Toploader’s live career began playing with the likes of Coldplay and Muse in small venues across the UK. They later went on to back the likes of Paul Weller, Robbie Williams and Bon Jovi, becoming the last British band to play the original Wembley stadium. A string of top 20 hits both home and abroad followed, with Toploader quickly rising to become one of the most popular acts in British music. Their debut album, Onka’s Big Moka, sold over 1 million units and remained in the Top 5 of the UK album chart for over six months. Their cover of King Harvest’s song “Dancing in the Moonlight” became a global hit for the band. Their second album ‘Magic Hotel’, reached number 3, beating the number 4 of the debut. The result was over two million album sales to their name.
The band decided to break in 2003 due to the demise of their record label S2. In 2009, after an extended hiatus, they signed a one-album deal with Underdogs Music for their third album, which was released in June 2011.
The band line-up includes four of the five original members: Joseph Washbourn, Dan Hipgrave, Rob Green and Matt Knight.
Promised Tide
Toploader Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A girl that I know from a dream
She is the one, though she don't know
And I must find out where she's to go
I get the feeling that we met before
Although I do not think that she saw
Eyes open wide
As the ocean washed over me
And the setting sky took over me
I will sail upon this promised tide for days
But the promised tide may lie
About the promises it makes
When I find that which is naturally mine
I sail from the harbor out to the sea
I follow that map that I drew in a dream
To the land where you fell in love with me
To a place where you chose to be with me
I will sail upon this promised tide for days
But the promised tide may lie
About the promises it makes
I'm a sailor in search of land
I'm a player without a band
I'm a soldier in search of war
I have money, but I am poor
Land ahoy, I think I saw
The promised tide released me
Upon the shore, I got the feeling once more
As the girl from dreams stood over me
In Toploader's song "Promised Tide," the lyrics depict a narrator who has seen the girl of his dreams in real life. He feels as though they have met before but doesn't think that she saw him. He has a feeling of destiny and must find out where she is going. The lyrics use strong metaphors to describe his emotions; when he sees her, his eyes open wide and unleash the tide, and as the ocean washes over him and the setting sky takes over him, he knows he must sail upon the promised tide for days to follow the map he drew in his dream to the land where they fell in love.
The song's narrative concludes with the singer sighting land as he follows the promised tide. However, he recognizes that the tide may lie about the promises it makes, hinting at the possibility that his pursuit of this girl may not lead to the answers or outcome he hopes for. Overall, the lyrics explore themes of fate and destiny, love and longing, and the unpredictability of life's promises.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe what I have seen
The singer sees a girl in reality who he previously saw only in a dream
A girl that I know from a dream
The girl is familiar to the singer because he saw her in a dream before
She is the one, though she don't know
The singer believes that the girl he just saw is the one for him, even though she doesn't know him yet
And I must find out where she's to go
The artist is determined to find out more about the girl and where she's headed
I get the feeling that we met before
The artist has a strong sense that he's met the girl before, perhaps in a previous dream or in a past life
Although I do not think that she saw
The singer doesn't think the girl recognizes him from their supposed past encounter
Eyes open wide
The singer takes in the surroundings with excitement and curiosity
Unleash the tide
The artist feels energized and ready to embark on an adventure
As the ocean washed over me
The artist feels overwhelmed by the vastness of the ocean in front of him
And the setting sky took over me
The artist becomes one with the sunset and feels a strong sense of peace
I will sail upon this promised tide for days
The singer embarks on a journey with hope and determination, following the signs that lead him to the girl he feels is meant for him
But the promised tide may lie
The artist acknowledges that his journey may not go exactly as planned, and there may be unforeseen obstacles along the way
About the promises it makes
The singer is doubtful of the promises made by the ocean, recognizing that things may not always turn out as expected
When I find that which is naturally mine
The singer believes that the girl he's searching for is his true soulmate
I sail from the harbor out to the sea
The singer sets sail on his journey to find the girl
I follow that map that I drew in a dream
The artist trusts his intuition and follows the path that he believes will lead him to the girl
To the land where you fell in love with me
The artist envisions a place where the girl fell in love with him, which he believes is real
To a place where you chose to be with me
The singer believes that the girl chose to be with him in their supposed past life or dream
I'm a sailor in search of land
The singer is on a quest to find what he's been searching for and is willing to travel great distances to do so
I'm a player without a band
The artist is a lone individual on his journey without any allies or companions
I'm a soldier in search of war
The artist is a brave individual in pursuit of a greater purpose, akin to a soldier searching for a battle to fight
I have money, but I am poor
The artist recognizes that money can't buy him what he's truly searching for, which is love and companionship
Land ahoy, I think I saw
The singer catches sight of land in the distance, giving him a glimmer of hope that he's getting closer to his destination
The promised tide released me
The artist feels liberated and free on his journey, guided by the promise of finding love
Upon the shore, I got the feeling once more
The singer feels a strong sense of familiarity and deja vu once he reaches the shore
As the girl from dreams stood over me
The girl he's been searching for stands before him, validating his journey and giving him hope for the future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH WASHBOURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind