Walking On A Dream album cover

Empire of the Sun – Standing On The Shore Lyrics

Electronic

Standing on the shore
Waiting for the ship in call
There's something in the way I move that keeps them on their own

The stars explodes a storm
A billion seasons born
A shock to the waves I know, breaking far from shore

Don't want to talk
All I hear is noise
Don't want to talk

The future's in my hands
I hold it in my palms
Engrave it the leylines running right down her arms

Speak in silent tongues
Lies reflect the times
The ghosts and the shadows fill the living scene

Don't want to talk
All I hear is noise
Don't want to talk

Don't want to talk
All I hear is noise
Don't want to talk

Don't want to talk
All I hear is noise
Don't want to talk

Don't want to talk
All I hear is noise
Don't want to talk

About This Song

"Standing On The Shore" is a dreamy meditation on isolation, transformation, and the overwhelming nature of human connection set against Empire of the Sun's signature blend of lush synth-pop and cosmic imagery. The song explores the paradox of longing for connection while simultaneously pushing others away, with the narrator standing metaphorically on the edge between solitude and engagement, waiting for something that may never arrive. The lyrics weave together themes of cosmic rebirth ("A star explodes a storm / A billion seasons born") with intimate human moments, suggesting that personal transformation occurs on both universal and deeply personal scales. The repeated refrain "Don't want to talk / All I hear is noise" captures the modern anxiety of being overwhelmed by constant communication while craving genuine connection. Musically, the track exemplifies the duo's ability to create expansive, cinematic soundscapes that feel both nostalgic and futuristic, with shimmering synthesizers and Luke Steele's falsetto vocals creating an ethereal atmosphere. The production builds layers of electronic textures that mirror the song's themes of cosmic expansion and emotional distance. The mysterious imagery of "ley lines running right down her arms" suggests a mystical connection between the physical and spiritual worlds, positioning love and desire as forces that transcend ordinary reality. The song resonated with listeners because it perfectly captured the feeling of being simultaneously connected to and alienated from the world around us, wrapped in production that made introspection feel epic and transformative.

Comments (16)

  • Anonymous
    What the lyrics means is that when people talk to him he hears the words but doesnt really hear it enough to understand it so its just noise to him.
  • Anonymous
    Me and my girlfriend have spent our evening drinking and singing anlog to the album, it's flipping sweet dude. Love Rob & Anna
  • Anonymous
    no its because hes listening for the answer but hes getting the opposite message.
  • Anonymous
    its about all talk no action. he's waing for the ship in call. speak in silent tongues and lies reflect the times. those lines convey the meaning of people practically talking crap. love ramsena :)
  • Anonymous
    All the songs are beutiful all the songs are perfect. greate work. Genius!
  • Anonymous
    Does anybody know where the film clip for "Standing on the shore" was filmed?
  • Anonymous
    dude Empire of the Sun is amazing. you're stupid if you disagree, and you should be shot.
  • Anonymous
    This song speaks of the Watcher's war, to destroy mankind. The pagan symbolism at the end of the video also conveys that as the desired result. Aliens are fallen angels, not ET. And what was the whisper at the end? Jesus is our only hope people, the Christ The Creator is also our only Redeemer. Read Romans 14:11 to see Whose Name is above all others.
  • Anonymous
    It was shot in Western Australia somewhere, when they lauched the video and released the song, it mentioned it. Should say on their website somewhere.
  • Anonymous
    ITS AMAZING! I soooo love it! I like the chorus the best'Don't want to talk, all i hear it noise, dont want to talk'. Watch it on Youtube! You'll love it!
  • Anonymous
    I think it means that its all noise to him because they dont make sense in his reality...(people talking without speaking...) theres a lot of symbolisms... he shuts the sounds off so as to be able to meditate ¿? the white animals are guardians... I think... the black other dudes represent evil in a way... the waiting on the shore did give me the feeling of all talk no action kind of thing... the guy at the sand got me the feeling of a bomb ¿? lol or maybe im just makin that one up =P the sand lady looks like well... this comment cant be so long thats just what I got from it and I cant tell if im right or not...=P
  • Anonymous
    I think it's talking about Perth. If you're from there and you left you would know.
  • Anonymous
    I find it funny people to try connect this music with religious beliefs, but thats whats great about music it's an art form, anybody and everybody has there own point of view about the track only the artist knows what it truly means from there point of view. but I welcome everybody to have there own point of view on the track. :)
  • Anonymous
    empire of the sun is all about the illuminatiilluminati worships the sun "empire of the sun"yeah yeah its also the japanese empire of ww2in every song he is talking from the perspective of the sun god. not really the sun but what it represents "light, or enlightenment"every single major band has the same exact symbols all from masonr & illuminati
  • Anonymous
    this song is about the armanian-irish god Tamayakana who was sent by martians to destroy the vagina god Vaginioutous circa 100000000 BC. the imagery in the video also conveys this truth, as Tamavakana had swordfish minions who killed by dancing people to death. if you dont know this you should die a fiery death in the depths of the gonorrhea god Gonorrheatomitus' fiery vagina death!!!!
  • Anonymous
    THIS SONGS LYRICS AND VIDEO ARE MANIFEST DESTINY.THE CONTENTS ARE DIRECT PROPHETIC FOREBODING TO THE CATASTROPHIC INCIDENTS IN AUSTRALIA AT THE CHANGE OF THE EARTHLY YEARS BETWEEN 2010-2011. THEY PROOF THAT GOOD ART CAN BE MIXED WITH REMOTE-VIEWING. AND YES, UFOs HAVE BEEN SEEN IN THE MOST AREAS SHORTLY BEFORE ALL MASSIVE DESTRUCTIVE FLOODING OCCURRED.S.J.