The band was formed in 1995 and all the songs on the debut album, Her handwriting (the title is a quote from Part company by The Go-Betweens) were recorded in Mitcham, south London, in December '95/ January '96, with long-time The Field Mice/Northern Picture Library producer Ian Catt, also known for his work as producer/arranger/co-songwriter for Saint Etienne. Released on Shinkansen Records (the label launched by Matt from Sarah Records) the album, which intimately details the break-up of a relationship, received universally good reviews.
Subsequent albums, Lips that taste of tears (1998) and Broken by whispers (2000), showed a band constantly improving their skills, combining their usual melancholy with transparent pop.
In 2001 the fourth album Alive to every smile appeared featuring a new line-up with many ex-Sarah Records band members in its ranks: Keris Howard from Brighter/Harper Lee, Beth Arzy from Aberdeen and Harvey Williams from Another Sunny Day/The Field Mice. Annemari Davies (ex-The Field Mice) also collaborated with the band. The album was very well received in Spain due to a release on Elefant Records (eventually TBS' main label) and in February 2002 the band visited Spain for the first time.
In 2003 A certain evening light was released, a compilation of singles and B-sides.
In 2004 the band left Shinkansen; The seven autumn flowers was released by Elefant Records worldwide.
In September 2005 Bobby Wratten announced that the band would no longer appear live. He had been uneasy about performing for some time, and had decided to concentrate on studio recordings instead. April 2007 saw the release of The Last Holy Writer.
2010 is expected to see the release of their new album, titled "Fast Trains And Telegraph Wires".
Idyllwild
Trembling Blue Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes you shiver
And want to curl into a ball
Makes you want to be
Seventeen
And forget the future's shrinking
Life was so open then
Now it's closing in
Now it's closing in
One by one
We've watched our dreams
Disappearing
Two girls against the world
Summer nights warm and long
Sleeping all day
So many songs
The shadow cast by long ago
Puts a lump within your throat
A girl whose favourite thing is snow
Snow and being alone
The ocean between us can't
Take away the past
The ocean between us won't
Take away the past
There's a place all we shared
Shines unimpaired
Time flies
Swift as an arrow
The dagger of never trodden paths
Photographs they break my heart
Ambushed by the thought-"I don't recognize her"
I miss you! I miss her!
Life was so open then
Now it's closing in
Life was wide open then
Now it's closing in
One by one
We've watched our dreams
Disappearing
But the ocean between us can't
Take away the past
The ocean between us won't
Take away the past
There's a place all we shared
Shines unimpaired
The song "Idyllwild" by Trembling Blue Stars is a melancholic reflection of the past and how it affects the present. The opening lyrics describe how a song on the radio can make the listener shiver and long for their youth. The nostalgia takes them back to being seventeen, a time when life was open and full of possibilities. However, as life progresses, the future starts to appear smaller and closing in. The song paints a picture of the loss of dreams and the passage of time. The two girls in the song share a bond that is still unbroken despite the distance between them.
The passage of time can be seen in the line "Time flies, swift as an arrow, the dagger of never-trodden paths." This line evokes the feeling of regret that time cannot be undone and regrets cannot be remedied. The photographs mentioned in the lyrics speak to the memories we hold dear, but also the pain they bring when someone we once knew becomes unrecognizable. The ocean between the two girls in the song cannot take away the past they shared, a place that still shines unimpaired. The song ends on a bittersweet note with the realization that dreams may disappear, but the past remains.
Overall, "Idyllwild" is a beautiful and melancholic song that captures the emotions of nostalgia, regret, and the passage of time. The lyrics are poetic and speak to anyone who has ever longed for their youth or struggled with the memories that make us who we are.
Line by Line Meaning
A song on the radio
A tune that plays on the radio
Makes you shiver
Gives you goosebumps
And want to curl into a ball
Makes you want to hide or curl up in a ball
Makes you want to be
Makes you long to be
Seventeen
Young and carefree
And forget the future's shrinking
And ignore the inevitable fact that the future is uncertain
Life was so open then
Life had so many possibilities then
Now it's closing in
Now the possibilities are becoming limited
One by one
Gradually, one after the other
We've watched our dreams
We've seen our hopes and aspirations
Disappearing
Fading away
Two girls against the world
Two women facing the world alone
Summer nights warm and long
The nights were long and filled with warmth during summer
Sleeping all day
Sleeping throughout the day
So many songs
So many memories and moments associated with various songs
The shadow cast by long ago
The memories of the past that cast a shadow over present thoughts
Puts a lump within your throat
Makes you feel emotional and choked up
A girl whose favourite thing is snow
A girl who loves snow and being alone
Snow and being alone
Isolated in a snowy environment
The ocean between us can't
Physical distance cannot
Take away the past
Erase the memories of the past
The ocean between us won't
Physical distance will not
There's a place all we shared
There's a special place that we both cherish
Shines unimpaired
Continues to shine untarnished
Time flies
Time passes quickly
Swift as an arrow
As fast as an arrow flies
The dagger of never trodden paths
The fear of taking uncertain paths in life
Photographs they break my heart
Photographs evoke emotional responses
Ambushed by the thought-'I don't recognize her'
Overwhelmed by the realization that someone has changed and is no longer recognizable
I miss you! I miss her!
I miss both the person and the way they used to be
Contributed by Taylor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Deni Targski
Probably the most underrated song ever.
Marcos
All Eternal Things too
Rod Carruthers
How is this beautiful, haunting song not better known ?
Richard Weir
As with all their recorded work, it's just beautiful, understated, underrated and perfection.....
Sho3gaz3r_303
Underrated Band.. !! ♥️♥️
Derek P
Sheer bliss. Beautiful song, sung beautifully.
Danny Van Dycke
One of my favorite songs.... good work with the video
koolander85
Dude! Finally, someone who knows the song and loves it as much as i do. or, atleast i think you do. Trembling Blue Stars is FUCKIN' AMAZING! You should do one for "Moonlight on Snow" by Trembling Blue Stars. One Question: What's going on in the video?!
kehya
time flies swift as an arrow
Jackie Oye
such a pretty song! and such a nice video too, well done and thanks for the upload!