1) Whitley is … Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name, including:
1) Whitley is Australian singer and songwriter Brian Laurence Greenwood.
2) Whitley was an American acoustic pop band from Wichita, KS, that began in November of 2005 and ended in June of 2006.
1) Whitley is Australian singer and songwriter Brian Laurence Greenwood from Melbourne, Australia.
Whitley is said to blend organic acoustic flavours with electronic overtones creating songs with hushed, whimsical tales of love and loss.
Whitley’s previous incarnations in hardcore and punk bands were tempered when he was dragged along to see alt-country stars Keiran Cane and Kevin Welsh by a friend’s father. He had an epiphany and was converted to the “songs that made sense” and started listening to traditional country. The result of these influences has produced a folktronic sound all of his own.
Whitley first met producer and collaborator, Nick Huggins, from watching him play the Mississippi folk instrument the steel lap guitar (dobro). The friendship evolved through a shared love of music and Nick was the natural choice to work on the album. The pair took a pragmatic approach to recording, decamping to the surrounds of Nick’s family home in Point Lonsdale converting the old house into a studio with a sleeping barracks out the back. Instead of a rigid schedule and time restraints, recording revolved around the Geelong footy fixture and the surfing tides. “We planned the whole album around the footy and surfing. It was a matter of working around that stuff. You don’t want to do anything when you’re not feeling creative. So we would only create and only write and only make music when we wanted. Nick is a mad Geelong fan and he refused to record on any days when Geelong was playing. And it would really influence the way Nick recorded that week. If Geelong won, he would be up beat [clicks fingers] and on fire and if they lost he would just be miserable.”
In between Geelong matches and early morning surfs, the album "The Submarine" began to take shape, coming to life in the bathrooms and bedrooms of the house. It is this organic approach that results in the songs creating an intimacy that invites you in to join in his happiness and heartbreak. The album was then mixed by Jonathan Burnside [The Sleepy Jackson, Nirvana, Faith No More, Fugazi] in his studio. Whitley felt that Burnside had an understanding of the organic recording process and could really bring that out.
Whitley's 2009 album, "Go Forth, Find Mammoth", was nominated for a 2010 ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album.
Official Whitley site.
2) Whitley was an acoustic pop band from Wichita, KS that began in November of 2005 and ended in June of 2006.
They sported many tours through the Midwest region. Only one of which (Colorado) was completely unsuccessful because of weather conditions, a flat tire, and cranky 'tudes from all the dudes.
An EP was released in early 2006 containing 7 songs. A single was later attempted but was never completed.
The front-man, Tyler Clarensau, currently continues with a solo project. Music can be heard here.
The two other members, Josh White (bass) and Joey Betzen (drums) turned to an acoustic project of instrumental origin.
Facades II
Whitley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We never meant to be this sad
We never meant to be a lot of things
That were lurking in the dark
I applaud the facade of every broken heart
Where dreams are just screams from a deep undying dark
Or where sweet birds are the words of a world
Where you are now, where you found solid ground
Buy me a new set of shoes
I'll write out a new set of rules
I'll feed you my heart and we will see
If we can cure your disease
I applaud the facade of every broken heart
Where dreams are just screams from a deep undying dark
Or where sweet birds are the words of a world
That hurled you down to the ground where you found
Where you are now, where you found solid ground
I'm an altruist with a selfish hand
But I know and I choose, am I something higher?
I need something harder in my veins
My blood won't help me from privileged pains
The lyrics of Whitley's song Facades II are introspective and contemplative, grappling with the unpredictability and rigours of life. The opening lines, "We never meant to be this bad, we never meant to be this sad," immediately convey a sense of regret and disappointment. The artist acknowledges that certain things are beyond our control and that there are many aspects of life we cannot predict - the "things that were lurking in the dark."
The chorus, "I applaud the facade of every broken heart, where dreams are just screams from a deep undying dark," reflects on the artifice of the world, and the way that people present a facade to cope with the obstacles and difficulties of life. The mention of dreams as "screams from a deep undying dark" suggests a deep-seated sense of pain and struggle, which people are often reluctant to show to others. The line "buy me a new set of shoes, I'll write out a new set of rules" represents a desire for change and reinvention, a way to escape the current circumstances that have caused pain and sadness.
The final verse, "I'm an altruist with a selfish hand, but I know and I choose, am I something higher? I need something harder in my veins, my blood won't help me from privileged pains," continues the introspection, questioning whether the artist's actions are truly altruistic or motivated by selfishness. They acknowledge that privilege comes with its own set of struggles and that sometimes material possessions cannot cure the pains that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
We never meant to be this bad
We never intended to be in such a negative state
We never meant to be this sad
We never intended to be in such sorrow
We never meant to be a lot of things
There were many things we never intended to be
That were lurking in the dark
But they were hidden from our view
I applaud the facade of every broken heart
I admire the way that heartbreak can be masked
Where dreams are just screams from a deep undying dark
Where dreams are really just cries from the depths of despair
Or where sweet birds are the words of a world
Or where seemingly pleasant things actually represent harsh realities
That hurled you down to the ground where you found
That caused you to fall to the ground where you discovered
Where you are now, where you found solid ground
A place where you stand firm and secure now
Buy me a new set of shoes
Get me some new footwear
I'll write out a new set of rules
I'll establish a new code of behavior
I'll feed you my heart and we will see
I'll give you everything I have and we'll test its effectiveness
If we can cure your disease
To see if we can remedy your affliction
I'm an altruist with a selfish hand
I'm someone who cares for others but still seeks personal gain
But I know and I choose, am I something higher?
But I wonder if I am capable of greater things
I need something harder in my veins
I require something more powerful flowing through my bloodstream
My blood won't help me from privileged pains
The advantages I have don't alleviate my inner struggles
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dominic Mulder
Pure Nostalgia. This was the last song in the car before a friend of mine dropped me off at the airport in New Zealand and the adventure had ended.
Dorian Storer
I first heard this in Shane O'Neills Skate Mental part. I became a fan of the song since.
Javier Omar Morales Luna
Same! This was Shane O'Neill's pro debut on the berrics. I remember they had to take down the video because the band never allowed them to use it commercially only creatively
Lukas Mucus
this may be super cheesy but it's songs like this that just make me want to cry because they are so amazing and remind me of how much i love skateboarding and i just suck so much at it though. **chills run down spine**
Ro Ye
soundtrack of my life, perfectly relatable
Cris
Great song!
benandjamin
Great song.
thezbreer454
Shane O'Neill brought me here
Jon Herzing
I think they took that part down!
hor-hay Gonzalez
Makes feel like a kid again