How Long?
"How Long?" is a song by How To Destroy Angels from the album Welcome Oblivion.
Release
"How Long?" was the fourth single from the album, and the first single to have not been on the previous release An Omen EP. It was released on 31st January 2013.
Appearances
- Welcome Oblivion
Versions
How Long?
This is the only known version.
Music video
The music video was created by London-based team Shynola. It is the first music video not to feature the band members of HTDA. Filmed in Wales, it opens with a young man wearing nothing but a loincloth waking up in a dystopian wasteland. He paints his body with tribal markings and forages for leaves, running and crawling across the bleak landscape. He sees an old man, covered with possessions, and signals down to him from a high cliff. When the old man turns to wave, the young man has vanished and rapidly appears behind him, strangling him to death with a piece of cord. Having taken all the possessions he desires and filled a water bottle, he returns to his home, to bring the water to his ill and elderly mother.
The video's production team said
"We had a great conversation where the band articulated their ideas about modern identity, the effect of technology on culture and our inability to connect with others. We're fascinated by anthropology and coincidentally we had been toying with ideas for a feature film about a post-technology civilization, in which humans have reverted to primitive behavior. Sometimes things just fit together."
How to destroy angels added
"Their work is visually striking and consistently stands out. When we started talking about possible directors to work with for 'How long,' their name came up right away. It's been an honor to finally work with them, and to get their wholly unique interpretation of the themes we've been exploring with this record and this song."
Lyrics
THESE LYRICS HAVE BEEN TRANSCRIBED BY EAR AND MAY BE INCORRECT
How long? Always been here It almost seems like yesterday Hard to picture It's the little things that slip away Built with blisters But they find a way to take a little bit They won't find us If you believe in it How long? How long can we keep holding on? How long? How long can we keep holding on? A house on fire Burning all the past away And what defines us, well It's the little things that slip away And if you're honest What do you think would happens if We stood for something? If you believe in it keep believing it How long? Burn this song away How long? Burn this song away Can we keep holding on How long? We keep holding on and on How long can we keep holding on? How long?