Born from a friendship nurtured during their days at the University of California Santa Barbara, the band consists of Zach Gill (Keyboards/Vocals), Steve Adams (Bass Guitar/Vocals), Dan Lebowitz (Guitars/Percussion/Vocals) and David Brogan (Drums/Vocals).
Originally a nine-piece band featuring a brass section called The Animal Liberation Orchestra and the Free Range Horns, the band began drawing enormous attention in the Santa Barbara area with their rousing stage shows. When Zach, Dan and Steve returned to their hometown San Francisco, they stripped back down to a quartet, playing with a wide variety of different drummers. Finally, in 2002, the trio reunited with drummer David Brogan (with whom they had previously played in college) and the ultimate version of Animal Liberation Orchestra was solidified.
Zach Gill, the keyboard player, went to college with the popular singer-songwriter, Jack Johnson, and so they had good connections with one another. Soon audiences at gigs saw Animal Liberation Orchestra supporting Jack Johnson. Zach Gill has recently provided piano in Jack Johnson's band, adding a new flavor to the live performances.
Animal Liberation Orchestra have released an independent album, "Fly Between Falls", and it was re-released on Brushfire Records on April 18th 2006. It includes the track, "Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down", which features long-time friend Jack Johnson providing guitar and vocals. New to the re-release is the song "Walls of Jericho", a tour staple and crowd favorite noted by its festival imagery, wailing guitar solo, and euphoric cresendo. This track gained popularity after its live performance was featured in the Jack Johnson and Friends Live at the Greek DVD. The studio version's debut on myspace.com received mixed review.
In 2006, ALO finished a tour supporting Jack Johnson, alongside with Matt Costa, all across Europe, including United Kingdom, France and Spain. Additionally, they have two dates scheduled for mid April supporting Jack Johnson in Brazil. In June, they will be supporting Dave Matthews Band at stops in upstate New York and North Carolina. Thay have recently recorded The Band's Ophelia for the tribute album "Endless Highway, the music of The Band"
On May 1st 2007, ALO released their new album Roses & Clover that was recorded during two weeks in a barn in Santa Barbara, California. ALO will tour the USA during May to July 2007, playing together with Brett Dennen during seven of the concerts.
Albums
ALO Vs. LAG (1998)
One Size Fits All (1999)
Time Expander (2002)
Fly Between Falls (2006 - Brushfire Records)
Roses & Clover (2007)
EPs
Live Mix (2000)
Fly
Animal Liberation Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Greed will never get anything
When you see the light you'll feel
Like you want to fly
There's birds in the sky
And the trees will sing
And the world looks mighty good to me
And now you can't touch anything
But when you see the light you'll feel
Like you're out of time
So just leave it all behind
And go quietly
I guess I'll never know what's in store for me
I feel that I'm not the same
I bought some beads
And I changed my name to Yahweh
I wear the robes of a Taoist sage
I am the helper of the ogre mage
Why do people fight?
Why does life mean anything?
When you know that you are doomed to die
But maybe that's all right, maybe that's why
I cry tears of joy
When I think about the way the world
Will fade from sight
I feel that I'm not the same
My body's gone
And I changed my name to Karma
I'm comin' down like Georgia rain
I got to go to my dyin' day in nirvana
I wanna tell 'em what I can't explain
Wanna tell 'em not to be afraid
Wanna tell 'em in the end that there is no pain
'Cause when you see the light
You're gonna fly like a lion, up into the sky
While the world around you dies
The lyrics of Animal Liberation Orchestra's (ALO) song "Fly" can be interpreted in different ways, but the main theme seems to be about finding peace and enlightenment amidst the chaos and suffering of the world. The song starts with a message from the singer's parents that greed will never get them anywhere. The singer then describes the beauty of nature and how the world looks mighty good to them when they see the light. However, the world is also out of sight and they cannot touch anything, but they still feel like they're out of time, so they leave everything behind to go quietly.
The second verse talks about the singer's transformation, both inward and outward. They changed their name to "Yahweh" and wear the robes of a "Taoist sage," indicating a religious or spiritual awakening. They see the futility of fighting and question the meaning of life, but come to accept that death may not be so bad after all. They cry tears of joy when they think about how the world will fade from sight.
The third verse continues the transformation motif, where the singer changes their name to "Karma" and seems to have transcended their physical body. They mention "dyin' day in nirvana," which could be a reference to Buddhist beliefs about achieving enlightenment and breaking the cycle of reincarnation. The singer wants to tell others not to be afraid, as in the end, there is no pain. The song ends with a powerful image of flying like a lion into the sky while the world around them dies, suggesting a sense of freedom and release.
Overall, "Fly" is a complex and multilayered song that touches on themes of spirituality, mortality, and transcendence. The lyrics are open to interpretation and encourage the listener to reflect on their own journey towards enlightenment and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Mom and Dad we're right
Parents were right, greed doesn't lead anywhere.
Greed will never get anything
A greedy attitude will lead to nothing.
When you see the light you'll feel
Like you want to fly
Once you gain enlightenment, you will feel an urge to become free and empowered.
There's birds in the sky
And the trees will sing
And the world looks mighty good to me
Nature is full of beauty and inspiring elements that make the world seem amazing.
The world is out of sight
And now you can't touch anything
But when you see the light you'll feel
Like you're out of time
The world becomes invisible when you lose touch with it, but gaining enlightenment will make you feel like you have an endless amount of time.
So just leave it all behind
And go quietly
I guess I'll never know what's in store for me
Leave everything behind quietly and trust the unknown future.
I feel that I'm not the same
I bought some beads
And I changed my name to Yahweh
I wear the robes of a Taoist sage
I am the helper of the ogre mage
After gaining enlightenment, the singer has transformed and adopted different spiritual practices.
Why do people fight?
Why does life mean anything?
When you know that you are doomed to die
But maybe that's all right, maybe that's why
People fight and life seems meaningless when they realize they will ultimately die, but maybe the acceptance of mortality is what makes life meaningful.
I cry tears of joy
When I think about the way the world
Will fade from sight
The artist finds joy in the idea that the world will eventually fade away.
My body's gone
And I changed my name to Karma
I'm comin' down like Georgia rain
I got to go to my dyin' day in nirvana
The artist has transcended their physical body and now identifies as Karma, and is on a journey towards nirvana.
I wanna tell 'em what I can't explain
Wanna tell 'em not to be afraid
Wanna tell 'em in the end that there is no pain
'Cause when you see the light
You're gonna fly like a lion, up into the sky
While the world around you dies
The singer wishes they could explain their enlightenment, reassure others not to be afraid, and explain that it leads to a painless existence. Seeing the light will make you feel powerful and free, like a lion soaring into the sky amidst the chaos of the world's end.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARS DORSCH, OEZLEM CETIN, TOM DAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind