Former members include co-founder Sam Genders (vocals, guitar), who left the band before the release of "...And Then We Saw Land" (Mar 2010, Full Time Hobby).
Tunng started after Genders and Lindsay met, in the latter's Soho basement studio (below a clothes shop). Genders was a singer-songwriter and Lindsay had the studio (making electronica and living through advertising music production). They found that Lindsay's distinctive way with twinkling sounds, and tight production, significantly enhanced the folky songs they were writing - A signature sound developed.
Tunng's first album was "Mother's Daughter And Other Songs" (Jan 2005, Static Caravan) - However, since Genders made at first the choice not to play live, Lindsay found Jacobs and Bates. to help with live shows. Over time, Winter and Smith became part of the band and have all contributed more to recordings, first on "Comments Of The Inner Chorus" (May 2006, Full Time Hobby), then more so on "Good Arrows" (Aug 2007, Full Time Hobby).
The 2010 album, "...And Then We Saw Land", has been the most successful to date and was recorded in the semi-legendary Play Industries Studio, Shoreditch, with access to its vast collection of vintage synthesizers helping develop a more delicate and inter-woven production style. Glenister added live drums to the gigs, from 2009, for a heavier sound, a long way from the seated studio project Tunng once was.
On "Turbines": "...often beloved for its bucolic oddness and modernist gleam, Tunng's polyphonic future folk blossoms with enchanting melodies, simmering grooves, and found sound that has propelled the band into a paradise of exceeded expectations" (Absolute Punk).
Hands
Tunng Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the corridor in A&E
He couldn't resuscitate her
And now he'll go home to his wife for tea
We sing as the sky falls down
We sing as the sky collapses
And make what we can of this
He crawls into her aorta
To pull him out of his reverie
And mentally puts her back together
With sticks and glue until she breathes
He crawls like a rat inside her spine
It's a passage to another world
He pulls on a coat of new born skin
And sends a secret message to that girl
Positions himself in space
And looks down on such slight a thing
Swears he'll make what he can of this
Because one day out there we will all be dead
So leave your imprint upon
All the atoms you press against
All the people you press against
Because one day out there we will all be
Leave your imprint upon
Every mouth that you press against
Every word that you press against
It's okay because one day we will be dead
All the little lights
in the world
Flicker in and out of existence
But we still try to make them burn
And fight against the coming darkness
In "Hands", Tunng explores the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. The first verse depicts a doctor who has lost a patient and must go home to his wife with the weight of his failure on his shoulders. The following verses take a more surreal turn as the singer describes crawling into someone's body to fix them and looking down on the world from a higher perspective. The overall message seems to be that while our time on earth may be temporary and ultimately futile, it is still meaningful to try and make a positive impact in our own small way.
One interesting aspect of the song is the use of unconventional instruments such as banjos, fiddles, and even glockenspiels to create a unique folktronica sound. Tunng is known for blending acoustic and electronic elements in their music, and "Hands" is a great example of this.
Another interesting fact is that the band's name "Tunng" is derived from the Old English word "tung", which means "tongue" or "language". This reflects the band's emphasis on storytelling through their lyrics.
The song "Hands" is from Tunng's fourth album "...And Then We Saw Land", which was released in 2010. The album features a nautical theme throughout, and the band even recorded some of the tracks aboard a boat.
Tunng's music has been used in various TV shows and films, including "Skins", "The Blacklist", and "This Is England".
The band has undergone some lineup changes over the years, with original members Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders leaving in 2007 and 2012 respectively.
Tunng's music has been described as "experimental folk", and they have been influenced by a wide range of artists including Bjork, Boards of Canada, and Nick Drake.
The lyrics to "Hands" were written by founding member Mike Lindsay, who has also worked as a producer for other artists including Laura Marling and LUMP.
While the chords for "Hands" are not officially available, there are many cover versions on YouTube and other platforms that offer various interpretations of the song.
Overall, "Hands" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that showcases Tunng's distinctive sound and unique approach to storytelling through music.
Chords (as interpreted by fans):
Verse: C - G - Am - F
Chorus: F - Am - G - C
Line by Line Meaning
He stands with his head in his hands
He is standing with his head in his hands, feeling defeated
In the corridor in A&E
He is in the A&E corridor, where he couldn't resuscitate someone
He couldn't resuscitate her
He was unable to bring the person back to life
And now he'll go home to his wife for tea
He will now go home and try to resume a normal, everyday life
We sing as the sky falls down
We continue to sing despite the world's instability
We sing as the sky collapses
We sing through chaos and destruction
And make what we can of this
We try to make the best of our situation
It's okay, we're all going to end up dead and gone
It's okay because we all share the same fate
He crawls into her aorta
He enters her body to try and save her
To pull him out of his reverie
To bring him back to reality
And mentally puts her back together
He tries to piece her back together in his thoughts
With sticks and glue until she breathes
He tries to keep her alive with anything he can find
He crawls like a rat inside her spine
He moves around her body like a rodent in search of a solution
It's a passage to another world
The inside of her body is like another world to him
He pulls on a coat of new born skin
He metaphorically puts on a new persona
And sends a secret message to that girl
He communicates with her in a hidden way
Positions himself in space
He finds his place in the universe
And looks down on such slight a thing
He contemplates how small and insignificant we all are
Swears he'll make what he can of this
He promises to make the most of his life
Because one day out there we will all be dead
It's important to realize that we all have a limited amount of time on this earth
So leave your imprint upon
Make a lasting impact on the things you touch
All the atoms you press against
Every interaction you have can leave a mark
All the people you press against
Every person you meet can be affected by your actions
Because one day out there we will all be
We all face death, so it's important to live life to the fullest
Leave your imprint upon
Make a lasting impact on the world around you
Every mouth that you press against
Every kiss or conversation can have significance
Every word that you press against
Every sentence you speak can influence those around you
It's okay because one day we will be dead
Death is a natural part of life, so it's not worth stressing over
All the little lights
All of the small things in life can add up to make a big impact
Contributed by Blake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jackglossop4859
This is fucking great. I imagine the producer being like “those clicking sounds are weird let’s lose them”
“No”
@emilyjaneheath
this video is wonderful and hilarious. the bundle of stuff floating through space somehow seems to sum up Tunng's music, and the way it is animated to the sound fits perfectly. Love Becky's leg movements sticking out of the planet of Tunng. Best of Haines' Tunng videos so far, I'd say.
@miao541
My dad plays this song all the time, it’s so nostalgic! One of my favourites
@sparkycraft275
My dad showed me and my brother this song too, was a musician too.
@ardianworld4129
Absolutely brilliant! They make such lovely music, I'm higly addicted to it. I had the honour to see them perform in a small music store here in Amsterdam and that was truly magical :) I would definitely like to see them again here in Holland.
@Michael-do2xf
Discovering this in 2022... what have I done with my life until now? This is GREAT!
@unasensualita
j'avais quelque peu oublié ce joli titre de nos amis Tunng, j'aime repasser par ici...
bel après-midi à vous ;)
@The1Rausch
One more song 4 my funeral ... catchy rhythm , lovely voice and mindblowing lyrics. The video is great , too ... Great piece of art. Thank you , tunnG ! AWESOME
@undefeated1000
heard like 10 sec of this song at the end of a weeds episode and had to look it up ,dope song
@ChowCwow
I heard them two days ago and now am madly inlove with their music. Beautiful