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.
Foundation
Years & Years Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crushes me like, crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
All the things I want I really shouldn't get
If I triumph, are you watching?
Can you separate everything for me?
You used to work me out
There's a scratch on your shoulder
Crushes me like, crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
All the things I want, I really shouldn't get
If I triumph, are you watching?
Can you separate everything for me?
You used to work me out
But you never worked it out for me
And your head looks good
I wanna love it so much
I wanna be the one
I wanna do what you love
And I was lying
I don't really wanna be fine
It's all over
And there's a scratch on your shoulder
It crushes me like, it crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
And all the things I want I really shouldn't get
The song Foundation by Years & Years is a haunting ballad that explores the themes of desire, temptation, and regret. The lyrics describe the singer's intense attraction towards someone who is not good for them. The metaphor of the scratch on the shoulder represents the burden of this attraction that weighs on the singer, crushing them like lead. The singer wants to get older, but they feel unable to resist the things they want, even though they know they shouldn't get them.
The chorus repeats the same lines, highlighting the singer's internal struggle between their desires and their conscience. They question if they can triumph over their temptations and if this person is watching them. The line "you used to work me out, but you never worked it out for me" suggests that this person used to help the singer understand their feelings and thoughts, but they have now left them to figure it out alone. The singer's desire is so strong that they even want to love this person's head!
The song ends with the singer admitting that they were lying when they said they wanted to be fine. They can't help but feel overwhelmed by their attraction towards this person. The scratch on their shoulder still crushes them like lead, and they can't resist wanting the things they shouldn't get.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a scratch on your shoulder
The presence of a physical mark on your body serves as a reminder of past experiences that weigh heavily on my mind.
Crushes me like, crushes me like lead
The emotional burden of the previously mentioned experiences feels incredibly heavy and suffocating, like a weight made of lead.
And I wanna get older
Despite the difficulty of these experiences, I long to age and experience more of life.
All the things I want I really shouldn't get
I recognize that some of my desires are not good for me, but I still struggle to resist them.
If I triumph, are you watching?
If I am able to succeed in life and overcome these struggles, do you acknowledge and celebrate my accomplishments?
Can you separate everything for me?
Can you help me sort through my thoughts and feelings, and understand the root causes of my struggles?
You used to work me out
In the past, you were able to understand and help me navigate my emotions and struggles.
But you never worked it out for me
Despite your previous attempts, you were never able to completely solve my problems or alleviate my pain.
And your head looks good
Your mind and thoughts are fascinating and attractive to me.
I wanna love it so much
I desire to deeply connect with you on an emotional and intellectual level.
I wanna be the one
I yearn to be the person who can provide comfort, support, and love to you.
I wanna do what you love
I want to share in the things that bring you joy, and experience them alongside you.
And I was lying
I was not being truthful or honest with myself or others about my emotions and needs.
I don't really wanna be fine
Despite social pressure to be okay, I am struggling and don't want to hide or repress my emotions.
It's all over
The relationship or situation that has been causing me pain and struggle has ended, for better or worse.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL THOMAS GOLDSWORTHY, OLIVER ALEXANDER THORNTON, RESUL EMRE TURKMEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rhianna Brannon
"Foundation"
There's a scratch on your shoulder
Crushes me like, crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
All the things I want I really shouldn't get
If I triumph, are you watching?
Can you separate everything for me?
You used to work me out
But you never worked it out for me
There's a scratch on your shoulder
Crushes me like, crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
All the things I want I really shouldn't get
If I triumph, are you watching?
Can you separate everything for me?
You used to work me out
But you never worked it out for me
And your head looks good
I wanna love it so much
I wanna be the one
I wanna do what you love
And I was lying
I don't really wanna be fine
It's all over
And there's a scratch on your shoulder
It crushes me like, it crushes me like lead
And I wanna get older
All the things I want I really shouldn't get
Georgia Forsyth
One of their best songs. ❤️
apvalusnamas
Every song of yours is like a masterpiece. i love it❤❤🙌
The Melissa Burns
apvalusnamashes a masterpiece what else can you expect.
Maria Trin
this song.... no words can express the emotion... intense feeling of something unknown inside of you ....
JeN G
this song is too shoorrrtt!!!!! love it so much it should be 10 mins long!!!
Change Eye Color
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Change Eye Color
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Jack M
OMG this
MUSICFY
I was actually planning on making an hour loop haha how's that?
Вероника Veronica
Glad Years and Years are following their own path, not trying to please everyone.
Thank you for this elegantly dark, thrilling and beautiful video.
Will watch many times to see all the details)
Good luck guys, already excited to see your new creations.))