The band's music is an eclectic mix of genres, including alternative rock, indie rock, and pop. They are known for their energetic and emotional live performances, which are often accompanied by elaborate visuals and lighting.
X Ambassadors' breakthrough came with the release of their debut album, "VHS," in 2015. The album spawned several hit singles, including "Renegades," "Unsteady," and "Jungle," which have collectively amassed over a billion streams on Spotify alone. "VHS" also featured collaborations with other artists, including Imagine Dragons and Jamie N Commons.
One of the band's defining characteristics is their willingness to address personal and social issues through their music. For instance, "Unsteady" is a poignant reflection on the Harris brothers' upbringing with a mother who battled substance abuse, while "Renegades" is a call for rebellion against societal norms.
X Ambassadors have also been vocal advocates for mental health awareness and have worked with organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the JED Foundation. In 2019, they launched their own initiative, the "Joyful Tour," which aimed to destigmatize mental health issues and promote self-care among fans.
In addition to their studio albums, X Ambassadors have released several EPs and singles over the years, showcasing their versatility as a band. They have also collaborated with other artists on various projects, including the soundtrack for the Netflix film "Bright" and the song "Home" with Machine Gun Kelly and Bebe Rexha.
Brother
X Ambassadors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you're a little worse for wear
And it hurts having someone take care of you
Never let you go
Never let you go
Even when the madness has broken you apart
I used to believe
That all the absence of color
But my perspective has changed
Since I drove you away
But baby everybody's gotta move
Everyone's gotta move sometimes
And I won't see it
Even if I know it's there
Never let you go
Never let you go
Even when the madness has broken you apart
But I'll never let you know
I'll never, I'll never
But I'll never let you know
I'll never let you know
I used to be free
Of any fear of emotion
But these skeletons got ways of coming out
I used to believe
That someday you'd see
That baby you got devotion in every little motion
And I won't see the storm
When the rain's coming down
Never let you go
Never let you go
Even when the madness has broken you apart
Even when the madness has broken you apart
But I'll never let you know
I'll never, I'll never
But I'll never let you know
I'll never let you know (2x)
I will wait
For the day you come home
And it hurts to see you all over again
Never ever let you go
Never let you go
Even when the madness has broken you apart
The lyrics of X Ambassadors' song “Brother” talk about an unspoken bond between two people, where one has their back no matter what happens, no matter how bad things get. The use of the first two lines, “when it's all said and done, and you're a little worse for wear” imply that the song is dealing with the aftermath of something trying, and possibly traumatic. The singer, who is the supportive “brother” figure, declares that he will never let the other person go, even when “the madness has broken you apart.”
As the song progresses, we learn that there's a lot that both the singer as well as the person he's talking to, want to say to each other, but they hold back because of their own fears and insecurities. The line, “I used to be free/ of any fear of emotion/ But these skeletons got ways of coming out,” implies that the singer once was capable of expressing his emotions freely but now holds back and keeps things to himself - possibly because he doesn't want to hurt the other person or come off as needy.
In conclusion, “Brother” by X Ambassadors is a powerful song about an unspoken bond between two people that will never be broken, no matter the circumstances. Even when the other person is falling apart, the singer's commitment to holding them together never wavers. The song is also a testament to the power and universality of brotherly love, particularly among two men who may not always have the language or support systems to express their emotions openly.
Line by Line Meaning
When it's all said and done
In the end, after everything
And you're a little worse for wear
And you're a bit beaten up
And it hurts having someone take care of you
And it's painful to have someone care for you
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Even when the madness has broken you apart
Even when you're falling apart
I used to believe
I used to think
That all the absence of color
That the absence of color
Would make a difference to my red, red heart
Would make my heart feel something
But my perspective has changed
But I see things differently now
Since I drove you away
Since I pushed you away
But baby everybody's gotta move
But everyone has to leave sometimes
Everyone's gotta move sometimes
Everyone has to leave sometimes
And I won't see it
And I won't acknowledge it
Even if I know it's there
Even if I know it's true
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Even when the madness has broken you apart
Even when you're falling apart
But I'll never let you know
But I won't tell you
I'll never, I'll never
I will never
But I'll never let you know
But I won't tell you
I'll never let you know
I won't tell you
I used to be free
I used to have freedom
Of any fear of emotion
Without any fear of feelings
But these skeletons got ways of coming out
But my problems have a way of surfacing
I used to believe
I used to think
That someday you'd see
That someday you'd understand
That baby you got devotion in every little motion
That you have dedication in everything you do
And I won't see the storm
And I won't see the trouble brewing
When the rain's coming down
When things get hard
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Even when the madness has broken you apart
Even when you're falling apart
But I'll never let you know
But I won't tell you
I'll never, I'll never
I will never
But I'll never let you know
But I won't tell you
I'll never let you know
I won't tell you
I will wait
I will be patient
For the day you come home
For the day you return
And it hurts to see you all over again
And it's painful to see you again
Never ever let you go
I will never, ever leave you
Never let you go
I will never leave you
Even when the madness has broken you apart
Even when you're falling apart
Contributed by Hailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.