The band began in 2010, initially as a solo project of Ellie Rowsell, with the name taken from a short story by Angela Carter. She was joined by guitarist Joff Oddie and later by Joel Amey and Theo Ellis. They released a self-titled EP, Wolf Alice in 2012 as well as a single called "Leaving You" which gained airplay from BBC Radio 1 and featured in NME's 'Radar' section.
They then toured with Peace, recorded a session for Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show in January, and released their first physical single "Fluffy" in February 2013 on the Chess Club label. Their second single "Bros", released in May, is about friendship and is one of the first songs Rowsell wrote and the band usually played it during their early stages.
2017–2020: Visions of a Life, Mercury Prize Win
In June 2017, Wolf Alice released the lead single "Yuk Foo" off their second studio album, Visions of a Life. They released three more singles, "Don't Delete the Kisses", "Beautifully Unconventional", and "Heavenward", before the release of their album on 28 September. In 2018, they also released "Formidable Cool", "Sadboy" and "Space & Time" as singles from the album.
In September 2018, the band won the Mercury Prize for their album Visions of a Life
2021–present: Blue Weekend
On 15 February 2021, the band's website was updated to show a looping video of an eye, with the heading "The Last Man on Earth". On 22 February 2021, the band announced that their single "The Last Man on Earth" would be released on 24 February 2021, and would debut on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1. The release of the single was backed by the announcement of their third studio album, Blue Weekend, which was released on 4 June 2021. The second single from the album, "Smile", was released on 20 April 2021.
Blue Weekend received widespread critical acclaim, and was nominated for the 2021 Mercury Prize. On release, music publication The Forty-Five called Blue Weekend "a ballsy idyll of feeling: the sound of a band satisfying themselves rather than proving themselves, and completely filling the space they’ve carved out over the years."
Wolf Alice won the 2022 Brit Award for Group of the Year.
On October 29th 2021, the band released Blue Weekend: Tour Deluxe which includes four live versions of tracks from the album ('Smile', 'How Can I Make it OK', 'Safe From Heartbreak', and 'The Last Man on Earth') as well as a live cover of 'Bobby' by Alex G.
On 5 May 2022, the band released a lullaby version of "The Last Man on Earth" as a single and announced Blue Lullaby, an EP featuring reworked lullaby versions of five tracks from Blue Weekend, which was subsequently released on 24 June 2022. During the summer of 2022, the band played 17 shows supporting Harry Styles' Love On Tour, the first date in Hamburg on the 26th of June and the last show in Lisbon on the 31st of July.
Official site
Lisbon
Wolf Alice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're there when you're not 'cause
I'm smoking your menthols
Smoking your menthols
Wearing all your clothes again
They're wearing thin but it's one way to
Be together
Swallow the fear
My stone cold fox
My arms are here
I've been ready for so long
And I would lick your wounds and care
Feel like running, feel like crack
Feel like going out and smashing windows
I'm Smashing windows
And in a black, black hole deeper than death
I would wait for you there just give me the breath to say it
Back together
Swallow the fear
My stone cold fox
My arms are here
I've been ready for so long
And I would lick your wounds and care
Feel like running, feel like crack
Feel like going out and smashing windows
I'm Smashing windows
And in a black, black hole deeper than death
I would wait for you there just give me the breath to say it
Back together
In "Lisbon," Wolf Alice creates a moody, intense soundscape that captures a complicated relationship. The first verse sets the tone of the song, with the singer insisting that the person they're addressing will eventually take a second look at them. The reference to smoking menthols can be interpreted in a number of ways - perhaps the singer is trying to seem cool or rebellious like the person they're fixated on, or maybe they are simply borrowing elements of this person's life because it makes them feel closer. The moment of the repetition of the chorus is significant because it's the first time the listener realizes how much the singer wants to be united with this other person. The language is evocative: the singer wants to "swallow the fear," echoing the sense of apprehension and uncertainty that tends to accompany intense emotions like love or obsession.
The bridge of the song is where the lyrics become truly charged. The singer refers to feeling like they want to "run" and "smash windows," suggesting a level of rage or frustration that can consume a person when they are deeply in love. Even in the darkest places, the singer asserts that they would be willing to go to unbelievable lengths - "just give me the breath to say it" - to be reunited with the person they're addressing. Ultimately, "Lisbon" is a song about the pain and the passion that comes with falling in love and feeling like you can't get enough of someone.
Line by Line Meaning
You're gonna look at me twice, it's eventual
You will take notice of me eventually, and perhaps even give me a second look.
You're there when you're not 'cause I'm smoking your menthols
You may not be physically present, but your lingering scent remains.
Wearing all your clothes again, they're wearing thin but it's one way to be together
I am wearing your clothes to feel closer to you, even though they are becoming worn and tattered.
Be together, swallow the fear
Let's face our fears and be together.
My stone cold fox, my arms are here, I've been ready for so long, and I would lick your wounds and care
I am here for you, ready to comfort and care for you, no matter how long it takes.
Feel like running, feel like crack, feel like going out and smashing windows, I'm smashing windows
I am feeling restless and destructive, like I need to break something to release my emotions.
And in a black, black hole deeper than death, I would wait for you there just give me the breath to say it
Even in the darkest of times, I would wait for you and keep fighting for us.
Back together
Let's reunite and make things right again.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ellen Ciara Rowsell, Joel Donald Scott Amey, Jonathan David Oddie, Theodore Joseph Ellis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@adambranch5733
You're gonna look at me twice, it's eventual
You're there when you're not 'cause
I'm smoking your menthols
Smoking your menthols
Wearing all your clothes again
They're wearing thin but it's one way to
Be together
Be together
Swallow the fear
My stone cold fox
My arms are here
I've been ready for so long
And I would lick your wounds and care
Feel like running, feel like crack
Feel like going out and smashing windows
I'm Smashing windows
And in a black, black hole deeper than death
I would wait for you there just give me the breath to say it
Back together
Swallow the fear
My stone cold fox
My arms are here
@neurofuker1801
Anyone else pick up the references to the book The Virgin Suicides? Some of the lyrics are sampled from quotes from the book: "you're a stone cold fox" and "alone in suicide, which is deeper than death". And the main character of the book is named Lux Lisbon ;)
@movalodh
I always thought there was "something about this song", other than the fact it just sounds so good.
@richie616
Thank you for making that comment; I actually didn't know of the book, but your post made me pick up a copy and read it. <3
@mkn.567
"stone cold fox" was already a term though, but i yeah i can see it being an allusion.
@O_Towne_Bear
@@deerinthevalley Loved the book and Sofia Coppola made a movie of the book.
@johnthorne4093
No, but that's way cool. Love when songwriters are actually literate, not to mention literary. AND love Wolf Alice.
@elisa_cruz
So I am here because this song is called Lisbon and I'm portuguese , best decision I've made in the last month, this band is great
@Nachtstun
Wrong Lisbon. This song was based off the movie/book "The Virgin Suicides", which has the main protagonist family last name being "Lisbon".
@elisa_cruz
Yes I know lmao, the title just caught my attention because I'm Portuguese, that's what I meant
@Nachtstun
Ah. My bad. ^^