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.
Sailing Away
Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when you've stopped crying?
What ever you're going through
it's not worth dying.
Chasing away the blues,
I know you're trying.
And nobody wants to lose,
Cause I live by the river,
live by the river and
I'll die by the river
I'm sailing, away, today.
What are you gonna say
when they stop laughing?
You're giving it all away
when you've got nothing.
How many times a day
you feel like walking?
Taking a holiday from
all the shy-y-y...
But I live by the river,
live by the river and
I'll die by the river
I'm sailing, away, today.
Cause I live by the river,
live by the river and
I'll die by the river
I'm sailing, away, today.
And you've got to grab
the bull by the horns my friend
it's the only way to go.
And when the story's told
we can go home.
So what are we gonna do,
when you've stopped crying?
What ever you're going through
it's not worth dying.
Keeping away the blues
you know I'm trying.
What've we got to lose,
and testify-y-y...
Cause I live by the river,
live by the river and
I'll die by the river
I'm sailing, away,
I'm sailing, away,
I'm sailing, away, today.
In "Sailing Away," Travis encourages someone who is going through a difficult time not to give up. The first stanza establishes this tone, with the singer questioning why someone would consider ending their life over whatever they're going through, and expressing a desire to help "chase away the blues." The repetition of "live by the river" and "die by the river" seems to suggest a deeper meaning - perhaps the river represents the cycle of life and death, or the idea that life will always have its ups and downs. The line "I'm sailing, away, today" portrays a sense of perseverance and determination, as if the singer is setting out on a new journey but taking their past experiences with them.
The second verse starts off with a more poetic portrayal of emotional distress – the idea of giving away all that you have when you're left with nothing is a poignant one. The line "taking a holiday from all the shy-y-y" is somewhat ambiguous but could be interpreted as wanting to retreat from feeling shy or timid or from situations that make one feel that way. However, the last lines of the verse have a more hopeful message, suggesting that taking control of the situation ("grab the bull by the horns") will ultimately lead to success and the ability to go back home and reflect on a journey taken.
The chorus is repeated a few times throughout the song, with the lyrics remaining the same. Overall, the song is a message of hope for anyone going through a tough time - it encourages perseverance, taking control of the situation, and ultimately succeeding.
Line by Line Meaning
What are we gonna do, when you've stopped crying?
What actions are we going to take when you are no longer in a state of sadness?
What ever you're going through it's not worth dying.
No matter what hardships you may be experiencing, they are not worth taking your own life over.
Chasing away the blues, I know you're trying.
You are doing all you can to overcome your sadness, and I can see that effort.
And nobody wants to lose, I don't know why.
Losing is something that nobody wants to experience, but it is unclear why that is the case.
Cause I live by the river, live by the river and I'll die by the river I'm sailing, away, today.
I currently reside near the river and will continue to stay here until the end. Today, I am setting sail down the river.
What are you gonna say when they stop laughing?
Once the people around you are no longer amused, what will you say or do?
You're giving it all away when you've got nothing.
You are giving everything you have despite having nothing remaining.
How many times a day you feel like walking? Taking a holiday from all the shy-y-y...
How many times during the day do you feel like running away from everything and everyone? Taking a break from all the shyness.
And when the story's told we can go home.
Once everything is over, we can finally return home.
And you've got to grab the bull by the horns my friend it's the only way to go.
You need to face your problems head-on and take control, my friend. It is the only solution to move forward.
Keeping away the blues you know I'm trying.
I am attempting to keep you from feeling sad and depressed.
What've we got to lose, and testify-y-y...
What are we risking by trying to succeed? Let's bear witness to our accomplishments.
Contributed by Micah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.