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.
Paper Clips
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold together all these memories
Memories
Memories
I don't want to think at all
I don't want to be like you anymore
I don't want to see your face at my door
I don't want to be like you anymore, anymore, anymore
Take a trip, down memory lane
You will never want to go again
Take your leave
Take your leave
I don't want to sing at all
I don't want to be like you anymore
I don't want to see your face at my door
And I'll never leave like you, that's for sure
I don't want to live like you anymore, anymore, anymore
Ever talk, decide out
We get by, we'll get by
And I won't take this
No more sadness, no, no
Paperclips, memories
Hold together all these melodies
Melodies
Melodies
I don't want to sing at all
I don't want to be like you anymore
I don't want to see your face at my door
And I'll never leave like you, that's for sure
I don't want to live like you anymore, anymore, anymore
The song "Paper Clips" by Travis talks about the memories that are held together by paper clips and melodies. The paper clips represent the tangible objects that hold the memories of the past while the melodies represent the intangible objects that also hold memories. The singer does not want to think of these memories and is trying to run away from them. He does not want to be like someone else who has left him or someone who has hurt him.
The singer tells us that going down memory lane is not worth it as it only brings back bad memories. He wants to leave behind the memories and move on with his life. The singer also expresses his pain of being left behind by someone and tries to distance himself from it. He is determined not to be like that person ever again, he is going to be his own person and make his life happy.
In conclusion, "Paper Clips" is a song about moving on from the past and not being held back by the memories that hold us down. The singer challenges us to walk away from the pain of our past and move on towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Paperclips, melody
The simple, everyday tools used to hold together musical notes and ideas, representing the small gestures and moments that make up important memories and experiences.
Hold together all these memories
The power of those small gestures and moments to keep memories and experiences whole, preserved and intact.
Memories
The singular focus and importance of the memories in question - they are what matter the most.
I don't want to think at all
The desire to avoid thinking about the painful or difficult memories, and instead seek escapism and simplicity.
I don't want to be like you anymore
The desire to break free from the patterns, behaviors, or traits of someone who has caused pain or disappointment in the past.
I don't want to see your face at my door
The need to cut ties with someone who has caused harm, and the determination to maintain that distance.
And I'll never leave like you, that's for sure
The resolve to not repeat the same mistakes as the person being addressed, and to avoid causing that kind of pain to others.
Take a trip, down memory lane
The acknowledgement that revisiting memories can be bittersweet or painful, but can also be important for processing and moving forward.
You will never want to go again
The recognition that some memories are not worth revisiting, either because they cause too much pain or because there is no need to dwell on them any longer.
Take your leave
The advice or intention to move forward and let go of the past.
I don't want to sing at all
The desire to avoid even the joyous or celebratory aspects of life, because of the pain or trauma that is associated with them.
No more sadness, no, no
The declaration that a new chapter is beginning, and that a deeper happiness and contentment is possible going forward.
Ever talk, decide out
The need to have honest and open conversations about difficult matters, in order to reach a resolution or understanding.
We get by, we'll get by
The recognition that tough times will come and go, but there is resiliency and strength to make it through.
Paperclips, memories
The cyclical nature of memory and how we rely on small, unassuming objects to preserve them and keep them whole.
Melodies
The beauty and power of music as a way to express and process emotions, and how it can change and adapt over time.
I don't want to live like you anymore
The ultimate goal of breaking free from the patterns and traits of the person being addressed, in order to create a new and healthier path forward.
anymore, anymore, anymore
The repetition of this word emphasizes the finality of the decision, and the focus on the present and the future rather than the past.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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