The current lineup of Dirty Projectors is Dave Longstreth (vocals, guitar, other instruments), Nat Baldwin (bass), Mike Johnson (drums), Maia Friedman (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Felicia Douglass (percussion, keyboards, vocals), and Kristin Slipp (keyboards, vocals).
Based in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn with connections to the Portland, OR music scene, the group has produced a distinctive sound of electronic experimentation, melded with traditional instruments and harmonically complex vocals. Their recordings range from Prince-style one-man-recording-studio productions (The Glad Fact), to arranged orchestrations (the "Slaves' Graves" half of Slaves' Graves & Ballads), to basic voice over nylon-string guitar (the "Ballads" half of the aforementioned) to an amalgamation of all these tactics (the 'glitch opera' of The Getty Address and the mixed nature of New Attitude EP). Throughout, Longstreth's aggressively melodic vocals provide a consistent identity for otherwise widely divergent approaches to pop music. Longstreth claims influences ranging from Don Henley to Mariah Carey. The former's influence is most easily seen in The Getty Address album, which is a conceptual opera written from the point of view of Henley as a Spanish Conquistador, though the latter's vocal gymnastics clearly provide a clue to Longstreth's approach. Rise Above is an attempt to re-imagine the lyrics of Black Flag's DamagedDamaged album from memory over complex music that sees influence from the contemporary African blues and funk of such artists as Ali Farka Toure and Konono No. 1.
Members of Dirty Projectors collaborated with Björk to perform an original composition by Longstreth, written for five voices and acoustic guitar, as part of a charity concert to benefit Housing Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing shelter for homeless men, women, and children suffering from AIDS.
No more
Dirty Projectors Lyrics
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I'm not happy, I'm not free
No, I won't believe that this is all
Pay check to pay check
No, I won't believe that this is all
Every night I get drunk
I need action, won't take no more
It won't work no more
It won't work no more
No more, no more
Control for who? for what?
Reaction's masochism
Control for who? for what?
I'm no robot, they can get fucked
Control for who? for what?
I need to live, I need it now
I need action, won't take no more
It won't work out
It won't work no more
It won't work no more
No more, no more
In the song "No More" by Dirty Projectors, the singer expresses discontent about the current state of their life, claiming that they are not happy or free. They refuse to believe that their current situation is all they are capable of, such as living paycheck to paycheck and getting drunk every night. The singer yearns for action and change, rejecting the notion of being controlled by others or societal norms. The repeated line "It won't work out, it won't work no more" emphasizes their frustration and determination to break free from this cycle.
The lines "Control for who? For what? Reaction's masochism" suggest that the societal expectations and norms the singer is rejecting are only serving to inflict pain and suffering. They reject the idea of being a "robot" that blindly follows the rules of others and instead demands the freedom to live their life on their own terms. The final line, "I need to live, I need it now," serves as an urgent plea for action and change.
Overall, "No More" is a powerful anthem of frustration and determination to break free from societal expectations and live life on one's own terms. It captures the struggle of those trying to push back against the pressures of conformity and find their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
No, I won't believe that this is all
I refuse to accept that this is the entirety of my life
I'm not happy, I'm not free
I am neither happy nor free within the current situation
Pay check to pay check
Living expenses consume my entire salary
Every night I get drunk
I resort to alcohol to cope with my dissatisfaction
It won't work out
The current situation is unsustainable and will not lead to a successful outcome
It won't work no more
The current situation has reached its breaking point and can no longer continue
No more, no more
I will no longer tolerate the current situation
Control for who? for what?
Who benefits from exerting control and for what purpose?
Reaction's masochism
Reacting to circumstances in a harmful or self-destructive manner
I'm no robot, they can get fucked
I am not a machine that can be easily manipulated and controlled by others
I need to live, I need it now
I require a fulfilling life immediately
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: DAVID LONGSTRETH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind