Wallinger recorded the first two World Party albums (Private Revolution and Goodbye Jumbo) practically single-handed. The former reached the US Top 40 and the single ‘Ship Of Fools’ broke into the Top 30 (it was hastily dropped by radio in his native Great Britain because of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster). Goodbye Jumbo took equal amounts of inspiration from the eco movement and the Beatles, and the highly catchy single ‘Message In The Box’ provided Wallinger with his first UK Top 40 hit.
Wallinger’s muse, a relaxed and melancholic take on mid-period Beatles, has not so much been updated as revitalized on his subsequent, sterling work, although a minor breakthrough was made with 1993’s Bang!, which featured Wallinger’s only UK Top 20 hit to date, ‘Is It Like Today’, and reached number 2 on the album charts. On Bang!, Wallinger was joined by Chris Sharrock (drums, ex-Icicle Works) and Dave Catlin-Birch (guitars/keyboards). Some of the reviews for 1997’s Egyptology were unnecessarily cruel (especially the New Musical Express). It was by his standards another good album, which, although still locked into the Beatles’ sound (this time circa 1968), featured some great moments, notably the gentle ‘She’s The One’ and the meatier ‘Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb’. The former indirectly gave Wallinger a worthy chart-topping single, when Robbie Williams’ cover version reached the top of the UK singles chart in November 1999 (Williams’ songwriting partner Guy Chambers (b. 12 Jan 1963, England) was at one time a member of World Party).
The next World Party album, 2000’s Dumbing Up, retreated from the ambitions of Egyptology, and found Wallinger resorting to his pick ‘n’ mix style of songwriting. He is one of the best magpie songwriters around, and the strong influence of ELO, Bob Dylan (‘Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream’ in the shape of ‘Who Are You?’) and even Rare Bird (shades of ‘Sympathy’ in ‘All The Love That’s Wasted’) could be heard, in addition to strong memories of the Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’ and ‘Baby You’re A Rich Man’ in ‘Another 1000 Years’.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin.
Sooner or Later
World Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Positivity, please won't you breathe on me?
Positively
I'm positively freezing to death
I want to find my way to my own time
Relativity
Relatively
It's getting harder to catch their breath
I want to find myself in a good time
Faith
You don't need to believe it
Faith
'Cause they're just going to deceive you sooner or later
Sooner or later
Sensitivity
I'm in need of those things that you do to me
Sensibility
Having a feeling is not enough
Don't want to walk on by my own time
Possibilities
The possibilities dance all around me
Momentarily
Just takes a second to lose your way
But I can find myself in my own mind
Faith
You don't need to believe it
Faith
'Cause they're just going to deceive you sooner or later
Sooner or later
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
Know and you'll feel so sure
Sooner or later
I'll find out
Sooner or later
Find myself
Find myself
Faith
You don't need to believe it
Faith
'Cause they're just going to deceive you sooner or later
Sooner or later
Faith
You don't need to believe it
Faith
'Cause they're just going to deceive you sooner or later
You'll find out sooner or later
You'll find out sooner or later
You'll find out sooner or later
You'll find out sooner or later
...
The song "Sooner or Later" by World Party is a upbeat, catchy tune with lyrics that suggest a deep desire for positivity, possibility, and faith in oneself. The repeated mention of "positivity" and "faith" highlights the importance of believing in oneself and holding onto hope, even in the face of challenges and disappointments. The verse that says "I want to find my way to my own time" is likely referring to the desire to find one's place in the world and to live in a way that feels authentic and true. The idea of relativity and waving to someone as they drive by suggests a feeling of disconnection and an awareness of the fleeting nature of life. The line "having a feeling is not enough" hints at the idea that emotions need to be translated into action in order to have an impact on the world.
The chorus emphasizes the idea that faith can be deceiving, but suggests that it is still important to hold onto hope and to believe that eventually things will work out. There is a sense of urgency to the lyrics, with repeated refrains of "sooner or later" and "I know, I know, I know." The song seems to be about the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life and to hold onto hope in the face of uncertainty and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
Positivity
Asking for a positive influence to help him feel better
Positivity, please won't you breathe on me?
The singer is asking if someone can help him feel happier through their positive energy
Positively
Without a doubt
I'm positively freezing to death
The singer is very cold and would like to warm up
I want to find my way to my own time
The singer wants to find his way in life and discover what makes him happy
Relativity
The idea that time and space are relative to the observer
I'm waving at you while you're driving by me
The singer is acknowledging someone who doesn't notice him
Relatively
Compared to something else
It's getting harder to catch their breath
The situation is becoming overwhelming and the singer is struggling to keep up
I want to find myself in a good time
The singer wants to be happy in life and find a sense of purpose
Faith
Belief in something without proof
You don't need to believe it
The singer is saying that it's not necessary to have faith
Cause they're just going to deceive you sooner or later
The singer believes that having faith will lead to disappointment
Sooner or later
Eventually
Sensitivity
Being able to understand or feel someone else's emotions
I'm in need of those things that you do to me
The singer wants someone to show him kindness and understanding
Sensibility
The ability to make good decisions based on reason and logic
Having a feeling is not enough
Emotions aren't always enough to make good decisions
Don't want to walk on by my own time
The singer doesn't want to waste his life and miss out on opportunities
Possibilities
Opportunities for success or happiness
The possibilities dance all around me
The singer sees many opportunities around him
Momentarily
For a short time
Just takes a second to lose your way
It's easy to get sidetracked and miss important opportunities
But I can find myself in my own mind
The singer believes that he can find happiness within himself
And I know, I know, I know, I know
The singer is very sure of his beliefs
Know and you'll feel so sure
The more you know, the more confident you will be
I'll find out
The singer wants to discover the truth for himself
You'll find out sooner or later
Eventually, everyone will discover the truth for themselves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KARL EDMOND DE VERE WALLINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind