Vance Joy - 'From Afar' Official Video 

"I've been living on the crumbs of your love and I'm starving now" has to be one of the most anguished and heart-wrenching lines ever written. Loving someone from afar is a hunger that never passes and can never be satiated. They give us just enough to keep the hope burning because they love the attention, but they don't understand just how much they're chipping away at our ability to laugh and feel joy. They destroy us one smiling gaze at a time never caring that the cost of a smile is quiet suffering.

Another fun fact. This is his debut single. Before Riptide.

over 2 years later and this is still my favorite music video ever. makes me cry every time.

You told me 'boy look the other way' You told me 'boy bite your tongue' Yes that's not the way, Yeah that's not the way Ah that's just not the way that friends behave Ah that's just not the way that friends behave Oh no, no, no, No, no, no, no You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar You told me 'boy look the other way' You told me 'boy hide those hands' Well I've been living on the crumbs of your love And I'm starving now And that is just the way that we remain Ah that will be the way that we remain Oh no no no No no no no You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now It shouldn't come as a surprise She got darling hazel eyes It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now

Why do people make such beautiful, heartbreaking music videos? I swear I almost cried.

That moment when a song manages to bring back memories and all the strong emotions you carried in those memories. They hit you so hard you almost drown in them. To get exactly the feelings you had formulated and heard in words is a wonderful comfort. I hope you people can relate to this music video like I did.

My pop loved this song, at 96yo we said goodbye for the last time nearly a year ago. Your memories live on pop,especially when I hear this song , . Rip pop x

From 2:20 on is just beautiful. Hell, the whole song is beautiful, but damn, the last two minutes made me tear up.

This song makes my heart burst. It's full of beautiful secrets.

Unrequited Love. Never thought I'd survive; but I did. It sucks so awfully bad. You will survive, it just hurts more than you've ever known. Gay or straight, the pain is caustic. Seems like it took forever to get over him..........

If those two blondes that came late, never even showed up, the day would've been perfect. They messed up everything. :,)

I've never seen such a beautifully directed music video. The directors did a wonderful job matching and timing the video to the music.:)

Never saw better music video- uncountable ways of interpreting it, great match with lyrics and music. Not to mention emotions, which will awake even in cold- hearted man like me. Absolute masterpiece IMHO.

This is song is about James (Vance) having a girlfriend, but also having a crush on her friend. I saw him perform couple days ago, and that what've said before he played this song. All makes sense now!

I have been reading the comments, and have been trying to think of the subject of the song. But I think I'll stick with my immediate response: When I first heard this song, I was listening to his whole album, and immediately feel in love with this one and had it on repeat. My first response to this song was that it was friendship. Kind of like someone's falling in love with their best friend but they know it won't happen. That they shouldn't, and just look the other way. "Not the way that friends behave". I thought it was like that. Loving your best friend and it "shouldn't come as a surprise" to them. That was my immediate response, and it connected me to the song in the best, personal way.

Not gonna lie. I'm a straight guy, and this made me tear up.

Story Time: The boy in the red shirt had always liked the one in the blue shirt. They have been friends for quite a while. As he slowly started to mature through puberty he realized he liked the boy in the blue shirt more and more, and not just as a friend. He grew up, and all the small moments that he had with this boy with the blue shirt he glorified because he was the one to share those moments with him. But on the day of the annual picnic the day that he had planned to tell the boy with the blue shirt how he truly felt about him, even getting small signs from him like when he leaped on top of him to grab the ball he felt that when they were both alone at a nice place he would finally tell him. But their parents decided to tell one of their friends to come along as she was feeling lonesome and to also bring their daughter. When the daughter met these two friends she immediately fell in love with the ruggedness of the blue shirt boy. Little did the boy with the red shirt know that the boy with the blue shirt also started to grow feelings for this girl. The day went on and the boy with the red shirt realized that he was feeling less and less confident about telling the boy with the blue shirt. So he though up a scheme to get him alone. He tried to get them all to play hide and seek, but the girl quickly outwitted the boy with the red shirt to count, and the boy with blue shirt agreed. As the blindfold was put onto him, he was imagining all the things his eyes were acing to see, he imagined the blue shirt boy shirtless, licking ketchup off himself. After that the pitter patter of their feet left the room. As son as they left he finished counting he quickly undid the blindfold and went to go look for them following a obvious trail they had left behind. The boy with the blue shirt and the girl tried to get away from the boy with the red shirt so the girl can finally kiss him. Every time they found a hiding spot, they saw him in the distance and quickly shuffled to another spot, again and again they did this. Until finally they felt that they got far away from him, that the girl pinned the boy with the blue shirt to the ground and kissed him... but in the distance the boy with the red shirt saw the whole thing. His heart shattered he stood in shock, his friend which he was hoping to make all the more slipped through his fingers. His heart broke as he stood their, and the boy with the red shirt realized he should of not loved from afar... THE END (IF this gains 15 likes i will do one about the parents peace)

Loving someone form afar is painful... but someone has to do it, otherwise there would not be amazing works of art such as this video and song. And hey I thought I knew Vance's music. I didn't think I could love him and his music more, but this is beyond anything I felt before.

The build up of the song at the moment in the video when the protag. takes off his blind fold... sends chills through me everytime. That part to the end of the song gets me going... my god.

I've watched this video countless times, and have commented before but I've got to tell my story (to whoever cares enough to read it, I included) - This song really hits close to home. This was filmed in Australia, but it reminds me so much of upstate New York. I'm from North Carolina, the south (not the deep south but still). My dad is from NY and had a lake camp and shed just like this one in a no-name city of upstate NY. My dad forced us to go at least once a year and both me and mom hated it. The trip (14 hours by car) was miserable. My father was too cheap to pay for a hotel. Anyway, my grandparents live there, so we would go and see them in the summer to have "cookouts". We would all eat outside on a table with the sound of the waves lapping against the boat dock and sun filtering through the trees of the wooded area. I couldn't eat inside my grandparent's house because they have cats (I'm allergic - they chose cats over their grandson). So it was just me my mom eating alone on a table outside while everyone was indoors. Everything was the same as in this video, the whole family was there and my grandmother even came to check on my mom like in this video. I remember the sound of the boat hitting the doc inside as waves lapped on the lake. I remember the sunshine filtering through the leaves of the trees and the warmth. Everyone was always in a cheery mood, except my mom and I who were always "outcasts." I remember one night following a cookout, the neighbors (the district attorney of this no-name town) invited us over to roast marshmallows outside. So we went. I remember the attorney and his wife had two daughters who were beautiful. Though I appreciated their beauty, I didn't feel attracted to them. It was like something just wasn't right but I wasn't sure and didn't know what it could be at the time. I just never really "connected" with the girls that most guys would be wild over. I was about the age of the boy in this video at the time and even looked like him. Something was brewing with me and my mom and dad's relationship at the time was beginning to decline. My dad would be "flirty" with much younger women (including the attorney's wife) at the cookout. My mom just kind of sat back and watched. Fast forward 10 years and now it's just my mom and me in California together with the rest of the family still in the south/no-name upstate NY. I have the best mother I could ever imagine, she has supported me with everything. I came out to her while drunk in London and she took it really well. She told me to be safe and made me promise that if I met a guy, I would introduce him to her. Mom and I have a great relationship and we're so much happier here. I will never forget the past, the summers at the camp, the cookouts, the lake and cabin, the pretty girls I wasn't attracted to and my mother and I feeling like outcasts among the family. It's a bittersweet memory and this video is nostalgic. I guess I'm glad that I was surrounded by "family" as a child and was able to have those cookouts on the lake. It's a weird thing, but I know it was a stage that was supposed to happen in my life but now has passed, for better or worse. There are things I miss about the "old days" as things seemed so much simpler and traditionally normal back then. That being said I would never in a million years imagine living in southern California. I go to a college I actually sort of kind of enjoy, I'm making friends, I'm doing things. I'm not changing per se, I am becoming more myself and it feels pretty great. Update - showed this video to my mother and she had to watch it four times because it is such an eerily accurate portrayal of our lives.

This song makes me cry every time, as I had a best friend, and I liked her so much (I’m a female). We were so close and my feelings continued to get stronger, although I knew it would never happen. So I was ‘loving her from afar’ and ‘living on the crumbs of her love’. I would get frustrated and angry with myself all the time during this period and have this song on repeat as it would help me get all of my emotions out. And the bridge makes me tear up so more, as my friend has hazel eyes and I was feeling what I was feeling. She was there but I knew I’d never be able to reach her. I told her, and she left me. Totally. To this day (ten months later) I’m still death stared. This song is such a sad story, but I’m also grateful for it as if I hadn’t let out my emotions, who knows where I’d be right now?

I never get annoyed by this song and I can watch this video on repeat... Love your music Vance Joy! You bring joy to my life 😉

This man is not only a lyrical genius but damn can he sing

"I've been living on the crumbs of your love, but I'm starving now" What a heartbreaking line.

it's also about the married couple & the lunch they have with friends. The wife realises that her husband shouldn't act the way he does around their female "friend", fantastic song with so many different perspectives, also the young girl & lad have feelings for each other even though they are family friends. The other lad is in love with his friend - the song is so clever how it is open to so many interpretation's. Vance Joy is genius 👌💛👍

😶👌😍Vance joy is just too perfect

Im a gay guy and I burst into tears seeing this, way to many memories like this, at least to me kid finds has a freind he really likes and enjoys doing stuff with him but the guy has a girl and he wants to feel like he fits in only only too be screwed over, its a horrible lonly feeling, that some men and woman live with for a long time most of the time you dont even know your gay it isnt like a light switch it takes something more for a lot of people to realize it and once you do live usually becomes a lot more meaningful I just realized I was only a week ago at the age of 26.and since then Im finally happy and and enjoying .life and guys being gay doesnt mean you cry on the drop of a dime and the opposite isnt true if your straight express yourself for the love of god do it, showing emotion is a bad thing,,,

am I the only one who was more interested in the side plot?

Im so glad I bothered to listen to this. I kept listening to riptide assuming Vance Joy was just a one hit wonder but this song is amazing. I still haven't heard any of his others, most likely he has more hidden gems

I want this storyline to develop more. Like what happens after this video? What about before this video? Who's the other couple at the table? Will the guy in the red shirt ever find someone for him? I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking things...

Just sam him Live in Rimouski Canada and the guy is a fucking BEAST, he is an awesome live performer. He said that From Afar was one of the first song he ever played and it is about loving someone that have a boyfriend/girlfriend or that is far away from you, it's not about being gay or something like that!

I think the song is more about an impossible love whether it's the gay boy liking his friend or the wife not feeling truly loved by the husband.

Line me up, across the room, two falling sparks One willing fool, and i, i always knew I would love you from afar. I've had this stuck in my head all day, such a beautiful song.

I don't care about the real meaning of the lyrics but I'm jus bawling my eyes out thinking about how I'll never be with the straight guy I'm in love with.

When I often come across good songs like this, I am afraid to keep listening to it, because I don't want to get sick of it. But the force of good songs are too strong ! I can't stop listening to them

My god this music video is absolutely outstanding. The concept behind it and the story line go perfectly with what the lyrics are saying. Couldn't of been a better video.

This is a masterpiece

Don't worry buddy! You're hot as hell! His loss! haha

Im in love with someone...he once loved me, but i took his obsession with me for granted. Now he's moved on, and i've just fell for him. He won't even make eye contact with me... Now I'll always know that I'll love him from afar.

OMG, the instrumentals in this are amazing!

This song reminds me of my dog that died a few days ago. Now it's an impossible love and I will always love him from afar.

It's pretty much a universal part of life (but not the happiest), Boy/Girl, B/B, G/G, does even matter??? Hurt is hurt; and hurt of the heart is wicked painful. Nice to see lots of you all respond positively; as this is not really popular subject matter among kids or adults. Most people won't even talk about it. Sad real sad.

I agree with the one in yellow being the main character among the adults, she probably always knew that she would have to love her husband from afar. So sad. On a positive note, I love the way this video is shot. The whole style of it is so modern AND retro and it compliments so well.

In terms of the adults I originally thought that I should focus on the perspective of the husband. However I think the main character out of the adults is the wife. Her husband will never look at her the same way he looks at the blond woman. Like the boy, she will always love him from afar.

This almost made me cry. No music video nor song nor story or anything like that makes me cry.

This breaks my heart.

I really want to cry right now

No. Just no. Nearly nobody sees the right sense in this video/song! So the redhead (mother of the gay guy) is in love with her husband, but he actually looks at the other woman like he should look at her. So she is jealous because she thinks he does not love her anymore but she does not do anything against that because she doesn't want some trouble and she hopes that it will get better someday. So she loved her husband from afar. So the other story is about the young gay boy, who is in love with the other guy, which is in love with the young girl. In the beginning, where the gay guy played football with the straight guy, he thought he had a chance, but actually he had not. So he loved him from afar. Understand? Sorry for my bad english, i'm austrian and my mother language is german :D

I feel for all of them...such a sad song. I can empathize with the wife- I've been in that situation...we're divorced now :)

Oh shit... I used to listen to this all the time, and this video 100% communicates how I felt when I did.

This is my favorite music video. The song is amazing and fits the each shot perfectly. I just love the whole concept and how they show different ways of loving someone from afar, it's just so cool (and the cinematography is beautifully done). Vance Joy is the best!!

This hits different

To me it's two stories with the same backbone from in the song: The husband at the party makes a fool of himself pining for the younger woman from his past who could've been and the young man tries to deny his feelings for his male friend in realization he'll never requite. Both show what the song is really about: making a fool of yourself longing for someone that could never be.

I knew this song a couple of years before a met my ex boyfriend, with whom I had an almost 5 years relationship. He never came out so our relationship was a secret and I waited for him all those years. We broke up cause he wasn't into me anymore, although I've been in love with him since the beginning and until now. He's now with a girl and this song always comes to my mind when I think of them. She got darling hazel eyes and I always knew that I would love him from afar.

You continue to be so sweet and creative. I'll always love you !

There is nothing like a long country drive through the country roads of Australia. It's the only way to feel your at home

'Well I've been living on the crumbs of your love, and I'm starving now' Thank you. Regardless of anything else; thank you

1:14 look at that great acting, lady at the back

This song is really amazing... I can relate to it so much...

When i saw the water and the tree it reminds me book "Looking for Alaska".

so powerful, pretty much have this video on repeat at the moment. amazing

Essa banda é tão boa como nostálgica

so many deep, deep messages in this song. I love Vance joy and all of his gems.

The lyrics of this song...the feels! :)

Oh god i cried. What an emotional film clip!

moral of the story: don't invite blondes to the party

this video made me cry, because its so relatable, human and simple; its just life, and you cant do anything about it

this video is so sad i love it

I heard this song on spotify and wanted to watch the video. Good lord, it's so moving. My eyes keep tearing up everytime I watch or even think about this video...

in conclusion, the visiting blondes ruined everything.

This song works perfect for pining!Bucky watching Steve and Peggy. And now I'm crying

Anyone who is homosexual can probably relate to this....i am and i have a lot of painful memories

“I’ve been living on the crumbs of your love, and I’m starving now.” 🥺😩

If you are in love, you are one of them in the video..

Vance Joy is the best singer on this planet

One of my favorite music videos by far

Wow perfect video for a wonderful song. People who makes music and videos like this should be applauded. They speak volumes and it touches the heart. I loove 'riptide' but this is my new favorite:)

Heard this for the first time on the movie 'Maybe It's You' and I can't get it out of my head

This video has a very Australian vibe ... make me miss the country even more.

So excited you're opening for Taylor!

Am I the only one who sees this as clearly being about unrequited love between a somewhat awkward gay guy and a hetero jock-type guy?? The jock is mildly flirty to the awkward guy, or so the awkward guy thinks, but the jock guy is only interested in the chick. A promising start to a sad and unfortunately all-too-played-out finale. Not at all sure what the side story was with the adults, other than one guy being a little too flirty with another woman, and his wife getting her knickers in a twist about it.

no lo puedo creer ...MARAVILLOSO Lo amo

You told me boy look the other way You told me boy bite your tongue Yes that's not the way, Yeah that's not the way Ah that's not the way that friends behave Ah that's just not the way that friends behave Oh no, no, no, No, no, no, no You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar You told me boy look the other way You told me boy hide those hands Well I've been living on the crumbs of your love And I'm starving now And that is the way that we remain Ah that will be the way that we remain Oh no no no No no no no You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar You lined me up Across the room Two falling sparks One willing fool And I, I always knew That I would love you from afar It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now It shouldn't come as a surprise She got darling hazel eyes It shouldn't come as a surprise What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now

I've been livin' on the crumbs of your love, and I'm starving now. Damn…right in the feels

I think it is about how blondes control everything and get more attention or it could be about how good looking people always win and some people feel much more for the person they love but that person will never know and their just confused and sad this is sad but a great music video

This feels like a a gay song, and that's why I fell in love with it. Lovely.

This Damn Song. My best friend moved away at the begining of this year. We had such a messy time between us in the lead up too her departure. I've been filled with such unwordable angst about it this entire time. I realise now that it's because I was in love with her and a part of me still is. When we were good friends I realised I was falling for her but I pushed it aside because I didn't want to ruin our friendship - she clearly didn't and wouldn't feel the same. I know now that, that's all I did push it aside. I always loved her and I probably always will not matter how much of a jerk she's been to me lately. She's my first love. First love sucks. This Damn Song

Now is The Way We Remain

i feel so much for this guy in the red shirt

This music video is perfection

this accurately describes my life

It's something about this video, that makes you feel so many emotions. Not many video do that. Kinda speechless after...

Hello from Brazil! Nice song track for a long ride, isn't it?

The music video is just perfect!

phoebe and Justin from home and away brought me here 😍😁

I’m so glad I decided to listen to Vance Joys other songs. I fell in love with this one today.

Great fucking video and song

This is beautiful. So true and so sad.

Life must suck as a gay adolescent.

Vance is the interspersion of the sentry!