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.
High as a Kite
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm high high high as a kite
And I just might try and do it tonight
But only when the time is right
I'm low low low as you go
I'm low though I've been here before
If I go any lower you know
I thought today the grey would all go away
That the blue was there so roses were red
But instead the red has gone to his bed
Oh no
I'm high high high as a kite
I'm high high high as a kite
And I just might try and do it tonight
But only when the time is right
Yeah I just might try and do it tonight
But only when the time is right
Travis's song High as a Kite is a melancholy ballad about the highs and lows of life. The line "I'm high high high as a kite" is repeated throughout the song, serving as both the title and chorus. The character in the song is going through a difficult time--he feels low and unhappy, but also recognizes the possibility of experiencing happiness again. He's uncertain about whether or not he should try to be happy now or wait until he knows it's the right time.
The song's tone is reflective and introspective, and the lyrics suggest that the character feels conflicted and uncertain about how to move forward. He recognizes that he's been in this low state before and is worried about sinking even lower if he doesn't time his actions carefully. The chorus of the song suggests that there's a fine line between feeling high and feeling low, and the character is aware of the dangers of being too optimistic too soon. The line "I thought today the grey would all go away/That the blue was there so roses were red" hints at the larger theme of disillusionment--the idea that what seems bright and hopeful at one moment can easily turn dark and depressing.
Overall, Travis's song High as a Kite is a compelling meditation on the challenges of navigating life's ups and downs. It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can find hope and resilience if we're patient and mindful.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm high high high as a kite
I am euphoric, possibly due to drug use
I'm high high high as a kite
I am still extremely euphoric
And I just might try and do it tonight
I may choose to engage in risky behavior tonight
But only when the time is right
I will only engage in risky behavior when it makes sense to do so
I'm low low low as you go
I am now feeling depressed and down
I'm low though I've been here before
I have experienced this feeling before
If I go any lower you know
If my mood continues to decline
I'm gonna tell you that the time is right
I may engage in risky behavior at that point
I thought today the grey would all go away
I had hoped for a better day without clouds or problems
That the blue was there so roses were red
My happiness would make everything seem better
But instead the red has gone to his bed
Unfortunately, my happiness has disappeared
Oh no
This is disappointing and concerning
Yeah I just might try and do it tonight
I am still contemplating risky behavior
But only when the time is right
I will wait until it is the most logical choice
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANCIS HEALY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind