More on the EP. . .
The EP is certainly a new direction for the band, and a step away from the plaintive and lush electro-country of I'll Never Sleep Again. While funkier and more eery, UTNG still demonstrates B&B's detailed attention to song writing, arrangement and production.
The songs from Up To No Good were split off from a full length album, Panorama, which the band plans to release in spring 2010. UTNG explores the more electronic side of the B&B palette, allowing the band to save the more organic material for their next output.
Band leader, Mike Sempert says, "There's a certain freedom that the EP format provides, especially with another full length in the works- a sense that we aren't defining ourselves in any fixed way, and so we can do whatever we want."
The result of that freedom, while playful and somewhat divergent, might be the best thing B&B's done yet.
Machines that Dream
Birds & Batteries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find the light that's shinning on me
To get back what they've taken from me
Build a little fire where it's cold
Show me
The path that leads to all the glory
The words that tell a sacred story
I wanna live in a dream
In my record machine
I wanna picture the world
And everyone inside my mouth
And all the money I waste
Is it a matter of taste?
I wanna picture the world
And you can't make me spit it out
Take me
Back from the darkness
Where they sent me
Give hope to places
Where it can't be
Build a little fire where it's cold
I wanna live in a dream
In my record machine
I wanna picture the world
And everyone inside my mouth
And all the money I waste
Is it a matter of taste?
I wanna picture the world and
You can't make me spit it out
You can't give me your reason
I wanna mean what to shine
You can't give me the feelings
'Cause they're already mine
You get one in a million
And if the sun won't rise on my soul
Then I'll I go
The lyrics of "Machines that Dream" by Birds & Batteries convey an intense longing for guidance and salvation, as well as a desire for escape and control over one's own reality.
The opening lines, "Help me, to find the light that's shining on me, to get back what they've taken from me," express a plea for assistance in rediscovering something important that has been lost or stolen. There is a deep yearning for a better, warmer, and more fulfilling existence, symbolized by the need to "build a little fire where it's cold." This line can be interpreted as a metaphor for creating a sense of comfort and happiness in a bleak and challenging world.
The second paragraph delves further into this desire for escape, with the line "I wanna live in a dream, in my record machine." The singer longs to retreat into their own personal utopia, where they can control and shape their surroundings. The idea of picturing the world and everyone inside their mouth suggests a desire for complete dominion over their perceived reality. The mention of wasting money and questioning whether it is a matter of taste adds a layer of frustration with the constraints and expectations of society.
In the third paragraph, the plea to be taken back from the darkness and given hope to places where it feels impossible speaks to the need for redemption and restoration. The repeated call to "build a little fire where it's cold" reinforces the desire for transformation and the warmth of hope in bleak circumstances.
The final stanza further emphasizes the rejection of outside influence and control. The lines "You can't give me your reason, I wanna mean what to shine, you can't give me the feelings 'cause they're already mine" convey a rejection of others' attempts to impose their viewpoints or emotions onto the singer. It highlights a desire for genuine self-discovery and the belief that one's own emotions and experiences hold profound significance. The closing line, "If the sun won't rise on my soul, then I'll go," suggests a determination to find the desired light and meaning independently, even if it means leaving behind the old ways or seeking it elsewhere.
Overall, "Machines that Dream" explores themes of longing for personal agency, escape from societal constraints, and the determination to seek one's own truth and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Help me
Assist me
To find the light that's shinning on me
To discover the source of illumination that is directed at me
To get back what they've taken from me
To reclaim what has been confiscated from me
Build a little fire where it's cold
Create a small flame in a chilly place
Show me
Reveal to me
The path that leads to all the glory
The route that guides towards immense success
The words that tell a sacred story
The phrases that narrate a divine tale
Build a little fire where it's cold
Construct a small flame in a chilly place
I wanna live in a dream
I desire to exist within an illusionary realm
In my record machine
Within my device that plays music
I wanna picture the world
I long to envision the entire globe
And everyone inside my mouth
And all individuals within my reach
And all the money I waste
And every currency I squander
Is it a matter of taste?
Is it merely a question of personal preference?
I wanna picture the world
I yearn to visualize the entire globe
And you can't make me spit it out
And you cannot compel me to expel it
Take me
Lead me
Back from the darkness
Away from the state of obscurity
Where they sent me
Where they dispatched me
Give hope to places
Instill optimism in locations
Where it can't be
Where hope is absent
Build a little fire where it's cold
Construct a small flame in a chilly place
You can't give me your reason
You cannot supply me with your justifications
I wanna mean what to shine
I desire to possess significance in order to radiate
You can't give me the feelings
You cannot bestow upon me the emotions
'Cause they're already mine
Since I already possess them
You get one in a million
You receive one occurrence among a multitude
And if the sun won't rise on my soul
And in the event that the sun does not ascend upon my inner being
Then I'll I go
Then I shall depart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NOEL GALLAGHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ildefonso Arenivas
I stumbled across your music and I gotta say I'm glad I did!!! Such refreshing sounds and your voice is so warming. Great work! Definitely support.
Edgar Ramirez
Great album man! I heard your song on the solar roadways vid, congrats on that! How long have you guys been playing?
imlivinitupniggaz
I like the tune "are you at peace?" - epic music, thank you!
Wander MeThis
Heard this on Pandora and searched for awhile to find it....
Oliver Nonner
First of all : awesome!I love your music already.
What's the song called at the end of this video? It does not
appear on this disc. :/
Michael Sempert
Arctic Flowers isn't on the disc? If you have a physical copy, it should definitely be on there.... hmmm...
Ramic Andrej
bravo junge!