The xx - Islands (Official Video)

The xx - "Islands" (Official Video)
The xx in video purgatory. "Islands" from The xx’s debut album 'xx.'
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Directed by Saam

I am yours now
So now I don’t ever have to leave
I’ve been found out
So now I’ll never explore

Get “Islands” from the album ‘xx’ here:
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Lyrics
I don’t have to leave anymore
What I have is right here
Spent my nights and days before
Searching the world for what’s right here

Underneath and unexplored
Islands and cities I have looked
Here I saw
Something I couldn’t over look

I am yours now
So now I don’t ever have to leave
I’ve been found out
So now I’ll never explore

See what I’ve done
That bridge is on fire
Go back to where I’ve been
I’m froze by desire
No need to leave

Where would I be
If this were to go under
It’s a risk I’d take
I’m froze by desire
As if a choice I'd make

I am yours now
So now I don’t ever have to leave
I’ve been found out
So now I’ll never explore

So now I’ll never explore

#Thexx #Islands #ThexxSongs

[ghettogothh]

10 years later..
Proving this is a timeless song

[Dr.Gainzzz]

" I've been found so now I'll never explore "

I love those lyrics.

[osiris]

"I am yours now, so now I don't ever have to leave / I've been found out, so now I'll never explore"

This like a couple of the XX's songs seems to be about conflicting aspects of a romantic relationship; while in the beginning everything fits together perfectly and the lyrics echo the sentiment of being fulfilled - "I don't have to leave anymore, all I have is right here / spent my nights and days before, searching the world for what's right here" - over the course of time things start to break down. The middle part of the song seems to be about questioning the relationship; "That bridge is on fire back the way I came... where would I be if this were to go under" doesn't suggest a commitment out of love, but more out of routine and the difficulty of ending things and/or finding something new. By the end the hook takes on a bit of a darker meaning to me, "so now I don't ever have to leave" sounds more like resignation to a life sentence than an expression of contentment.

[andreascasablancas]

For quite a long time I've tried to understand the video since it's more complex than what people might percieve on the surface. For starters the coreograph is brilliant, each cycle varies slightly giving the appereance of something that with time deteriorates, the dance as well has two elements, the four dancers in the back, and the two at the front. To me the meaning of each is particularly interesting, the front ones make a bridge, as the lyrics suggest. The backing dancers are divided in two semi groups, the middle ones are the ones in a relationship, and the outsiders represent the islands to "explore" or rather the pool of different possible partners. The coreography cycle begins each time with a kiss and rapidly moves to the outsiders who also make some sort of a kiss. As the song evolves you can hear "I am yours now, so now I don't ever have to leave, I've been found out, so now I'll never explore" signifying that they both find their other half, but as the song progresses both the lights and the coreography dims as if something isn't right, much to the hopefull tone of a new relationship that was founded on the grounds of finding the right one. But "the brigge is on fire" by the middle of the song, also represented by the characters on the front that are leaving, both representing male and female respectively, so she stops seeing what up until this point was their "love routine" represented by the different cycles. After the bridge collapses there is no way but to go under, which I'm not very keen, but might refer to the fact there's something beneath it that isn't quite clear. The dance on the backgroung then takes the spotlight as the girl starts to phisically show some signs of deterioration, she doesn't kiss with her eyes close anymore, her eyes turn more tired and her skin more pale, so she defects first, she in fact breaks the cycle. By the time we arrive at the second "I am yours now..." we get a sense of possetion not compromise, seeing how she yearns for a different relationship, represented on the guy that dances with her (unaffected I must add, because he isn't part of the relationship, yet, rather than an outsider, the reason to "explore"), so she leaves. Much to the disgrace of the guy next to her who keeps on playing as if nothing happened, maybe because he doesn't want this to end, but after she leaves he is left hearbroken and visiblily afflicted, while the girl who dances with him keeps on going as she isn't really affected. In the end she isn't anymore there and he is left sad and probably regreting not being able to look back at the outside the same way the girl did, so he's on he's knees aparently alone with a posible candidate as there are still fish in the water, but for him, his world is worthless and he'd prefer to see it burn, alone, which is also accentuated by the last "So now I'll never explore", meaning he doesn't want to explore, everything has brutally ended.
This is one of my favourite songs of all time, I've taken inspiration on the meanings provided by others and I've added my own personal touch. Summarizing, this song is a masterpiece, the video is deeply meaningful and might just be a story that many can relate, either by being the girl or the guy. I personally do feel affected by it since I'm the persona that looks in the end the endless sea with sorrow and pain, hopeful that sometime, somewhere I'll be able to cope with the loss.
Much love, and if you read it all, thanks you might add more elements, I'll be happy to read you.

[tarothara]

so ahead of its time. This whole album sounds incredible even in 2021.

[eel]

I don't have to leave anymore
我再也不必離開


What I have is right here
我擁有的就在這裡


Spend my nights and days before

Searching the world for what's right here
之前我耗費日日夜夜探索這個世界，
就是為了這個。



Underneath and unexplored
地底下和未探測到的



Islands and cities I have looked
我曾觀察過的島嶼和城市



Here I saw
Something I couldn't over look

在這我所看見了一些無法忽視的東西



I am yours now

現在我是你的了



So now I don't ever have to leave
因此我再也不需要離開


I've been found out
我被找到了


So now I'll never explore
因此我將不用再探索。


See what I've done
看看我曾經做的


That bridge is on fire
那座橋梁在火裡燃燒


Going back to where I've been
往回走到我曾經待過的地方


I'm froze by desire
我愣住了，因為熱切的慾望


No need to leave
Where would I be
不需要離開我將在的地方



If this were to go under
如果這裡將沉沒，



It's a risk I'd take
這是我要承受的風險


I'm froze by desire
我愣住了，因為熱切的慾望


As if a choice I'd make
像是假設我做了一個選擇


I am yours now

現在我是你的了



So now I don't ever have to leave
因此我再也不需要離開



I've been found out
我被找到了



So now I'll never explore
因此我將不用再探索。

[sydurgraham]

when the guys voice comes in on that line...eargasm

[SailTheSkies]

This video is a masterpiece. Whoever had this idea is a genius. Each character has a role and each scene changes very subtly, but extremely strong. Executed very well.

[aidenwhitehead]

That final scene with the last dancer never fails to give me the chills

[thetacoguyy]

Quarantine got me listening to these guys again, anyone else?

[rebirth]

Add me to the list of people obsessed with this video.

[jeremRamones]

I don't have to leave anymore
What I have is right here
Spend my nights and days before
Searching the world for what's right here
Underneath and unexplored
Islands and cities I have looked
Here I saw
Something I couldn't over look
I am yours now
So now I don't ever have to leave
I've been found out
So now I'll never explore
See what I've done
That bridge is on fire
Going back to where I've been
I'm froze by desire
No need to leave
Where would I be
If this were to go under
That's a risk I'd take
I'm froze by desire
As if a choice I'd make
And I am yours now
So now I don't ever have to leave
I've been found out
So now I'll never explore
And I am yours now (I am yours now)
So now I don't ever have to leave (ever have to leave)
I've been found out (I've been found out)
So now I'll never explore
So now I'll never explore

[ccpektezel]

Ten years later, this has proven to be a unique piece of art.

[lex]

1:05-1:36 is the best part of this entire song

[stephenholmes]

This video and song in my opinion is a masterpiece, the idea of relationships being like islands and the bridge to the previous being set on fire. The video with the subtle changes in girls dancers representing her love fading while the guy for most of the song continues along obliviously until she finally has left... Then the final dance with just the girl who would dance with the guy at the back dancing by herself while the set burns around her representing that the guy was still in love with her but it's over now...

That's what I've taken from it anyway, literally a masterpiece.

[irvingcsaltzburg]

I really need to stop reading comments. The amount of braindead idiots complaining about how the video is "repetitive" is fucking alarming. I didn't even think this video was that difficult to understand, yet no one seems to see how it compliments the song beautifully and brilliantly. I guess no one gets what the song is about either.

My entire life revolves around music and I've seen countless music videos from every genre, yet this is one of the only music videos that always makes me tear up every time I watch it.

[budoka]

12 years later this is still and incredible peice of art! Truely timeless.

[davidbadiola]

... 2016 and this song is STILL brilliant

[iAple]

Wow are people seriously complaining about the video? I think its the best goddamned part. It's the onyl reason why i keep coming here instead of listening to the song on itunes. Whoever came up with it is a real genius imo.

[pernielsen]

It is so sad that when the people gradually stop dancing, there is some other dancer, who clearly wants to continue, but can't really, because of this other person. And at last only one remain oblivious of the fact that "it's over". I know that feeling far too well.