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.
Temecula Sunrise
Dirty Projectors Lyrics
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I live on the strip behind the dealership, yeah
I live in a greenhouse and I am getting wasted, yeah
Temperature rising
I can feel it all the way down
And what hits the spot, yeah, like Gatorade?
You and me baby, hittin' the spot all night
Up in the light of the high Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
Definitely you can come and live with us
I know there's a space for you in the basement, yeah
All you gotta do is help out with the chores and dishes
And I know you will
Rest assured, comfortable
You have nothing
The face of earth will be white
And after all, yeah, all of it
Indian paintbrush and a couple of brown finches
Right there in the light of the,
High Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
I welcome the new construction roads
I see that my silhouette is golden, yeah
I know the horizon is bright and motionless
Like an EKG of a dying woman
Far away from the light of the,
High Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
High Temecula sunrise
The song "Temecula Sunrise" by Dirty Projectors describes the singer's current living situation and their state of mind. They live in a newly constructed home on a strip behind a dealership, possibly in an area of suburban sprawl. The singer is drinking and getting "wasted" while feeling the temperature rise within themselves. The chorus repeats the phrase "High Temecula sunrise" which seems to represent a bright and optimistic future, though it is also contrasted with the darkness that the singer feels in the verses.
The singer invites someone to come live with them, offering space in the basement in exchange for help with chores. There's a sense of desperation and loneliness to these lyrics, as if the singer is trying to create a community but feels disconnected from others. The lines "You have nothing / The face of earth will be white" also suggest a sense of emptiness or nothingness. However, there are moments of beauty and hope in the song, such as when the singer observes "Indian paintbrush and a couple of brown finches" outside.
Overall, "Temecula Sunrise" is a complex and introspective song that touches on themes of isolation, community, and the search for meaning in a seemingly mundane world.
Line by Line Meaning
I live in a new construction home
I reside in a relatively new built-up residence.
I live on the strip behind the dealership, yeah
I reside in the area just after the car dealership.
I live in a greenhouse and I am getting wasted, yeah
I am living in a glasshouse and consuming alcohol at the same time.
Temperature rising
The temperature is increasing.
I can feel it all the way down
I can sense the rise in temperature.
And what hits the spot, yeah, like Gatorade?
What satisfies the needs, like a thirst-quencher?
You and me baby, hittin' the spot all night
Both of us satisfying each other's needs for the whole night.
Up in the light of the high Temecula sunrise
In the midst of the morning where the sun rises over Temecula.
High Temecula sunrise
A beautiful morning view in the Temecula valley.
Definitely you can come and live with us
You surely can move in with us.
I know there's a space for you in the basement, yeah
I am sure we have an opening in the cellar for you.
All you gotta do is help out with the chores and dishes
The only requirement is that you should take part in household tasks and do the dishes.
And I know you will
I have faith that you will.
Rest assured, comfortable
Be confident and pleased.
You have nothing
You lack nothing.
The face of earth will be white
The earth's surface will be covered in snow.
And after all, yeah, all of it
After everything that has happened.
Indian paintbrush and a couple of brown finches
A kind of colourful wildflower and a pair of small, brown songbirds.
Right there in the light of the,
Exactly in the brightness of the morning.
High Temecula sunrise
A stunning dawn in the Temecula region.
I welcome the new construction roads
I appreciate the latest infrastructure networks.
I see that my silhouette is golden, yeah
I observe that my outline appears glamorous.
I know the horizon is bright and motionless
I recognise the sight of the static, illuminating skyline.
Like an EKG of a dying woman
Just like the readings on a monitor that determines the condition of a sickly woman.
Far away from the light of the,
At a vast distance from the radiance of the morning.
High Temecula sunrise
A dazzling sunrise in Temecula.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: DAVID DONNELL LONGSTRETH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind