The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9× platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4× platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
20
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(We're) Stuck in an English class
Can't even dream
So it's hard to accept the role you're given
When you're sittin' there staring at the ceiling
Wishing you were so very far from here
When you're 13
If he's got it why can't I
You're my queen
And I dream about you when I'm in my bed
And if all of these things are like you said
Then I'd rather be in another scene
When I'm 14
Just not fair
I'm not getting anywhere
Oh hard as a stone
They expect us to make it out alone
And they scream at us when we're on the phone
And they lecture us all about routine
When you're 15
Get out of here
You're crowding my tender years
Don't say you see
Cos you'd forgotten what it's like to be
And I'm sure that it's changed to some degree
Christ's advice ain't never as it seemed
When you're 16
Four years go
You've fallen before you know
You're now of age
And you're thrown in a different cage
And you're faced with another blank page
And I know I don't need to be told
Travis's song "20" is about the struggles of growing up and facing the challenges presented by societal expectations. The first verse talks about being stuck in an English class and unable to dream, which represents the idea of being confined to a certain path in life. Additionally, the feeling of being stuck in a certain role, and the desire to be somewhere else, is a common theme in adolescence. The second verse talks about the desire to be like someone else, and the frustrations that come with feeling like you are not getting anywhere. The third verse focuses on the expectations placed on teenagers and the pressure to conform to routines and societal norms. The final verse talks about the realization that growing up and being thrown into the adult world is not easy, and the uncertainty that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Sure it's a gas
It seems like fun, but in reality it's not
(We're) Stuck in an English class
We are confined in the classroom, learning a language we might not even have an interest in
Can't even dream
We are not even allowed to have imaginative thoughts
So it's hard to accept the role you're given
It is difficult to conform to societal expectations
When you're sittin' there staring at the ceiling
When you are bored and have nothing to do
Wishing you were so very far from here
Desperately wanting to escape and go somewhere else
When you're 13
At the age of 13
What fors and whys
Questioning reasons and motives behind certain actions
If he's got it why can't I
Feeling like you deserve the same as someone else
You're my queen
Referring to someone important in the artist's life
And I dream about you when I'm in my bed
Thinking about someone constantly, even in one's dreams
And if all of these things are like you said
Agreeing and trusting in someone's words and promises
Then I'd rather be in another scene
Wishing to be in a different environment or situation
When I'm 14
At the age of 14
Just not fair
Something is unjust or unequal
I'm not getting anywhere
Not making any progress or advancement
Oh hard as a stone
Being tough and resistant to change
They expect us to make it out alone
Society places pressure on individuals to succeed without help
And they scream at us when we're on the phone
Being reprimanded for talking on the phone
And they lecture us all about routine
Being lectured on the importance of following a strict schedule or routine
When you're 15
At the age of 15
Get out of here
Wanting someone to leave or go away
You're crowding my tender years
Feeling overwhelmed by someone's presence or influence during important developmental years
Don't say you see
Don't pretend to understand or empathize with what someone is going through
Cos you'd forgotten what it's like to be
You have lost touch with what it feels like to experience a certain stage in life
And I'm sure that it's changed to some degree
Acknowledging that things have evolved or progressed since the other person's time
Christ's advice ain't never as it seemed
Suggesting that religious teachings or advice may not always be applicable to one's personal struggles
When you're 16
At the age of 16
Four years go
Four years have passed
You've fallen before you know
Experiencing a setback or failure without realizing it
You're now of age
Reaching the legal age of adulthood
And you're thrown in a different cage
Being subjected to new responsibilities and challenges
And you're faced with another blank page
Having to start from scratch and figure out one's next steps
And I know I don't need to be told
Already understanding something without needing further guidance
Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.