"The raw spirit of indie rock. An amplified, rocking version of ’60s protest folk. The soulful passion of the Violent Femmes and The Waterboys." All of these comparisons have been made in attempts to describe Delta Spirit, the southern California five-piece who might just be one of the most important new bands of the decade. Each description contains elements of the truth, but the real answer to the question “who is Delta Spirit?” lies within Ode to Sunshine, the band’s captivating debut. The group’s DIY ethic shines throughout the album, with songs honed razor-sharp over a year of non-stop touring across America. Opening sold-out tours for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog, the band developed a riveting live show and gained a loyal following amongst tastemaker music fans, earning them invites to national festivals like Austin City Limits, Noise Pop and Sasquatch. So it would not be an understatement to call Ode to Sunshine one of the year’s most highly-anticipated debuts. But don’t take our word for it; in the words of Delta Spirit: “If you’re feeling what I’m feeling come on, all you soul searching people come on.”
Jonathan Jameson of Delta Spirit took a few minutes out of the band’s busy touring schedule to answer a few questions about the band, their music, and Ode to Sunshine.
Where in California did the band come together? How did you meet?
We are all from Southern California. Brandon met Matt while he was singing and playing guitar by the train tracks in San Diego. The rest is boring.
Who plays what and sings? Do you trade off instruments on different songs?
Brandon plays drums and percussion. Sean plays guitar, does some percussion and hits a big drum. Jon exclusively plays bass with the occasional vocal. Kelly plays piano, hits a drum, sings, hits a trashcan, plays guitar and a high strung guitar. Matt plays guitar, sings and plays piano.
Your songs are credited to the band as a whole. Could you describe how they come together? Are the lyrics collaborative as well?
It’s always a new experience. Matt and Kelly write the lyrics with minor editing done by the band. Songs come as jams, ideas, almost complete chords, hummed notes, drum beats, etc.
Some of the songs have very infectious sing along melodies (like the ba ba ba’s in “People C’mon”). Do you envision your music as communal, for audiences to participate in as well as listen to?
Our music feels most at home when we play it with people as opposed to at people. There is a mystery to music played live. It brings us out of ourselves into something bigger, something beyond our individuality. Sometimes it happens, other times the songs are just songs.
You recorded Ode to Sunshine at a cabin in Julian, California, out in the desert east of San Diego. Did the isolation of the setting influence the vibe of the album (like say, Dylan and The Band’s Basement Tapes)?
It feels like sun, saunas, dogs, friends, Old Crow and Coke, Eli Thompson, beards, hot days, long star filled nights, good books, hikes, shorts, bbq and just the way we wanted to make our first record.
Your music has been compared to current indie rockers, ’80s punk roots bands, and sixties folk rockers. Was there any music you listened to growing up, or that you listen to now, that you hear seeping into your current sound?
We were born in the ’80s, grew up in the ’90s and have parents from the ’60s. We are proud of the bands that are making great music now. Maybe it’s like the Waterboys covering Harry Nilsson or maybe a song by the Weavers at a rally, but on tour next month with Richard Swift. We want to be found in the lineage of honest and true music that has found its way through every current of music history.
There seems to be a conscience in the music, a sense of taking responsibility for ourselves, each other, and the world. What do you feel is special about this moment in history, and this generation, and the place of music and art in society? Are you encouraged by the energy you feel coming back to you from your audiences?
There is a feeling of possibility in our age. We feel that same possibility with our band. There is a deep connection there. We don’t want to forget about the most important thing for us, which is simply making good music, but that does include being aware of what’s going on in the world as well as what’s going on in our own heads and souls. We aren’t self-aggrandizing cock rockers or activist idealist hippies. We just want to be honest about ourselves and how we see the world, not minimizing the darkness or the hope, because both are very real.
Your original DIY version of Ode to Sunshine featured austere black & white artwork, while the new cover is much warmer, with the smiling face of Dr. Thomas Payne (an uncle of one of the band members) raising a toast while at a scientific convention on bark beetles. The Rounder release also features an additional song, “Streetwalker,” which despite its somber subject features a Phil Spector / Brian Wilson groove. Do the new artwork and song show a new side to the band?
I think that before when we were looking at the album it felt kinda heavy to us and serious. About the big things in life. Like a dusty record of Kennedy speeches. But I think we realized that the true feeling of the album also included what we were feeling while making it and recording it and that those bits of summer and excitement and wonder break through every once in a while. It’s as if after listening to those sobering speeches we found the pics of the Kennedys on vacation and now it all really made sense. The light and the dark. Sometimes you have to laugh at the serious stuff to be able to do something about it.
From the opening Rubber Soul-esque acoustic guitars of “Tomorrow Goes Away” to the saloon piano-over-grunge chords of “Trashcan,” from the harmonica-driven protest waltz “People, Turn Around” to the insistent surf rock drums of “Children,” Ode to Sunshine perfectly captures the energy and hope of a new generation that’s rising like a phoenix to change the world. And with Delta Spirit providing the soundtrack, this is one revolution you can dance to.
Ballad Of Vitaly
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It carried 71 children and their mothers to Spain
Well, this plane was sure somethin'
It was full of young Russians
Proudly to gander at topics discussin'
Now Pete the Swiss was doublin' shifts
Jugglin' the iron controlled by his lips
Struck dead in the air, orphan a father or two
He just laid in the alley
Now orphan Vitaly met a young girl, married her quickly
Was so damn in love that they had their two kids
Had a great job, construction in Spain
They were goin' to see Papa from Caucasus mountain range
Now that damn Swissman crashed them into a plane
I will find where he lives, speak to his face
With the blood in my eyes, he will see my pain
Many weeks passed, for fear of a suit
The airline said nothin', Vitaly turned blue
For the killin' they done, no apology made
Is it 'cause we are Russian you treat us this way?
Through a friend that he new Vitaly found Pete
He came to his doorstep expectin' to speak
But Pete blew him off, threw down the pictures Vi brought
Pictures of the 3 most important he lost
As the pictures fell down
Re-enacting the day
Vitaly's eye blackened
No human remained
Well, so much can be said
For a man in his shoes
There's no glamour in vengeance
There's only this rule
That the lives that you lost
Can never come back
And the deed in return
Is worse than the act
Blinded by love and the pain of his loss
He could not remember the act of assault
He awoke in his room all covered in blood
The cops they'd come knockin', they knew what he'd done
The government leaned
Vitaly was free
They called him the hero, a man above kings
A shadow of man, they were praising his deed
He was alone, killed a father of 3
No deed that he did could make him complete
It could have been different if only Pete said
I'm sorry for killin' the few joys you had
But now there's nothin' for Vitaly to do
But step off a cliff or hang in the noose
Robbed of forgiveness that he could've gave
There's no man left to save
The Ballad Of Vitaly by Delta Spirit is a heartbreaking tale of a man named Vitaly who becomes consumed by revenge after losing his family in a tragic airplane crash caused by a Swiss airline employee named Pete. The lyrics take listeners on a journey from the initial crash to Vitaly's eventual downfall. The song starts by describing the ill-fated flight that carried 71 children and their mothers, who were all proudly discussing various topics. Pete, the Swiss airline employee who was controlling the flight, was juggling his work and ended up causing the death of many children who fell out of the plane. Orphaned Vitaly, who met a young girl and quickly married her, loses his wife and children in the crash, and sets out to find Pete to make him pay for his crime.
The emotional pain and anger that Vitaly feels are palpable in the lyrics. The song explores themes of vengeance, remorse, and the complexities of grief. The lyrics suggest that revenge is not the answer and that it only leads to more pain and tragedy. The lines "there's no glamour in vengeance, there's only this rule that the lives that you lost can never come back" showcases the futility of seeking revenge and highlights the importance of forgiveness and understanding.
Overall, The Ballad Of Vitaly is a harrowing narrative that is delivered in a powerful and emotive way. The lyrics capture the raw emotions of grief-stricken individuals as they navigate life after a great loss. The song's message is impactful and serves as a reminder that forgiveness and compassion are integral to healing from traumatic events.
Line by Line Meaning
In the German sky there once was a plane
There was an airplane in the sky above Germany
It carried 71 children and their mothers to Spain
The plane was carrying 71 children and their mothers to Spain
Well, this plane was sure somethin'
The plane was noteworthy in some way
It was full of young Russians
The passengers were mostly young Russians
Proudly to gander at topics discussin'
They were proudly discussing various topics
Now Pete the Swiss was doublin' shifts
A man named Pete, who was Swiss, was working double shifts
Jugglin' the iron controlled by his lips
He was talking on the radio or other communications devices
Not a minute too soon children fell to their doom
The plane crashed and the children died
Struck dead in the air, orphan a father or two
The children died in the crash, leaving some of them fatherless
He just laid in the alley
Someone was lying in an alley
Now orphan Vitaly met a young girl, married her quickly
A man named Vitaly, who was an orphan, met and quickly married a young girl
Was so damn in love that they had their two kids
They were deeply in love and had two children together
Had a great job, construction in Spain
Vitaly had a good job working in construction in Spain
They were goin' to see Papa from Caucasus mountain range
They were planning to visit Vitaly's father in the Caucasus mountain range
Now that damn Swissman crashed them into a plane
The Swissman's actions caused the plane crash that killed Vitaly's family
I will find where he lives, speak to his face
Vitaly wants to confront the Swissman directly
With the blood in my eyes, he will see my pain
Vitaly will be very emotional and upset when he confronts the Swissman
Many weeks passed, for fear of a suit
Many weeks went by, during which time there was worry about a lawsuit
The airline said nothin', Vitaly turned blue
The airline did not make any statement about the crash, and Vitaly was very upset
For the killin' they done, no apology made
The airline did not apologize for the deaths caused by the crash
Is it 'cause we are Russian you treat us this way?
Vitaly wonders if they are being treated poorly because they are Russian
Through a friend that he new Vitaly found Pete
Vitaly learned where Pete lived through a friend
He came to his doorstep expectin' to speak
Vitaly went to Pete's house to talk to him
But Pete blew him off, threw down the pictures Vi brought
Pete ignored Vitaly and threw down some pictures he brought
Pictures of the 3 most important he lost
The pictures were of the three most important people in Vitaly's life who died in the crash
As the pictures fell down
The pictures fell to the ground
Re-enacting the day
Vitaly was reliving the day of the crash
Vitaly's eye blackened
Someone hit Vitaly and he got a black eye
No human remained
Vitaly lost his humanity and became violent
Well, so much can be said
There is a lot to talk about
For a man in his shoes
Considering his situation
There's no glamour in vengeance
Seeking revenge is not glamorous
There's only this rule
The only thing to remember
That the lives that you lost
The people who died
Can never come back
They can never be brought back to life
And the deed in return
Vengeance
Is worse than the act
Seeking revenge is worse than the original act that caused the pain
Blinded by love and the pain of his loss
Vitaly was overwhelmed by his love and sadness
He could not remember the act of assault
Vitaly was so consumed by emotion that he didn't remember what he did
He awoke in his room all covered in blood
Vitaly woke up in his room covered in blood
The cops they'd come knockin', they knew what he'd done
The police came to his door and knew that he had committed a violent act
The government leaned
The government was involved or interested in the situation
Vitaly was free
Vitaly was released from custody
They called him the hero, a man above kings
Despite his violent act, some people saw Vitaly as a hero
A shadow of man, they were praising his deed
Despite being a violent person, some people were praising Vitaly's actions
He was alone, killed a father of 3
Vitaly was now alone and had killed a man who had three children
No deed that he did could make him complete
Vitaly could not find satisfaction or completion through any actions he took
It could have been different if only Pete said
Things could have turned out differently if Pete had apologized
I'm sorry for killin' the few joys you had
Pete should apologize for taking away the most important things in Vitaly's life
But now there's nothin' for Vitaly to do
Vitaly is left with no options
But step off a cliff or hang in the noose
The only things left for Vitaly are suicide or execution
Robbed of forgiveness that he could've gave
Vitaly has been robbed of the ability to forgive
There's no man left to save
No one can save Vitaly from his current situation
Contributed by Nathan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@harveyjones1245
Lyrics
In the German sky there once was a plane
It carried 71 children and their mothers to Spain
Well, this plane was sure somethin'
It was full of young Russians
Proudly to gander at topics discussin'
Now Pete the Swiss was doublin' shifts
Jugglin' the iron controlled by his lips
Not a minute too soon children fell to their doom
Struck dead in the air, orphan a father or two
He just laid in the alley
Now orphan Vitaly met a young girl, married her quickly
Was so damn in love that they had their two kids
Had a great job, construction in Spain
They were goin' to see Papa from Caucasus mountain range
Now that damn Swissman crashed them into a plane
I will find where he lives, speak to his face
With the blood in my eyes, he will see my pain
Many weeks passed, for fear of a suit
The airline said nothin', Vitaly turned blue
For the killin' they done, no apology made
Is it 'cause we are Russian you treat us this way?
Through a friend that he new Vitaly found Pete
He came to his doorstep expectin' to speak
But Pete blew him off, threw down the pictures Vi brought
Pictures of the three most important he lost
As the pictures fell down
Re-enacting the day
Vitaly's eye blackened
No human remained
Well, so much can be said
For a man in his shoes
There's no glamour in vengeance
There's only this rule
That the lives that you lost
Can never come back
And the deed in return
Is worse than the act
Blinded by love and the pain of his loss
He could not remember the act of assault
He awoke in his room all covered in blood
The cops they'd come knockin', they knew what he'd done
The government leaned
Vitaly was free
They called him the hero, a man above kings
A shadow of man, they were praising his deed
He was alone, killed a father of three
No deed that he did could make him complete
It could have been different if only Pete said
I'm sorry for killin' the few joys you had
But now there's nothin' for Vitaly to do
But step off a cliff or hang in the noose
Robbed of forgiveness that he could've gave
There's no man left to save
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Kelly Winrich / Jonathan Jameson / Matthew Vasquez / Sean Walker / Brandon Young
Ballad of Vitaly lyrics © Bmg Ruby Songs, The Order Of The Spanish Preacher
@AltLaggy
Peter Nielsen was working more than he should've, his coworker took a break which left him to work 2 separate sections of airspace. The warning system that would've told Peter that the 2 planes were about to collide was turned off, the controllers that day were also using a secondary system which made work for them much harder. By the time a conflict warning sounded it would've been too late.
The pilots of the Russian jet were instructed by Nielsen to descend before the crash, this was contrary to what their TCAS system was telling them. It's the Russian pilots fault for listening to Nielson, they didn't tell him that they were being told to climb by their TCAS.
The pilots of DHL 611 were instructed to descend by their TCAS, they followed the instructions from it as they should've. They would also try telling Nielsen about their TCAS warning, but their message was garbled & was unintelligible.
Vitalys actions were absolutely unacceptable, Peter most likely didn't want to talk to him because of his PTSD. Peter wasn't a monster who felt nothing after the crash, he was so traumatized from it that he never went back to being an Air Traffic Controlling.
The company that employed Nielsen PAID the families of the children over 30,000 dollars in compensation, this included Vitaly. Vitaly made the choice to murder Nielsen, Nielsen didn't tease him, Vitaly acted violent when he confronted Peter, which resulted in Peter not wanting to talk to him. Vitaly is a murder, he could've been more friendly but he chose not to, he turned the situation into what it became.
In the end, it was failures in the systems & operations of Air Traffic Controlling & piloting. It was no ones fault that this happened, there's too many factors to put one person to blame for everyone who died on that day. The actions of Vitaly Kaloyev however, have only one person to blame & that person is himself.
@Rockunstank
no doubt-one of the greatest songs ever written.
@Rockunstank
right on Navi!
@David-kg1hc
Amazing
@yungteezytn
I had the privilege of hearing this live. I could feel the pain in his voice. Beautiful song and a beautiful recorded, but it was so much more powerful in person.
@zcarlton
In the German sky. It's expensive to walk to the store to buy coffee. But I will cross any country. Maybe we'all meet. Sandy Miami
@harveyjones1245
Lyrics
In the German sky there once was a plane
It carried 71 children and their mothers to Spain
Well, this plane was sure somethin'
It was full of young Russians
Proudly to gander at topics discussin'
Now Pete the Swiss was doublin' shifts
Jugglin' the iron controlled by his lips
Not a minute too soon children fell to their doom
Struck dead in the air, orphan a father or two
He just laid in the alley
Now orphan Vitaly met a young girl, married her quickly
Was so damn in love that they had their two kids
Had a great job, construction in Spain
They were goin' to see Papa from Caucasus mountain range
Now that damn Swissman crashed them into a plane
I will find where he lives, speak to his face
With the blood in my eyes, he will see my pain
Many weeks passed, for fear of a suit
The airline said nothin', Vitaly turned blue
For the killin' they done, no apology made
Is it 'cause we are Russian you treat us this way?
Through a friend that he new Vitaly found Pete
He came to his doorstep expectin' to speak
But Pete blew him off, threw down the pictures Vi brought
Pictures of the three most important he lost
As the pictures fell down
Re-enacting the day
Vitaly's eye blackened
No human remained
Well, so much can be said
For a man in his shoes
There's no glamour in vengeance
There's only this rule
That the lives that you lost
Can never come back
And the deed in return
Is worse than the act
Blinded by love and the pain of his loss
He could not remember the act of assault
He awoke in his room all covered in blood
The cops they'd come knockin', they knew what he'd done
The government leaned
Vitaly was free
They called him the hero, a man above kings
A shadow of man, they were praising his deed
He was alone, killed a father of three
No deed that he did could make him complete
It could have been different if only Pete said
I'm sorry for killin' the few joys you had
But now there's nothin' for Vitaly to do
But step off a cliff or hang in the noose
Robbed of forgiveness that he could've gave
There's no man left to save
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Kelly Winrich / Jonathan Jameson / Matthew Vasquez / Sean Walker / Brandon Young
Ballad of Vitaly lyrics © Bmg Ruby Songs, The Order Of The Spanish Preacher
@uchagogichashvili8349
very underrated song
@vitaust5440
People who puts negative thumbs, learn the history behind it ..... 49 children died in that crash. father lost all his family managed to open the truth. All he wanted just a word "sorry" for the mistake of the traffic control, costing parents 49 coffins.....
@mihaidinu8428
maybe you should "learn the history behind it". the man did everything he could to save the situation. The russian pilots also didn't listen to his instructions.
but also how does killing someone makes the things better and helps get over the pain? did his family come alive afeter killing Peter? no. calling him a hero is just a dumb thing, he's a mindless murderer and nothing more
@AltLaggy
Peter Nielsen was working more than he should've, his coworker took a break which left him to work 2 separate sections of airspace. The warning system that would've told Peter that the 2 planes were about to collide was turned off, the controllers that day were also using a secondary system which made work for them much harder. By the time a conflict warning sounded it would've been too late.
The pilots of the Russian jet were instructed by Nielsen to descend before the crash, this was contrary to what their TCAS system was telling them. It's the Russian pilots fault for listening to Nielson, they didn't tell him that they were being told to climb by their TCAS.
The pilots of DHL 611 were instructed to descend by their TCAS, they followed the instructions from it as they should've. They would also try telling Nielsen about their TCAS warning, but their message was garbled & was unintelligible.
Vitalys actions were absolutely unacceptable, Peter most likely didn't want to talk to him because of his PTSD. Peter wasn't a monster who felt nothing after the crash, he was so traumatized from it that he never went back to being an Air Traffic Controlling.
The company that employed Nielsen PAID the families of the children over 30,000 dollars in compensation, this included Vitaly. Vitaly made the choice to murder Nielsen, Nielsen didn't tease him, Vitaly acted violent when he confronted Peter, which resulted in Peter not wanting to talk to him. Vitaly is a murder, he could've been more friendly but he chose not to, he turned the situation into what it became.
In the end, it was failures in the systems & operations of Air Traffic Controlling & piloting. It was no ones fault that this happened, there's too many factors to put one person to blame for everyone who died on that day. The actions of Vitaly Kaloyev however, have only one person to blame & that person is himself.