Stand Paralyzed
Calla was formed in New York City in 1993 by Aurelio Valle (guitar, vocals)… Read Full Bio ↴Calla was formed in New York City in 1993 by Aurelio Valle (guitar, vocals), Sean Donovan (bass, keyboards, programming), and Wayne B. Magruder (percussion, programming), adding Peter Gannon in 2003 and Sean Donovan departing in 2004. However, the band's origins can be traced to Texas in 1993, where Valle, Magruder and Gannon began performing together in the Denton band, The Factory Press. The Factory Press relocated to New York in 1995, recording The Smoky Ends of a Burnt out Day with producers Kid Congo Powers and Matt Verta-Ray. The group split in 1997 and the album was not released until early 1998, by which time Valle and Magruder were pursuing new musical ventures. Most notably, Magruder worked with Bowery Electric and Windsor for the Derby. A four-track demo was completed in 1998, generating interest from the Brussels label Sub Rosa, which released the band's first album to critical acclaim in 1999. Calla's self-titled debut prised apart traditional song structures and reconfigured the components into subtly apocalyptic, cinematic pieces, at times evoking electronically processed Ennio Morricone soundscapes. Calla subsequently made the transition to performance, a process that gave Valle, Magruder, and Donovan their first taste of playing together outside a studio environment. Playing live had a significant impact on the band's sound and direction. Having been excited by the debut album, Michael Gira was particularly impressed by the way Calla's music had been changed by live performance and signed the group to his label, Young God Records. The band's first album on Young God, SCAVENGERS (January 2001), marked a subtle change in orientation. SCAVENGERS was less reliant on studio processing and although it displayed a familiar atmospheric minimalist sensibility, its textures coalesced into more conventional song formats. Understanding the mixture of indie rock and high concept art that their music represented, TELEVISE (January 2003) solidifed their jagged indie pop sound. Calla entered the studio in late Summer 2004 with members Aurelio Valle, Wayne Magruder, and Peter Gannon to record their fourth full length with producer Chris Zane (Televised) and additional mixing by Victor Van Vught (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey). This album, "COLLISIONS" was released on Beggars Banquet late 2005 to critical acclaim. 2006 saw Calla playing shows across Europe, Greece, and Russia where new songs were written and rehearsed. Inspired by their travels and combining all aspects of their previous albums, Calla recorded their fifth album in NYC and Austin, TX. "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" will be released Feb 20 in the US.

Stand Paralyzed
Calla Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All I said:
"I'm not easily led,
but I will praise you.
I will praise you."

If I could stand beside myself,
well, I could walk with someone else;
like you.
Like you.

If you could see through my eyes,
you'd see why I stand paralyzed,
by you.

All I said:
(by you)




"I'm not easily led,
and I will praise you."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Calla's song Stand Paralyzed describe a sense of vulnerability and surrender in the face of an overpowering force. The singer acknowledges their own stubbornness and independence, but also recognizes the power that this other person holds over them. The phrase "I'm not easily led, but I will praise you" is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the singer is not one to blindly follow another person's lead, yet they still feel compelled to worship and give themselves over to this other person. The line "If I could stand beside myself, well, I could walk with someone else" reinforces this sense of powerlessness, as the singer wishes they could step outside of themselves and escape this hold that this other person has over them.


The chorus of the song amplifies this feeling of helplessness. The line "If you could see through my eyes, you'd see why I stand paralyzed by you" suggests that the other person has a power or magnetism that is difficult to resist or overcome. The repetition of the phrase "by you" throughout the song reinforces this sense of being trapped or stuck in the other person's grasp.


Overall, the lyrics to Stand Paralyzed are a powerful exploration of the tension between independence and vulnerability in relationships. The singer acknowledges their own agency and autonomy, but also recognizes the profound impact that another person can have on them.


Line by Line Meaning

All I said: "I'm not easily led, but I will praise you. I will praise you."
Calla is expressing that she is not easily swayed or influenced but she is willing to give praise to the person she is referring to.


If I could stand beside myself, well, I could walk with someone else; like you. Like you.
Calla is saying that if she could detach herself from her own thoughts, she could walk beside someone else, someone like the person she is addressing.


If you could see through my eyes, you'd see why I stand paralyzed, by you.
Calla is explaining that if the person she is addressing could see things from her perspective, they would understand why she is stupefied or paralyzed by them.


All I said: (by you) "I'm not easily led, and I will praise you."
Calla is restating the same thing she said earlier, adding that the person she is referring to is the reason behind her willingness to praise.




Lyrics © Royalty Network Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AURELIO VALLE, PETER GANNON, WAYNE MAGRUDER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Malii Valverde

This is my wedding song! ✨

Sven Svond

gareate track, thx, love this band

Skarletty S

I love this group!!!! super songs

slackerati

ty for posting. almost favorite band ever.

Stefano Leone

In my opinion they are great surrealists, their sound makes me dream, the notes are confused between reality and dream, without losing musicality and harmony. This song in particular is a growing excitement. Wonderful.

falena kill

Wonderful

IdeaVirus

Long Live Calla

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