumb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People that can clearly see,
They're trying to be blind so they won't be a part of what I call reality,
Something deep inside of you and me,
Hidden somewhere back where you can't see,
You're so afraid that you can't set it free
I don't know what's so bad to be real,
I don't know why you're afraid to feel,
The only thing you seem to lose is touch
I gotta know...
Won't you let me know...
I can't believe...
Hey I've gotta live in my reality... reality
There's a tendency to look away if something in our lives leads us astray,
You might have to find yourself today a different one than you were yesterday
How do thirst and hunger really feel,
What's the loneliest you'll ever be,
It's all somewhere back where you can't see,
You're so afraid that you can't set it free
I don't know...
I gotta know...
Won't you let me know...
I can't believe we're always looking for truth in every lie we see... reality
What you've got to lose it can't be much,
What you're gonna do you're out of touch,
Who you're gonna be is hard to see but you've gotta face reality
The lyrics to Thumb's song "Reality" convey a message about the importance of facing one's true emotions and experiences instead of burying them in denial. The first verse voices frustration towards people who choose to ignore the harsh realities of the world and refuse to confront them. The second verse highlights the danger of ignoring personal issues and running away from them. It suggests that people need to accept their flaws and emotions and deal with them, even if it involves discomfort and pain.
The chorus is a plea to those who cannot face reality to confront it and let the singer know where they stand. The lyrics suggest that living in denial is not a healthy way to live and that it is possible to find strength and courage by facing one's true self. The bridge in the song conveys the challenges of facing reality head-on as it brings up questions about personal pain, loneliness, and the struggle to identify oneself.
Overall, "Reality" is a song that inspires listeners to be truthful with themselves and confront the painful parts of life instead of hiding from them.
Line by Line Meaning
As I take a look around to see everything that's going on around me,
Observing the world and everything happening around me.
People that can clearly see,
There are others who clearly understand reality.
They're trying to be blind so they won't be a part of what I call reality,
Some people choose to ignore reality to avoid participating in it.
Something deep inside of you and me,
We all have something deeper inside ourselves.
Hidden somewhere back where you can't see,
This deep part is often hidden from view.
You're so afraid that you can't set it free
Fear often prevents us from exploring and expressing our true selves.
I don't know what's so bad to be real,
The artist questions why people resist facing reality.
I don't know why you're afraid to feel,
He wonders about the fear of exploring and acknowledging feelings.
What you gotta lose it can't be much,
There's very little to lose from embracing reality and our true selves.
The only thing you seem to lose is touch
By ignoring reality, we lose connection to ourselves and the world around us.
I gotta know...
The artist expresses a desire to understand reality better.
Won't you let me know...
He invites others to share their experiences of reality.
I can't believe...
The artist is surprised by our tendency to avoid reality.
Hey I've gotta live in my reality... reality
The artist accepts the importance of living in and facing his own reality.
There's a tendency to look away if something in our lives leads us astray,
Often we avoid difficult aspects of reality that challenge us.
You might have to find yourself today a different one than you were yesterday
Exploring and embracing reality can lead to personal growth and change.
How do thirst and hunger really feel,
Some aspects of reality are primal and essential to our survival.
What's the loneliest you'll ever be,
Loneliness is a real and sometimes difficult aspect of reality.
It's all somewhere back where you can't see,
Some aspects of reality are hidden or not immediately visible.
You're so afraid that you can't set it free
Fear can make us feel trapped and unable to embrace our true selves.
I can't believe we're always looking for truth in every lie we see... reality
The artist observes our tendency to search for truth amidst falsehoods in reality.
What you've got to lose it can't be much,
Again, there is little to lose from embracing reality.
What you're gonna do you're out of touch,
Ignoring reality can make us feel disconnected from our true selves and the world.
Who you're gonna be is hard to see but you've gotta face reality
Embracing and exploring reality can help us better understand who we are and who we want to be.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AXEL HILGENSTOHLER, CLAUS GRABKE, JAN HENDRIK MEYER, JENS GOSSLING, STEFFEN WILMKING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind