(2) German Trance project of Ralph Fritsch & Detlef Hastik, active throughout the 90s which ended with the double A-side release: "You're My Angel / The Moon Is Shining" in 2003. "You're My Angel" was later covered by the UK duo Styles & Breeze.
(For Final Fantasy videogames, please use 植松伸夫 and other respective composers. More information available on Wikipedia or just use Musicbrainz Picard).
Further information on (1) entry below:
The Canadian musician decided to stop using this moniker in December 18th, 2009 and start using his own name, Owen Pallett, as he planned to release his third album in the Japanese market, where the name 'Final Fantasy' may have conflicted with the famous video game franchise. He also announced that previous albums will be re-released under his name
Owen Pallett is a violinist and singer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the principal member of the band Final Fantasy, which is essentially a solo group, although Leon Taheny is also credited as drummer and engineer. (This band should not be mistaken with Square Enix's famous game series "Final Fantasy" - its music is mostly composed by 植松伸夫. The name "Final Fantasy" is in fact a tribute to the well-known video game series.) On September 18th 2006, Final Fantasy won the inaugural Polaris Music Prize for the best Canadian album (based solely on artistic merit).
Pallett has been noted for his live performances, wherein he plays the violin into a sampler controlled by foot pedals, which then loops back one or more of the previously played musical phrases as he plays additional parts simultaneously. He has also performed with more traditional string quartets as backing musicians.
He believes his work is somewhat influenced by his sexuality, saying "As far as whether the music I make is gay or queer, yeah, it comes from the fact that I'm gay, but that doesn't mean I'm making music about it." in a recent interview.
"I'm taking a cue from Joel Gibb," he begins. "He and I are very different people, and we're very different in terms of the way we've assessed our sexual identities, but one thing I really respect about him is that his music has less to do with his identity and more to do with the more interesting aspects of himself." He states in an earlier interview in Toronto's NOW Magazine concerning his sexual identity and its use in his music.
On 12 February 2005, his debut album, Final Fantasy Has A Good Home, was released by the recording club Blocks (sometimes referred to as 'BlocksBlocksBlocks'), a cooperative, Toronto-based record label of which he is a member. A second album is entitled "He Poos Clouds", and inspiration for the songs are based on the eight schools of magic used for Dungeons & Dragons and how they relate to modern times. It is released under Tomlab.
His previous projects included a 3-piece Toronto-based band, Les Mouches, now defunct. He is still a member of another Toronto band called Picastro. Owen has also recorded and toured with The Hidden Cameras and The Arcade Fire. One of his songs, "This Is the Dream of Win & Regine", was inspired by the principal members of the latter group, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, and a Dntel song of a similar name (This is the Dream of Evan & Chan). Owen also co-wrote the orchestral arrangements for both of The Arcade Fire's albums, along with Régine Chassagne.
This Lamb Sells Condos
Final Fantasy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a merchant in our midst and with a barrel fist
He's coloured every surface, he's slapped up a portrait
And yes, it is his own! He's gonna take your home!
Have you seen our visitor? Look! Over the treetops!
Newly conjured erections are making him a killing
And Richmond St. is illing, so the graduates are willing
To buy in to the pillage, now there is no hope for the village
Prisoners, be silent, be silent and be sharp
When he was a young man, he conjured up a firemare
And burnt off both his eyebrows and half a head of hair
And then as an apprentice, he took a Drowish mistress
Who bestowed upon his youthfulness a sense of Champagne Chic
Oh seduction, his seduction to the world of construction
Now his mind will start to wander when he's not at his computer
Now his massive genitals refuse to co-operate
And no amount of therapy can hope to save his marriage
Prisoners, be silent, be silent and be sharp
Can you hear them talking? Listen through the wall:
Nothing to do, nothing to do
Living rent-free is boring me
Got no use for my PE Degree
Got no use for my pedigree
I feed you every morning and ask so little
Hedi Slimane
But you belittle all the work that I do
And Agnes be
When you take that walk without permission
I'm not content
I'm not defensive, I'm just saying this cause I love you
I'm not content
You know I hate it when your friends are in the pool
Donna Karan
Old money stinks, send those faggots back to Forest Hill
And Kara Saun
Contentment? What contentment? I am bald and impotent
I'm not content
Is that what it's about? Oh honey, honey, shut your mouth
I'm not content
The lyrics to Final Fantasy's song, "This Lamb Sells Condos," convey the devastating impact of commercialization on a once-prosperous village. The singer laments that there is no longer any hope for the village or its people because of the merchant who has arrived with his "barrel fist." He has plastered advertisements and self-portraits all over the place and is intent on taking people's homes. The singer makes a chilling observation that "newly conjured erections are making him a killing" - suggesting that the merchant's constructions are not only financially lucrative but also metaphorically phallic and violent. The singer concludes that the village's graduates are willing to participate in the "pillage" because they see no alternative.
The second verse of the song takes on a more personal tone, focusing on the merchant's backstory. The lyrics suggest that he was once a creative and passionate young man who conjured up a "firemare" as a symbol of his potential. However, he became seduced by the world of construction and has ended up with a loveless marriage and dysfunctional sexuality (as evidenced by his "massive genitals [that] refuse to co-operate"). The lyrics are bleak, suggesting that the merchant's fascination with the erect phallus is ultimately hollow and unfulfilling.
There is an ominous quality to the song's chorus, which repeats the phrase "prisoners, be silent, be silent and be sharp." The suggestion is that the merchant's power is so great that even those who oppose him must be careful not to speak out or they will be crushed. The final lines of the song seem to be spoken by the merchant himself, dismissing his partner's concerns about his behavior and criticizing his friends as "faggots." The song ends with the chilling suggestion that there is no hope for any of them.
Line by Line Meaning
No hope for the village, no hope for the village
The village is beyond saving because a merchant with a selfish motive has taken over and no one can do anything about it.
There's a merchant in our midst and with a barrel fist
A powerful and influential merchant has infiltrated the village to take control and enforce his own will.
He's coloured every surface, he's slapped up a portrait
The merchant has made his presence known everywhere in the village by putting up his own portrait on every surface he can find.
And yes, it is his own! He's gonna take your home!
The merchant has no regard for the villagers and will go to any length to take their homes if it means more profit for him.
Have you seen our visitor? Look! Over the treetops!
There is a new visitor to the village who has been making a lot of money by building new structures and taking advantage of the villagers.
Newly conjured erections are making him a killing
The new visitor is getting rich by building new structures in the village which are popular and in high demand.
And Richmond St. is illing, so the graduates are willing
The villages on Richmond Street are in despair and the residents are willing to buy anything just to make their life better.
To buy in to the pillage, now there is no hope for the village
The villagers have fallen into the trap of consumerism and are now part of the larger problem of exploitation, leading to the decline of the village.
Prisoners, be silent, be silent and be sharp
The people of the village are prisoners of their own greed and the words are a warning to them to keep quiet and be vigilant so as not to be exploited further.
When he was a young man, he conjured up a firemare
The merchant was once a young man who was capable of great things, but has since lost his ability to do anything meaningful.
And burnt off both his eyebrows and half a head of hair
When he tried to do something great, the merchant failed and was left with scars from the experience.
And then as an apprentice, he took a Drowish mistress
The merchant took on an apprentice who taught him about the finer things in life.
Who bestowed upon his youthfulness a sense of Champagne Chic
The apprentice taught the merchant how to appreciate the finer things in life, and gave him a sense of luxury living.
Oh seduction, his seduction to the world of construction
The merchant was seduced by the world of construction and the money and power that comes with it.
Now his mind will start to wander when he's not at his computer
The merchant is preoccupied with his work and is unable to focus on anything else, even when he's away from his computer.
Now his massive genitals refuse to co-operate
The merchant is unable to perform sexually due to his preoccupation with work and the stress that comes with it.
And no amount of therapy can hope to save his marriage
The merchant's personal life is in shambles, and even therapy is unlikely to save his marriage.
Can you hear them talking? Listen through the wall:
The listener is encouraged to eavesdrop on a conversation that is taking place behind closed doors.
Nothing to do, nothing to do
The singer is bored and has nothing to occupy their time.
Living rent-free is boring me
The artist is living rent-free and has nothing to do, which is making them bored.
Got no use for my PE Degree
The artist has a Physical Education degree but feels it is useless to them.
Got no use for my pedigree
The artist has an impressive family background but feels it is not important in the current environment.
I feed you every morning and ask so little
The singer takes care of those around them without expecting anything in return.
Hedi Slimane
The artist is making a reference to a fashion designer who is considered to be a genius in the industry.
But you belittle all the work that I do
The singer's efforts are not appreciated, and their hard work is being belittled.
And Agnes be
The singer is making a reference to a designer who is known for her classic style and timeless designs.
When you take that walk without permission
Someone has gone for a walk without the singer's permission, which upsets them.
I'm not content
The artist is not happy with their current situation, and longs for something more fulfilling.
I'm not defensive, I'm just saying this cause I love you
The artist is expressing their unhappiness not out of defensiveness, but out of genuine concern for the person they are addressing.
You know I hate it when your friends are in the pool
The singer is expressing their dislike for a particular situation in which their friend's company is present.
Donna Karan
The singer is making reference to a fashion designer who is known for her luxurious clothing and eye for detail.
Old money stinks, send those faggots back to Forest Hill
The artist is expressing their dislike for wealthy individuals who come from old money, and is using a slur to describe them.
And Kara Saun
The artist is making reference to a fashion designer who is known for her dramatic and unforgettable designs.
Contentment? What contentment? I am bald and impotent
The artist is expressing their dissatisfaction with life and the physical challenges they face.
Is that what it's about? Oh honey, honey, shut your mouth
The person being addressed is being told to stop talking because they are missing the point of the singer's complaints.
I'm not content
The artist is repeating their previous statement to emphasize their dissatisfaction with their current situation.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Owen Pallett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind