I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Look over the surface and into the distance
Constantly showering me with decision
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Feel the atmosphere breath with life
My old portrait heads of Gertrude Stein
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
So it's back and forth again
Dreaming on the doorstep
The Always Red Society
Comes to visit me
Well I'm dreamin of a sunset
Juice and coffee in the morning
After staring at the stars all night
The always blue society
Wraps rings around the sun
Saturn too
All night, night (x2)
Constantly showering me with decision
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Feel the atmosphere breath with life
My old portrait heads of Gertrude Stein
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream (x3)
So it's back and forth again
Dreaming on the doorstep
The Always Red Society
Comes to visit me
Well I'm dreamin of a sunset
Juice and coffee in the morning
After staring at the stars all night
The always blue society
Wraps rings around the sun
Saturn too
All night, night (x2)
Lyrics submitted by shameless, edited by SpeedySnail101, DillonC
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Dreamwalker
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I'm completely sick of people vaguely comparing Elephant Six stuff with the most famous and ridiculous band ever. So they sound alike, so what? Don't the Beatles get enough attention already, while these guys get virtually none?
Even if you're still so ingenuous as to love the Beatles, the Elephant 6 guys come from a very different time, place, and attitude. Please show some respect for their own creativity in expanding on and manipulating a similar sound for their own ends and for their own reasons, without millions of dollars or fame, and knowing that they could never get those things with this approach.
Also, I think it's "Juice and coffee" in the morning, and I thought (but am now unsure) that it was "Model" portrait heads of G.S., rather than "My old."
I was under the impression that one of the purposes of the Elephant 6 collective was specifically to recreate the tone and feel of 60's pop music. I don't see how pointing out obvious comparisons to the Beatles (or the Beach Boys, Byrds, etc.) is a big deal.
for some reason this song reminds me of the beatles. white album era.
I know what you're talking about. When I first started listening to the Elephant Six posse, I thought it all sounded like a derivative of the Beatles.
'Dusk at Cubist Castle' sounds like the beatles, white album era, if they hadn't gotten completely lazy and had focus
This sounds like The Beatles
White Album Era
I love all OTC. Just haven't listened to them in years. :)