Olivier fancies himself a goat farmer, from rural France, but instead he’s a conservatory trained Parisian violinist and composer. Clare had a not-so-booming business of selling frogs by the side of the road as a child, and is the offspring of Geoff Muldaur. As a teen, Bob had the hair to prove he could play every note of Yngwie Malmsteen’s guitar solos (yes, he can!). This picturesque mixture of personalities has formed music rich in imagery, resulting in their songs being featured in several films and commercials. They have shared the stage with Devotchka, Vic Chesnutt, St. Vincent, Nouvelle Vague and others. Highlights from their most recent tours are The Meltdown Festival in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Primavera Festival in Barcelona, Moogfest in Asheville, Pop Montreal, La Cigale in Paris, The Paradiso in Amsterdam (released as a live CD), Union Chapel in London, and three trips to play in the band’s beloved Japan in just over a year.
Their debut album “The Movie” had a clear warm sound with a large string section artfully arranged by Olivier Manchon, recorded in an orchestral room and mixed to tape. Collaborators of great talent stepped in; Sufjan Stevens sang a duet with Clare and Van Dyke Parks played piano on one song. On their second album “Arrow”, the band experimented with more electronic elements, brass, and a stacked approach. Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) lent her voice to a song. The album was a stepping stone to their newest effort. KR-51 resided at the top a very steep hill for the band, a writing process filled with heartache, raw honesty, relentless practice, and a tireless willingness to throw things away. Clare studied the way Lotte Lenya delivered so convincingly, and you may hear the adventurous attitude of early Kate Bush in Clare’s writing. The great James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens) played drums on the album, filling it with crunch and bang, driving the record. Clare and the Reasons are not interested in the easy way, they are interested in the musical way. In a world of sound banks and sequencers, an orchestra made up of members of the Orchestre de Paris materialized, and was recorded live in Paris, something Clare and the Reasons consider a miracle.
The band sunk themselves into a city of many histories, a city of concrete boxes and fluted columns. Those contrasts, at times stark and streamlined, at times grandly lush, show up in the 11 songs on KR-51. They carry the meticulous orchestration and innovative songwriting Clare and the Reasons are known for, while also carrying a little more sorrow, a lot more distorted guitar, and a little more darkness of heart. Clare, Olivier and Bob were given room to contribute what only they could as musicians, in the beautiful recording studio sprouted in the middle of a vast sea of farm green. Clare and the Reasons’ third album, KR-51, is their Berlin.
Science Fiction Man
Clare & the Reasons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pages turn themselves
Space and time were only bending and
I thought it was only fiction
I'll meet you in the middle of the street
Science Fiction Man
You didn't tell this was really happening
painting a color I have never seen before
I am with you
I adore you
Will you join me in the story
written in your head
And I don't want you to feel sorry
take me with you
I'll be waiting
In the middle of the street
Science Fiction Man
You didn't tell this was really happening
Universes crash
painting a color I have never seen before
and I am with you
I adore you
The song "Science Fiction Man" by Clare & the Reasons is a captivating exploration of the intersection between the realms of fiction and reality. The lyrics describe a fantastical encounter with a person who can bend the laws of space and time, who appears to be a character straight out of a science fiction story. Initially, the singer believes that this person and their abilities are nothing more than fiction, but as the song progresses, she realizes that they are not fictional after all.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Science Fiction Man," emphasizing the otherworldly nature of this character. The singer is intrigued by him, but also a bit confused and overwhelmed by his abilities. She implores him to take her on the journey with him, to join him in his story, and to show her things she has never seen before. There is a sense of longing and awe in her voice as she sings about the universes crashing and the colors she has never seen before.
Overall, the song speaks to the power of imagination and the way that fiction can inspire us to explore what is possible in the world around us. It also touches on the idea of love and connection, with the singer expressing her adoration for this mysterious Science Fiction Man, even as he leads her on a journey into the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
You told me about an ending
You informed me of a conclusion
Pages turn themselves
The sheets of paper turn autonomously
Space and time were only bending and
The concepts of outer space and chronology were merely curving
I thought it was only fiction
I believed it was no more than literature
I'll meet you in the middle of the street
I will rendezvous with you at the center of the road
Science Fiction Man
A man who writes about imagined scientific concepts
You didn't tell this was really happening
You neglected to inform me this was truly occurring
Universes crash
Multiple universes collide
painting a color I have never seen before
creating a hue never previously encountered
I am with you
I am by your side
I adore you
I cherish you
Will you join me in the story
Would you like to accompany me in this tale
written in your head
conceived within your mind
And I don't want you to feel sorry
I don't wish for you to feel remorseful
take me with you
bring me along
I'll be waiting
I'll be prepared and waiting
In the middle of the street
Located in the center of the roadway
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michèle Lamare
I'm in love with the lyrics so.... <3 :
Pluto I have some frightful news dear
In the New York Times
They've just reported you've been overthrown (aah ahh ahh)
From your solar throne for good
Pluto they say that you can't handle
Your own gravity
Well how can you overcome your body force
To clear the pathway for your orbit
And all the planets will gather around and have a thing for you
They'll wrap their orbits warmly around you and send you off with love
Chin up pluto the stars still want you and we down here do too
You know what to do, just keep on keeping on
Pluto I have some frightful news dear
In the New York Times
They've just reported you've been overthrown (aah ahh ahh)
From your solar throne for good
And all the planets will gather around and have a thing for you
They'll wrap their orbits warmly around you and send you off with love
Chin up pluto the stars still want you and we down here do too
You know what to do, just keep on keeping on
Michèle Lamare
I'm in love with the lyrics so.... <3 :
Pluto I have some frightful news dear
In the New York Times
They've just reported you've been overthrown (aah ahh ahh)
From your solar throne for good
Pluto they say that you can't handle
Your own gravity
Well how can you overcome your body force
To clear the pathway for your orbit
And all the planets will gather around and have a thing for you
They'll wrap their orbits warmly around you and send you off with love
Chin up pluto the stars still want you and we down here do too
You know what to do, just keep on keeping on
Pluto I have some frightful news dear
In the New York Times
They've just reported you've been overthrown (aah ahh ahh)
From your solar throne for good
And all the planets will gather around and have a thing for you
They'll wrap their orbits warmly around you and send you off with love
Chin up pluto the stars still want you and we down here do too
You know what to do, just keep on keeping on
Sarah Settineri
Crazy how this song is almost 10 years old! I've been searching for "the pluto song with the pizzicato" for ages after first hearing it on a playlist site that has since shut down. I love the blend of mellow soothing melodies and the plucked strings in the background... plus the imagery, it's like a Méliès inspired dream :) So happy I've found it again!
Xavier L
The same! Can't believe i found it! So happy
Howie Dewitt
It's good until 1:30 when it devolves into psuedo Lonely Hearts Club Band territory. The two styles/eras just don't mix.
wishfulthinking
oh my god(: <3 i can't stop listening to this.
Zoe Michael
Wow!~ really amazing music video! I Loved it. I love the puppetry, the music, the lyerics, the costumes. 5 stars for sure.
Clay Ross
This is a great song and an awesome band. The album is on Itunes and all the other songs are equally good. Highly Recommended.
DavidAndTheOrdinaryUniverse
truly a mesmerizing song, and an incredible band. I can't remember the last time I fell in love with a song so deeply. I melt into a puddle of bliss when I listen to them.
8B1TFPV
This song is irresistibly adorable, the lyrics, Clares voice, I can't help it!
Alison Hasselquist
It's a mixture of mesmerizing, like, and weird. :) I think they've brain washed us. haha.