Stacey Nelso… Read Full Bio ↴Unfinished Thought began as a duo in 2001 in Kalamazoo, MI.
Stacey Nelson provides beautiful female vocals [often times with 3 or even 4 part harmonies] which combine with Joe Kiser's unique studio sound of crashing industrial guitars and driving, mechanical rhythms to produce a sound that is truly unique.
They've been compared to Evanescence, Garbage, Kidneythieves, Lacuna Coil and Depeche Mode.
UT's first studio album, "Becoming Aware", was released in December 2002 on Shiverstar Records, UT's own Midwest label.
The album sold slowly via the UT website until Evanescence got a hold of the disc and began playing it in between sets on their world tour with Cold. Album sales sky rocketed and put Unfinished Thought on the musical map.
UT's second studio album, "Based On Actual Events" was released in April, 2004.
On 2005 they released their "Exits EP" on Shiverstar Records.
Reflection
Unfinished Thought Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of what they've done to me
I've got your ordinary disease
Tomorrow comes and nothing has changed
Yesterday was a perfect reflection of today
Do you remember your dreams
I wish I could be there
As you prepare another blank stare
Not willing to admit
You've already become all you could have been
There was a time
When you refused to follow
Before you learned the beauty of shame
Before you left me behind
To drown in the afterglow
Somewhere along the line
Between when I said goodbye
And when I realized
I couldn't remember the color of your eyes
I lost the ability to truly shine
I tried to smile for you
I really did
The opening lines of Reflection reflect the singer’s realization that they have been a victim of something terrible. The lyrics suggest that the singer is just beginning to comprehend the reality of what has occurred, and that this newfound awareness is painful. The line, “I’ve got your ordinary disease,” implies that the suffering the singer is experiencing is a common occurrence, something that many people endure.
The second verse suggests that despite the singer’s new understanding, nothing has changed. Time passes, but there is no progress, and each day is an exact replica of the one before it. The question “Do you remember your dreams/Did they ever look like this?” is directed at both the singer and the listener, pointing out that the current reality is a far cry from the ambitions they once held.
In the chorus, the singer expresses the desire to be present with an individual who is evidently struggling to hide their disappointment with their own life. The singer wishes to comfort them, but the person seems unwilling to accept the state of their existence. The verse that follows references a time when the listener refused to follow before learning “the beauty of shame.” The lyrics suggest that the listener has changed due to his/her experiences, and the singer has been left behind to cope with the aftermath.
The bridge of the song emphasizes the concept of loss. The singer has said goodbye and moved on, but somewhere along the line, they have lost something essential. They are no longer capable of shining the way they once did. The closing line, “I tried to smile for you/I really did,” suggests that despite everything that has happened to the singer, they are trying to put on a brave face for someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
I am becoming aware now
I'm starting to understand the situation
Of what they've done to me
How I've been affected by external forces
I've got your ordinary disease
I'm suffering from a common affliction
Tomorrow comes and nothing has changed
Each day feels indistinguishable
Yesterday was a perfect reflection of today
I'm stuck in a rut and repeating the same patterns
Do you remember your dreams
Do you still have aspirations?
Did they ever look like this
Did they involve this kind of emptiness?
I wish I could be there
I want to help, but I can't
As you prepare another blank stare
As you resign yourself to another empty expression
Not willing to admit
Unwilling to acknowledge
You've already become all you could have been
You've already reached your potential, but it's not fulfilling
There was a time
In the past
When you refused to follow
When you rejected the status quo
Before you learned the beauty of shame
Before you internalized feelings of inadequacy
Before you left me behind
Before you moved on without me
To drown in the afterglow
To be lost in the memory
Somewhere along the line
At some point
Between when I said goodbye
After I left
And when I realized
And when I became aware
I couldn't remember the color of your eyes
I couldn't recall the details of you
I lost the ability to truly shine
I lost my sense of purpose and passion
I tried to smile for you
I wanted to make you happy
I really did
I genuinely made an effort
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: David Zippel, Matthew Wilder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind