Finn started a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland in 1971. There he jammed in music practice room 129 (later the name of a Split Enz song) with friends and future Split Enz bandmembers Mike Chunn, Robert Gillies, Philip Judd and Noel Crombie. Music soon became more important to him than his studies; in mid-1972 he quit university. A few months later, Judd and Finn (the band's members used their middle names as stage names) formed group Split Ends (renamed Split Enz, shortly before their first move to Melbourne in 1975). The bands' music style is best described as eclectic, incorporating influences from art rock, vaudeville, swing, punk, glam rock, rock and pop. Between 1972 and 1977, Finn and Judd alternated as frontman for the band. Once Judd permanently left the band, Tim Finn's younger brother Neil Finn took his place.
In 1983 Finn recorded his debut solo album, Escapade, while still a member of Split Enz. This met with major commercial success both in Australia and New Zealand, and yielded hit song Fraction Too Much Friction. After contributing four songs to the Split Enz album Conflicting Emotions, Finn left the band permanently in June 1984, to focus on a solo career. The following year he moved to London. 1986 saw the release of his second solo album Big Canoe.
In late 1989, Finn was back living in Melbourne, recording his eponymous third album, Tim Finn, for Capitol Records. In early 1990, he began playing music with younger brother Neil, for an intended Finn brothers record. After working together on some songs, Neil Finn proposed incorporating the tracks onto the latest album of Crowded House, the group he had formed after Split Enz dissolved. Tim Finn performed with the band to promote the band's album Woodface, and co-wrote eight songs, including the hit Weather with You. Yet some time during the tour which followed the album's American release, all concerned realised that the combination was not a good fit. Tim Finn returned to pursue his solo career.
In 2004, the Finn brothers released their second album together, Everyone Is Here. Since then Finn has continued to release solo albums.
Invisible
Tim Finn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the end of knowing her
You're going through her things
But you can't find her there.
Her clothes, her books, her photographs
To her belongings you will always cling
All the ties that bind us are invisible
Everything reminds us of the things that we can't see
All the ties that bind us are invisible, invisible, invisible.
This is the end of showing her
An endless rolling sea
But you can't leave her there.
And all the ties that bind us are invisible
And everything reminds us of the things that we can't see
All the ties that bind us are invisible, invisible, invisible.
You never get to say goodbye but you have to let it go
You build a roof against the sky, it's watertight
Then water comes in from below.
Everything reminds us of the things that we can't see
All the ties that bind us are invisible, invisible, invisible, invisible, invisible.
The song "Invisible" by Tim Finn speaks about the end of a relationship and the difficulty of letting go of someone who has become a part of your life. The opening line conveys a sense of loss and grief, as if the person has died - "This is the end of knowing her." The singer is going through the belongings of the person, but cannot find any trace of her. The clothes, books, and photographs serve as reminders of her presence, but she is no longer there.
The phrase "all the ties that bind us are invisible" is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the intangible nature of a relationship. Even when the physical objects associated with the person are gone, the emotional connections remain. The sea serves as a metaphor for the relationship, an "endless rolling sea" that the singer cannot leave behind.
The final lines of the song speak to the struggle of moving on. You never get to say goodbye, but you have to let go. The metaphor of building a roof against the sky, only to have water come in from below, suggests that no matter how much effort is put into protecting oneself from the pain of loss, it will still seep through. In the end, everything reminds us of the things that we cannot see - the invisible ties that bind us to those we love.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the end of knowing her
The singer has lost the connection and understanding they once had with this person.
You're going through her things
The singer is attempting to hold on to the past by going through the person's belongings.
But you can't find her there.
The singer comes to the realization that going through belongings will not bring the person back.
Her clothes, her books, her photographs
The person's belongings are a reminder of who they were and the memories shared with the artist.
To her belongings you will always cling
The artist is struggling to let go of the past and hold onto tangible items associated with the person.
All the ties that bind us are invisible
The connections between people are not physical and cannot be seen, but they are powerful and persistent.
Everything reminds us of the things that we can't see
Memories are powerful and can be triggered by everyday objects and moments.
This is the end of showing her
The artist has reached the end of their ability to display affection and love.
An endless rolling sea
Life is unpredictable and constantly changing, like the ocean.
But you can't leave her there.
The artist cannot move on and let go of the person, even when they are not physically present.
You never get to say goodbye but you have to let it go
Sometimes, closure cannot be reached in a conventional way, and one must learn to move on without it.
You build a roof against the sky, it's watertight
The artist has attempted to protect themselves from the pain of loss and the unknown future by building a barrier.
Then water comes in from below.
Despite the singer's efforts to protect themselves, pain and sadness still find a way in and cannot be avoided.
All the ties that bind us are invisible, invisible, invisible.
The connections we have with others are powerful, persistent, and often intangible.
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.