Their biggest hit single "King" from their debut album Communion reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in March 2015, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland. Their single "Shine" from the same album reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.
In April 2018 they announced the release of their second studio album Palo Santo which features singles "Sanctify" and "If You're Over Me", the latter of which reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom. The album features a dystopian world consisting of robot-like beings named Androids and humans as the minority, and was released on 6 July 2018.
On 18 March 2021, the band announced a third Years & Years album would be released in 2021. The band also announced the same day that Goldsworthy and Türkmen had stepped down as active members, and that the act would continue as the solo project of Alexander. The album, titled Night Call, was released in January 2022, debuting at number one in the UK albums chart.
1977
Years & Years Lyrics
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You wash your mouth, you pray for truth
You've seen it all by the grace of God
It's what you've done, it's who you are
Oh, oh, fever
Oh, oh, fever
You drink it all, you'll live tonight
Oh, oh, fever
Kiss your tongue, you strike a match
Keep it high, you're moving fast
You touch the ground, you're slipping through
You'll never know how you can move
Oh, oh, fever
Oh, oh, fever
You drink it all, you'll live tonight
You bite your cheeks, you'll put it right
Oh, oh, fever
Oh, ooh, take what you want from me
I have nothing left to lose
Oh, ooh, pull back the world from me
I want something true
The lyrics of the song '1977' by Years & Years revolves around the concept of indulgence and self-acceptance. The song is inspired by the year the frontman of the band, Olly Alexander, was born. The opening lines "You dye your hands the color blue, You wash your mouth, you pray for truth" portrays a vivid image of indulging in something as harmless as dyeing your hands, yet yearning for truth through prayers. The line "You've seen it all by the grace of God, It's what you've done, it's who you are" indicates that the experiences the person has had so far, have influenced their identity and shaped who they are today.
The chorus of the song "You drink it all, you'll live tonight, You bite your cheeks, you'll put it right, Oh, oh, fever" represents the concept of living in the moment and indulging in your desires to forget about the consequences. The bridge of the song "Oh, ooh, take what you want from me, I have nothing left to lose, Oh, ooh, pull back the world from me, I want something true" indicates that the person has accepted their fate as it is and is giving away everything they have to gain something true.
Line by Line Meaning
You dye your hands the color blue
You have stained your hands blue as a symbolic representation of being a part of a certain group or culture.
You wash your mouth, you pray for truth
You are trying to wash away all the lies and impurities by praying for the truth.
You've seen it all by the grace of God
You have been able to witness everything because of God's grace and blessings.
It's what you've done, it's who you are
Your actions have defined you and they are now a part of who you are.
Oh, oh, fever
The feeling that you are experiencing is like a fever that is taking over you.
You drink it all, you'll live tonight
You want to drink and indulge in everything that life has to offer, and in doing so, you will have a good time tonight.
You bite your cheeks, you'll put it right
You are biting your cheeks as a way to ease your anxieties and make things right.
Kiss your tongue, you strike a match
You are passionate about everything and ready to ignite the situation by speaking your mind.
Keep it high, you're moving fast
You are keeping everything at a high pace and moving quickly to get what you want.
You touch the ground, you're slipping through
You are grounded in reality, but also know that if you are not careful, you can slip away from what is important to you.
You'll never know how you can move
You will never be able to truly understand or predict your own actions or movement.
Oh, ooh, take what you want from me
You are willing to give up anything and everything to get what you want.
I have nothing left to lose
You have already lost everything that you could have possibly lost, so you have nothing more to lose.
Oh, ooh, pull back the world from me
You want the world to stop spinning so that you can catch your breath and truly understand your place in it.
I want something true
You are seeking something that is genuine and truthful, perhaps in a world that is full of deception and lies.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Thomas Goldsworthy, Oliver Alexander Thornton, Resul Emre Turkmen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind