The group's debut EP, Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1, was released in 2009. Dangerbird Records signed the group in 2010 and issued their first full-length album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, in August of that year. The album reached #15 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers wrote, "Fitz & the Tantrums is the kind of band that communicates best in concert, but this album serves as a fine proxy and party-starter." Aly Comingore of the Santa Barbara Independent wrote that the band members craft "soulful, nostalgia pop that's not only infectious, but just fresh enough to make it stand apart from its predecessors."
In 2010 the group opened several dates on tour with Maroon 5. On January 12, 2011, Fitz & the Tantrums performed the songs "MoneyGrabber" and "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles. In 2010 the groups music video for the song "MoneyGrabber" was incorporated into the opening scene of a sixth season episode of the CBS crime-drama Criminal Minds entitled "Safe Haven".
Fitzpatrick has said that the band's musical style can be fairly described as "soul-influenced indie pop". He noted that while the band is influenced by the classic songs of the Motown and Stax record labels, the band is not trying to create an exact replica of that music. In another interview, Fitzpatrick talked about his decision to not use guitars in the band. "I did want to try and make a big sounding record without guitars," he said. "For me, I just feel like in any music that has a band, the guitar is always there, it's always featured, it's always prevalent. I'm just sick of hearing it."
In 2012, the band signed to Elektra Records, and started to record their major-label debut More Than Just A Dream, which will be released on May 7, 2013.
Pickin' Up The Pieces
Fitz and the Tantrums Lyrics
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In a dream of you and me
Then a storm came outta nowhere
Turned my peace to misery.
'Cause I been runnin' now for days
Pickin' up the pieces of love
I'm not so sure it'll go my way
I am oh so tired of loneliness
But the world don't change
And I can't have you, you've gone away
You were the reason, you are the reason I stay.
This fairy tale that you painted for me
You only see what you wanna see
But I'm inclined to tell you somethin'
You never show me how you cared for me.
'Cause I been runnin' now for days
Pickin' up the pieces of love
I'm not so sure it'll go my way
That's just the price of love
I am oh so tired of loneliness
But the world don't change
And I can't have you, you've gone away
You were the reason, you are the reason I stay.
I stay
The reason I stay
Oh Oh Oh Oh..
The first verse of Fitz and the Tantrums' song Pickin' Up The Pieces describes a dream-like state where everything seems perfect and the world is full of possibilities. However, as the verse continues, a storm suddenly appears and brings chaos and misery. This change in atmosphere suggests that the dream was not reality and that the singer has faced difficulties and heartbreak that have shattered their romantic idealism. The chorus reinforces this theme of heartbreak, as the singer explains that they have been "pickin' up the pieces of love" and are uncertain whether they will be successful in their efforts. Despite this, they recognize that this is the "price of love" and feel trapped by their emotions. The final lines of the chorus reveal that the singer is tired of being alone, but cannot find a way out of their situation because the world refuses to change.
In the second verse, the singer accuses their partner of living in a fairy tale, where everything is perfect and they only see what they want to see. The singer feels neglected and unseen, with their partner failing to show them how much they care. This suggests that the relationship was one-sided and that the singer felt unimportant or undervalued. Despite this, the singer continues to hold onto their love and is unable to let go, as they are "the reason I stay".
Overall, "Pickin' Up The Pieces" reflects the struggles of love and heartbreak, where people often hold onto relationships that are unhealthy and one-sided. The song encourages listeners to face the reality of their situation, even if it means letting go of something they have invested a lot of time and energy into.
Line by Line Meaning
Felt like the stars fell down before us
It felt like we had everything and the world was perfect.
In a dream of you and me
This feeling of perfection existed only in our imagination.
Then a storm came outta nowhere
Suddenly, things took a turn for the worse.
Turned my peace to misery.
The happiness I felt was replaced with sadness and pain.
'Cause I been runnin' now for days
I have been struggling to deal with my emotions for days.
Pickin' up the pieces of love
I am trying to mend the broken pieces of our love.
I'm not so sure it'll go my way
I am uncertain if I can fix what is broken.
That's just the price of love.
The challenge of fixing a broken love is the price we must pay for being in love.
I am oh so tired of loneliness
Enduring loneliness has been a burden.
But the world don't change
Even though we want things to be different, the world does not change.
And I can't have you, you've gone away
I cannot be with you because you have left.
You were the reason, you are the reason I stay.
You were the reason for my happiness, and even though you are gone, you are still the reason for me staying.
This fairy tale that you painted for me
You created a beautiful but unrealistic narrative for us.
You only see what you wanna see
You focused only on the positive aspects of our relationship.
But I'm inclined to tell you somethin'
However, I need to be honest with you and tell you something.
You never show me how you cared for me.
You never demonstrated your love for me.
I stay
Despite the pain, I stay.
The reason I stay
I stay because of the love we once shared.
Oh Oh Oh Oh..
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Michael Fitzpatrick, Noelle A Scaggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind