The Flaming Lips

Fix what’s wrong, but don’t rewrite what the artist wrote. Stick to the official released version — album booklet, label site, verified lyric video, etc. If you’re guessing, pause and double-check.

Respect the structure

Songs have rhythm. Pages do too. Leave line breaks where they belong. Don’t smash things together or add extra empty space just for looks.

Punctuation counts (but vibe-editing doesn’t)

Correct typos? Yes. Re-punctuating a whole verse because it ‘looks better’? Probably not. Keep capitalization and punctuation close to the official source.

Don’t mix versions

If you’re editing the explicit version, keep it explicit. If it’s the clean version, keep it clean. No mashups.

Let the lyrics be lyrics

This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.

Edit lightly

If two lines are wrong… fix the two lines. No need to bulldoze the whole page. Think ‘surgical,’ not ‘remix.’

When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

dhelm

Submitter

2004-04-16 00:37:07

2 Meanings

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Cover art for A Machine in India lyrics by Flaming Lips, The

by dhelm

22y ago

Wayne says in liner notes: "The basic chords and vocal melody come out of CD No.1. On CDs No.2, No.3 and No.4 are different arrangements of instruments and melodies that, played against the song, but played all together, form a dense, abstract cloud of interweaving and unrelated moods that seem to hover along with the song regardless of rhythm.. the concept of the song is based around a conversation I had with Michelle about the "other word" she is in during her menstrual periods...and the kind of dull and depressing, mild insanity that seems to possess her, even though she knows it's coming, and has been through it a million times, it arrives new and uncontrollable every time... The long drifting guitar solo section tries to imply the "unconnectedness" she feels with her own self. The little "cartoon sounding" glips or the "machine" sound implies the clock-like "mechanicalness" of nature."

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by ZeroOne

21y ago

I think this is one of the only songs on Zaireeka where one CD by itself is still a good song (CD one). If you've got your 4 stereos, this song can change so much just by toying with the volumes of the different sets.

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