Latest news with #GaryLightbody
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Snow Patrol fans are only now realising what 'Chasing Cars' means after 19 years
Snow Patrol fans are only just realising the meaning behind their hit song "Chasing Cars", which was released 19 years ago. It turns out some people have been ignorant for years When it comes to bands who have a string of huge hits, Snow Patrol is probably up there with some of the best. From "Chocolate" to "Run" to "Open Your Eyes" - the band has endless popular tracks to their name. However, one of their most famous songs is loved by many, even though some people don't appear to know what it means. The Northern Irish Scottish rock band actually first came together in 1994 in Dundee, and comprises Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals) and Johnny McDaid (piano, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). Lightbody is the band's only remaining original member decades later. Even though the band has been making music for decades, it turns out there are still some facts people don't actually know about them, including the meaning behind their hit "Chasing Cars". The song, released in 2006, was reported to be the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio back in 2019. Despite this, a lot of people still don't know what the lyrics really mean, and the topic recently came up on social media platform Quora. One person wrote: "What is the song Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol about?" Naturally, the question encouraged a variety of responses, with many fans quick to offer their ideas. All sorts of thoughts were put forward. One wrote: "I absolutely adore this song. I think it's a pretty basic love song actually. It's about a young man trying to express his love for his partner. They sing 'those three words are not enough'. You have to assume he's talking about the words 'I love you' right? "I love the lyrics 'forget what we're told, before we get too old'. To me, that means that they should not waste their youthful love no matter what. Perhaps their parents, or other elders, have tried to discourage them from being together. "And the chorus simply asks whether his lover will just stay with him in their love, and shut out everything else. The reference to the 'garden bursting into life' is, I think, just a reference to how beautiful love can be. "I don't think there are really any real hidden meanings in this song. I think it's just a beautiful love song from one person to another." One more added: "I think what the song is implying is that it's about a guy who is trying to persuade a woman to be his girl." However, despite being a love song, the band have previously confirmed what the term "Chasing Cars" actually means. You may be surprised to learn what the answer is. What does Chasing Cars mean? Lead singer Gary Lightbody actually composed the song, though it's still credited to all then-members of Snow Patrol, including Jonny Quinn, Nathan Connolly, Tom Simpson and Paul Wilson. According to reports, Gary Lightbody is said to have written the song after becoming sober following a binge of white wine. He is claimed to have been sitting in the garden of song producer Jacknife Lee's Kent cottage. Previously speaking to Rolling Stone, he said: "It's the purest love song that I've ever written. There's no knife-in-the-back twist. When I read these lyrics back, I was like, 'Oh, that's weird.' "All the other love songs I've written have a dark edge." The phrase "Chasing Cars" was also said to be inspired by Gary's father, and it refers to a girl Gary was infatuated with when he was younger. "You're like a dog chasing a car. You'll never catch it and you just wouldn't know what to do with it if you did," he said.
The Courier
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Snow Patrol star recalls playing Muppets theme tune to 50 people at Kirkcaldy fete
Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody has recalled playing the Muppets theme tune to just 50 people in Kirkcaldy. The 48-year-old says his performance at a fete in the Fife town was 'one of the most hilarious and tragic events I've ever had'. Speaking to comedian Shane Todd on his Tea With Me podcast, the Northern Irishman told of the horror gig in the band's early days. He said: 'We played this show in Kirkcaldy at a fete in Fife, it was set up for 2,000 people and 50 people showed up. 'We were playing and people were just not digging it. 'Mark, our bass player at the time, broke a bass string so we had to stop the show. 'We had Mick Cooke from Belle and Sebastian playing guitar… Mick had this trumpet so he started playing the theme song from the Muppets. 'This sent the crowd wild; everybody was up, they were dancing and singing along.' Lightbody said once the bass string was fixed he told the crowd they were going to play another song. This was met with a chorus of boos. A short time later, on the advice of Mick Brennan, their sound engineer at the time, the band called it quits. However, things went from bad to worse for Snow Patrol. On leaving the venue, Lighbody realised he hadn't closed the back of their van properly and all the band's equipment had fallen out. He added: 'There were people grabbing our guitars and running off into hedges; [but] nobody touched the merch! 'It's burned into my memory as one of the most hilarious and tragic events that I've ever had.' When two members quit the band in 2023, Lightbody recalled a near-death experience in Perth. Snow Patrol began when Lightbody linked up with Michael Morrison and Mark McClelland while attending the University of Dundee in 1994. During the singer-songwriter's time in Tayside, he also met their future keyboardist Tom Simpson, who is from Monifieth and quit the band in 2013. Speaking five years later on a visit to the City of Discovery, Lightbody said: 'I love Dundee, Dundee gave us a lot.'
Al Etihad
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Usher and Snow Patrol headline 3-day 'Club Social' music festival At Etihad Park this weekend
17 Apr 2025 23:54 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)There's a never weekend without great live music in Abu Dhabi, but this weekend is right up there with the Park on Yas Island is set to host the 3-day Club Social music festival on April 18-20, featuring top international your fellow music lovers to watch electrifying live performances while living the festival life with food, drinks, games and entertainment 3-day programme looks like this:Day 1: Friday, April 18Snow Patrol and The KooksKicking off the day, The Kooks will light up the stage with their signature indie rock sound. Headlining a phenomenal roster of talent is the legendary BritPop band Snow Patrol. Led by Gary Lightbody, this Northern Irish-Scottish group captured hearts worldwide with iconic anthems, pairing emotive lyrics with sweeping, cinematic 2: Saturday, April 19UsherThe legendary Usher will take the stage with a special guest concert, guaranteeing to thrill music fanatics and keep the energy soaring. As one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 80 million records, he's ready to bring his signature style and fresh beats to the festival, delivering a performance that promises to be nothing short of 3: Sunday, April 20Raye and London GrammarBritish dance-pop star Raye will take the stage on day three to keep the party in full swing with an infectious energy set to captivate the pop sensation London Grammar will mesmerise the audience with their signature ethereal sound. Featuring Hannah Reid's hauntingly beautiful vocals and the musical brilliance of Dan Rothman and Dominic "Dot" your choice of: A 3-day weekend to see all the acts; buy a 2-day pass for April 18-19 or April 19-20; or get a 1-day pass for any of the 3 days. Tickets available at Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gary Lightbody was 'broken' by father's death
Snow Patrol star Gary Lightbody has said he felt broken by the death of his father Jack and that writing about it was father, who had dementia, died in a nursing home in December frontman, whose hits include Chasing Cars and Run, was speaking ahead of the release of his book, The Forest is the said he was "numb for a year" following his father's death, but hopes the book will help other people who are grieving. "I wasn't writing it thinking people were ever going to read it, I was writing it for myself," he told BBC News NI."When I finished it I sent it to a few friends, and then started having discussions with close friends about their own grief, and their own process that they went through, and finding out that everybody's is different." However, the Bangor singer said love connects all grief."You can't grieve someone's passing without having loved them in the first place," he said."I guess when I got to the end of the book, I was like just in case somebody else has gone through this, and felt like I did, like I was broken, I wanted to put it out there into the world even if it was just on an extended inlay card." Lightbody writes of his memories of the day his father died, his love for his father, and his guilt "at being absent for so much of what had passed these last years of your cognitive decline and illness".The singer said his father's death had taught him "to get through anything"."I never imagined, you don't imagine that happening, a parent passing," he said."So I never thought about it, even when he had dementia, I was refusing to believe it and perhaps that's what caused the numbness in the first place."But you have to get on with things as well."In the book, talking about the immediate things that need to be attended to straight after a death."I felt like a torch had been passed and I was the man of the family now – I was having to stand up and be that." 'Version of myself' Lightbody has previously opened up about his struggle with depression, saying he reached a turning point in 2016, when he was diagnosed with infections in his sinuses, eyes and ears - a result of sustained drug and alcohol sober then compelled him to focus on his mental said he felt "less fragile now" and was determined not to waste any days."A lot of the times I am writing in the book about a version of myself that is now extinct," he said."But it is a version that did exist, it was a me that interacted with the world that was drunk or on drugs or in some kind of fugue state and now I feel that I am awake and present and feel much stronger for it."The book is a companion to the Snow Patrol album, also entitled The Forest is the Path, which was released last writes of the connection between the two: "While you don't have to read this book to understand the album, a listen to the album might help some parts of this book make sense."
