When I Argue I See Shapes

Idlewild formed in 1995 in Edinburgh, Scotland. They took their name from "the quiet meeting place" in the book Anne Of Green Gables. This song was Idlewild's first UK Top 20 hit.

Singer Roddy Woomble told the story of this song to Drowned In Sound: "I remember writing this in the practice pad, a rehearsal complex in the Tollcross area of Edinburgh, and thinking that it sounded good straight away. The band had been working on it without me, and when I came in the melody came straight away and just seemed to weave in and out of the chords. We all loved Pavement and I think we thought of this as our homage, although listening back it doesn't really sound like them at all. Lyrically it came from something random that was shouted during one of the many arguments I had with my girlfriend at the time, over some nonsensical teenage trial I'm sure."