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.
Funny Thing
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is everyone like you
'cause people seldom change
They all just stay the same
A funny thing to say
Suppose you're just that way
Although you're sure you're sure
A funny kind of way
A funny kind of day
You're funny all the time
Do you want a piece of mine
'cause I've seen it all before
When you're closing all the doors
It's not funny anymore
A funny thing to do
Because the sky was blue
You ran away for good
'cause no one understood
The funny things you said
Because the sky was red
It all went to your head
Because the sky was red
A funny kind of way
A funny kind of day
You're funny all the time
Do you want a piece of mine
'cause I've seen it all before
When you're closing all the doors
It's not funny anymore
A funny thing to do
Is everyone like you
'cause people seldom change
They all just stay the same
The song Funny Thing by Travis is a reflection on the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make each individual unique. The lyrics suggest that while it may be amusing to act or speak in a peculiar way, eventually it can become tiring and isolating. The repetition of the phrase "a funny kind of way, a funny kind of day" emphasizes the idea that this behavior is a constant presence in the singer's life.
The opening lines "a funny thing to do is everyone like you" suggest that conforming to societal expectations can be seen as strange or unusual. The chorus seems to point towards the idea that this behavior is a coping mechanism, an attempt to be heard or seen in a world where everyone else seems to blend in. However, the repetition of the lines "it's not funny anymore" implies that eventually the singer realizes the negative effects of their behavior and regrets their choices.
The lines "because the sky was blue, you ran away for good, 'cause no one understood" and "because the sky was red, it all went to your head" suggest that the singer's behavior is based around arbitrary connections they make to the world around them. They feel a deep connection to the color of the sky and use it as a justification for their actions. This reinforces the idea that this behavior is a way to cope with feeling disconnected to others.
Overall, Funny Thing is a poignant reflection on the human tendency to be different and the conflict that arises when trying to reconcile that difference with societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
A funny thing to do
It's strange and perplexing to see you behave like this
Is everyone like you
Many individuals act in similar ways as you do
'cause people seldom change
Most individuals rarely transform their behavior or personality traits
They all just stay the same
They continue being the same type of person they always were
A funny thing to say
Your words are unusual and peculiar
Suppose you're just that way
Perhaps it's your inherent nature that makes you act this way
Although you're sure you're sure
Even though you're confident in your beliefs
There really is no cure
There's no solution to change your behavior or mindset
A funny kind of way
The way you act is odd and abnormal
A funny kind of day
It's a day filled with peculiar events or circumstances
You're funny all the time
You consistently act in absurd ways
Do you want a piece of mine
Do you want to share some of my experiences of witnessing odd behavior?
'cause I've seen it all before
I've observed similar behavior in the past
When you're closing all the doors
When you're isolating yourself from others because of your behavior
It's not funny anymore
Your actions have now become alarming and concerning
A funny thing to do
Behaving like this is unexpected and unusual
Because the sky was blue
You ran away because of a seemingly insignificant reason
You ran away for good
You left permanently because you felt misunderstood
'cause no one understood
People failed to comprehend your behavior and mindset
The funny things you said
The words you spoke were ridiculous and perplexing
Because the sky was red
You acted abnormally because of a strange or stressful situation
It all went to your head
Your behavior got out of hand
A funny kind of way
The way you act is still peculiar and different from others
A funny kind of day
It's another day full of strange and unexpected events
You're funny all the time
You continue to act outrageously and eccentrically
Do you want a piece of mine
Do you want to share your strange behavior with others?
'cause I've seen it all before
I've witnessed similar behavior many times
When you're closing all the doors
Your behavior is causing you to become isolated from others
It's not funny anymore
Your behavior is now alarming and disturbing
A funny thing to do
It's still strange and bizarre to act like this
Is everyone like you
Do other people similarly act in eccentric ways?
'cause people seldom change
People are often difficult to change, especially when it comes to eccentric behavior.
They all just stay the same
People are usually true to their behavior and character traits they display.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANCIS HEALY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind