VHS's three core members have played music together for most of their lives. James Bohannon and Conor Cook went to middle school together in New York City, while James went to high school with Nils Vanderlip where they started their first band.
In 2015 VHS formed, based initially around home recordings which the band posted on Soundcloud. VHS began performing around NYC's lower east side rock clubs, eventually selling out several shows at the Mercury Lounge that year. In 2015, they released their debut EP whose lead single "Lean" rose to #8 on the Spotify Viral charts. In 2016, VHS released Stereo Hype, which included the indie hit “Waiting on the Summer." VHS performed at major festivals that year including Lollapalooza and ACL. The band continued to release singles and tour leading up to the release of their debut LP Retrofuturism in November 2018. VHS's songs have also been featured in Shameless, Sunday Night Football, Love, You, and dozens of other TV shows.
The Dark
Vhs Collection Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Such a fine line
Such a fine way to live your life
All my crimes
Lose my mind
Such a bad sign when you find what you really like
When we′re alone
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don't want to let you go
′Cause I won't win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all night
When the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
Won't you shine
Don′t pick sides
Hard to find time, hard to find time to live the lie
I can′t show
What I don't know
I can rewind
It′s a crime that I never mind
When we're alone
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don′t want to let you go
'Cause I won′t win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all nightWhen the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
Ah, we are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
We are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
We are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
To the light
To the light
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don't want to let you go
'Cause I won′t win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all night
When the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes (we are darkness, we are darkness)
And I don′t want to let you go
'Cause I won′t win the fight (we are darkness, we are darkness)
"The Dark" is a song about the complexities of love and relationships. In the first verse, the singer describes the beauty of the night sky, but also the delicate balance between pleasure and danger in one's choices. He admits to committing "crimes" and "losing his mind" when he indulges in what he likes, which suggests that he struggles with self-control. When he is alone with his partner, he recognizes that their love is a light in the darkness that he doesn't want to let go of, even if he can't predict the outcome. The chorus repeats this idea, suggesting that their love can outshine any darkness.
The second verse escalates the tension of the song, with the singer begging his partner to remain neutral in their disagreements and acknowledging that he can't always be honest about his feelings. The line "I can rewind, it's a crime that I never mind" could imply that he is not truly sorry for his actions in the past because he doesn't want to change them. However, when he is with his partner, he feels more grounded and secure. The bridge emphasizes the theme of light and dark, with the repeated line "we are darkness" suggesting that everyone has the potential for darkness within them. However, being in love and in the light can help to mitigate that darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Pale moonlight, diamond skies
Describing the ambiance of the night sky
Such a fine line
Referring to the fine boundary between enjoying life and crossing the limits
Such a fine way to live your life
Acknowledging the fact that living life to the fullest can be risky
All my crimes
Admitting to committing mistakes and sins
Lose my mind
Going insane or losing sanity due to the unknown dangers of life
Such a bad sign when you find what you really like
Realizing that what you are attracted to may not always be good for you
When we're alone
Spending intimate moments with someone special
And the dark comes to take control
When darkness or dangers take over one's life
In the light of your eyes
Seeing hope and light in the eyes of a loved one
And I don't want to let you go
Not wanting to lose that hope and light
'Cause I won't win the fight
Knowing that one cannot always overcome the darkness and dangers alone
We can watch from your bedroom window
Looking at the world from a place of safety and comfort
We can watch all night
Spending endless hours together, watching over each other
Won't you shine
Asking for the light or hope to shine brightly
Don't pick sides
Not choosing between the darkness and the light
Hard to find time, hard to find time to live the lie
Struggling to find time for the things that matter, while pretending to be happy
I can't show
Being unable to express true feelings or thoughts
What I don't know
Unable to understand or comprehend something
I can rewind
Thinking about past mistakes or actions
It's a crime that I never mind
Feeling guilty for past actions, but still not regretting them
Ah, we are darkness
Recognizing that humans can also embody darkness
To the light
Desiring to move towards the light or hope
Writer(s): James Grant Bohanan, Simon Oscroft, Nils Vanderlip, Conor Cook
Contributed by Eliana G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mansourhussein2553
Lyrics :
Pale moonlight, diamond skies
Such a fine line
Such a fine way to live your life
All my crimes
Lose my mind
Such a bad sign when you find what you really like
When we're alone
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don't want to let you go
'Cause I won't win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all night
When the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
Won't you shine
Don't pick sides
Hard to find time, hard to find time to live the lie
I can't show
What I don't know
I can rewind
It's a crime that I never mind
When we're alone
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don't want to let you go
'Cause I won't win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all night
When the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
Ah, we are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
We are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
We are darkness
We are darkness
To the light
To the light
To the light
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes
And I don't want to let you go
'Cause I won't win the fight
We can watch from your bedroom window
We can watch all night
When the dark comes to take control
We can be the light
And the dark comes to take control
In the light of your eyes (we are darkness, we are darkness)
And I don't want to let you go
'Cause I won't win the fight (we are darkness, we are darkness)
@basseyedetjr9054
This is a criminally underrated band and song
@NorthGlasgowBoxing
💯 with you💪🏻
@borgdrone47
Perfection. Underrated.
@FelicityBourgeois
There's something so emotional about this track. It hits different. I'm obsessed. I just wish I had experienced it sooner.
@arandomvenipede7604
Damn YouTube ads are actually advertising stuff that I would be interested in. Glad I got this as an ad ngl
@Danzii
I don’t know why this isn’t one of their top songs. I’m going to make it my mission to make this song popular by bringing it to tiktok
@mattarmstrong4261
That chorus and the chord progression just sends me to the astral plains... at night. This is a creative musical masterpiece. 👌🎶👌
@bryancoombesart
Its like a 1980's Masterpiece that never got realized until 2022
@sqwyd
It's always a good day when VHS Collection uploads a new single!
@canecreek00
those phat crunchy intro beats, that korg MS-20 synth riff, the big forward in the mix vocal, love this track xxx