Valencia met by playing local shows together around the tri-state area in separate bands. George Ciukurescu and JD Perry grew up together; attending elementary school, high school, and their first year of college. They joined a band in 2001 called The Capgun Heroes with Brendan Walter and former member Sean Mundy. Shane Henderson sang in the band Attracted to Miss and Max played drums in The Emphasis. They formed the band that is known today as Valencia in 2004. The band is named after the wife of the protagonist, Valencia, in the book by Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughter House 5.
In 2005 Valencia signed to I Surrender Records after the label's owner, Midtown's drummer Rob Hitt, heard their demo tape. After playing the Warped Tour in 2005, they released their first album, This Could Be A Possibility, in October 2005, which was re-released in September 2006.
In 2006, the band was named SPIN Band of the Day and was a finalist for Band of the Year, but lost to Nightmare of You. In May 2006, the band stopped touring because of the death of Shane's girlfriend in a freak lawn mower accident. In July 2006, Valencia traveled to Japan to play the Fuji Rock Festival.
In 2007 the band toured with Boys Like Girls, The Audition and All Time Low in the U.S. Valencia also toured with We the Kings, The Cab, Charlotte Sometimes, and Sing it Loud in April 2008.
In 2009 Valencia performed at the Soundwave festival with New Found Glory, Say Anything and Billy Talent. The band opened for blink-182 in June 2009 on their summer reunion tour.
Valencia's second album, We All Need a Reason to Believe was released on August 26, 2008, featuring 11 new tracks. The album leaked in its entirety on August 16, 2008. On August 19, 2008 it was made available as a full stream on the band's Myspace page. "Safe To Say" is on the soundtrack for MLB 09 The Show. Valencia spent summer 2009 touring with Every Avenue.
Band member Brendan Walter was one of 32 sued by the RIAA in its first round file-sharing suits. During an interview on WCUR's Foundation Radio on December 9, 2010, host Adam Barnard asked about the circumstances surrounding this incident. Walter stated that he had been chosen at random due to the fact that he had illegally downloaded music by American rock band Smash Mouth.
Valencia's third album, "Dancing With A Ghost" was released October 12, 2010. After a long break from touring, the band went back on tour for their new album in October of 2010. The tour includes a few shows of headlining along with shows with bands like Say Anything, Saves the Day and Motion City Soundtrack. The band's tour will also make it all the way to Australia.
In October of 2011, Shane Henderson released a statement regarding the band's decision to go on an indefinite hiatus after 2011. Following a farewell tour in Japan, the band played a final show on December 28th at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA to a sold-out crowd.
Somewhere I Belong
Valencia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was a subtle hint, of what went wrong
I've been giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
I'm finally waking up, but just a little too late
My life has always been a dead end street
With heavy eyes that shoot through me
I slip somewhere in between what's right and wrong
I'm sick of feeling like I can't escape
I'll get out before I go insane to somewhere I belong
Somewhere I belong
I don't know who I am, or how I got here
But I'm a subtle hint, the best forgotten
You never know, never know what this boy could have been
I guess I finally figured out
My life has always been a dead end street
With heavy eyes that shoot through me
I slip somewhere in between what's right and wrong
And now I drown with every breath I take
I'm sick of feeling like I can't escape
I'll get out before I go insane to somewhere I belong
Somewhere I belong
I'm struggling to find my feet, just in time to watch the sea wash away
All memories of you
(Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
Finally waking up, a little too late)
My life has always been a dead end street
With heavy eyes that shoot through me
I slip somewhere in between what's right and wrong
And now I drown with every breath I take
I'm sick of feeling like I can't escape
I'll get out before I go insane to somewhere I belong
Somewhere I belong
Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
Finally waking up, a little too late
Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
Finally waking up, a little too late
Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
Finally waking up, a little too late
Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
Finally waking up, a little too late
The lyrics of Valencia’s song “Somewhere I Belong” explore themes of confusion, regret, and a desire for change. The opening lines suggest that the singer is in a state of reflection, with a feeling that something has gone wrong in their life. The lines “It was a subtle hint, of what went wrong” suggest that the cause of their disillusionment is not immediately clear. However, the following lines reveal that the singer has been giving up on all of their plans and is only now coming to the realization that they need to make a change.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer’s feelings of being lost and aimless in their life. The lyrics “My life has always been a dead end street, with heavy eyes that shoot through me” evoke a sense of sadness and despair. The imagery of drowning with every breath and feeling like they can’t escape creates a sense of suffocation and desperation. However, the chorus ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing a determination to find “somewhere I belong”.
The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is ready to move on from their past and start a new chapter in their life. The line “I’m struggling to find my feet, just in time to watch the sea wash away all memories of you” suggests that the singer is ready to let go of their previous life and start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
The dust is settling, as I lie here
Now that everything has calmed down, I have a moment to reflect on what has happened.
It was a subtle hint, of what went wrong
The warning signs were there all along, but they were too subtle for me to notice.
I've been giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
I've been losing faith in every goal I've set for myself and have stopped trying to achieve them.
I'm finally waking up, but just a little too late
I'm starting to realize my mistakes, but it may be too late to correct them.
My life has always been a dead end street
I feel like my life has been going nowhere, with no clear direction or purpose.
With heavy eyes that shoot through me
I feel like people are judging me harshly and that it's having a detrimental effect on me.
I slip somewhere in between what's right and wrong
I find it challenging to distinguish between what's ethically correct and incorrect.
And now I drown with every breath I take
I'm suffocating under the weight of my burdens and challenges.
I'm sick of feeling like I can't escape
I'm tired of feeling trapped and unable to break free from my struggles.
I'll get out before I go insane to somewhere I belong
I'm determined to find a purpose and a sense of belonging to prevent myself from losing my sanity.
I don't know who I am, or how I got here
I'm struggling with a sense of identity and how I ended up in my current situation.
But I'm a subtle hint, the best forgotten
I'm a warning sign that people should take seriously, but they tend to ignore me.
You never know, never know what this boy could have been
Nobody will ever know what kind of potential I had if I don't get a chance to prove myself.
I'm struggling to find my feet, just in time to watch the sea wash away
I'm trying to regain my footing, but it seems like everything I worked for is being destroyed before my eyes.
All memories of you
I'm trying to let go of my past and move on from my struggles.
Giving up, giving up on every plan that I've made
I'm losing motivation and giving up on every goal I set for myself.
Finally waking up, a little too late
I'm realizing what I should have done differently, but it may be too late to make a change now.
Contributed by Asher O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.