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.
Pipe Dreams
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I still don't understand a thing
What had you heard?
What had you heard
Was it love, was it take another walk in the dark?
You'll never learn
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
And it all boils down to the same old thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or lose isn't gonna change a single thing
I stood in line and a thought crossed my mind
I had been dreaming but I didn't mind
I signed the line and the woman looked right through me
She didn't smile
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
But heaven seems so very far from here
And it all boils down to the same old thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or lose isn't gonna change a single thing
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
But heaven seems so very far from here
And it all boils down to the same old thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pints please
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or lose isn't gonna change a single thing
And it all boils down to the same old feat
Just a link in a chain, just a puppet on a string
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or you lose
Whether you win or you lose
Whether you win or you lose
Whether you win or you lose
In "Pipe Dreams," Travis sings about the repetition and futility of life. The song starts as Travis reflects on something he has read, but despite reading every word, the lyrics suggest that he still doesn't understand. He wonders whether what was heard was love or possibly something more dangerous like "take another walk in the dark." The chorus then repeats the phrase "it all boils down to the same old thing," which laments the cyclical nature of life where nothing truly changes. Travis then signs a line while a woman looks right through him, suggesting perhaps that he feels invisible in society. The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes this again, stating that whether you win or lose, it ultimately doesn't change anything in the end.
Overall, the song seems to project a sense of resignation, concluding that regardless of what we do, things stay the same. Travis seems to have given up on the idea that any external force or intervention will fix the problems of the world, with him even questioning whether heaven exists as a place of solace in the face of persistent suffering. The song speaks to a sense of hopelessness, where we are merely links in a chain, and our effort to change the course of our lives is as futile as breaking the chain.
Line by Line Meaning
I read it all, every word
I tried to understand everything, read every word.
And I still don't understand a thing
Despite all my effort, I am still confused.
What had you heard?
What information did you receive?
Was it love, was it take another walk in the dark?
What were the options? Was it positive or negative?
You'll never learn
You will never gain knowledge or grow.
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
If there was a paradise afterlife, I would pray to God.
But heaven seems so very far from here
But the idea of an afterlife seems distant to me.
And it all boils down to the same old thing
And ultimately, it's all the same old scenario.
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
It's either positive or negative outcomes, or just hopeful but unrealistic wishes.
And it all boils down to the same old pain
And it all results in the same suffering.
Whether you win or lose isn't gonna change a single thing
Whether you achieve success or fail, it will not make a difference in the end.
I stood in line and a thought crossed my mind
While waiting in line, I had a sudden idea.
I had been dreaming but I didn't mind
I had been lost in my thoughts but it did not bother me.
I signed the line and the woman looked right through me
I completed the task, but the person did not acknowledge me.
She didn't smile
She did not show any positive emotion.
And it all boils down to the same old feat
In the end, it all leads to the same accomplishment or struggle.
Just a link in a chain, just a puppet on a string
We are all connected and influenced by external forces beyond our control.
Whether you win or you lose
No matter the outcome.
Whether you win or you lose
No matter the outcome.
Whether you win or you lose
No matter the outcome.
Whether you win or you lose
No matter the outcome.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANCIS HEALY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@antony9384
This entire album is perfect
@Claudia-il8zk
One of my favourites
@kinderstreet6006
couldn't more agree ! but i "forgot" the last time i put it( casette ) in where..😢😓😆😁😆
@renzoadriano13
Totally agreed 👏🏻
@jhill2704
💯💯💯
@aemkyu5771
20 years later … from a 19 y/o teenager learning the English language … I still remember the lyrics, and how much they resonated with me.
@tonykeman
best song in the world
@KitsGravity
Mine too :)
One of the all time greats.
"I prayed to God there was heaven but heaven seemed so very far"
Best line of all time
@afilhadamadrugada
What a song !! Gives me goosebumps everytime i hear…
Masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️
@ZizouZamora
Probably my life's favorite album...it's just perfect.
I was in high school listening this CD every single day...the good old times :')