The band name originated from a slang phrase used by students at Eric Sean Nally's high school where Foxy Shazam meant "cool shoes". On February 7, 2010, their single Unstoppable was featured in Super Bowl XLIV.
In 2008, the band were named one of the 100 bands you need to know by Alternative Press. They toured with bands such as The Strokes, Bad Rabbits, and The Young Veins. In 2010, the band were placed on Spin's list of ten bands you need to know. Since then, they've appeared on TV programs such as the Daily Haibt. Also in 2010, vocalist Eric Nally helped write songs for Meat Loaf's album, Hang Cool Teddy Bear.
Foxy Shazam have previously toured with Hole and played this year's Lollapalooza festival. They've been appearing in more magazines supporting their latest release like Alternative Press and Spin. They played a 3 song set for The Daily Habit Show on Fuel.tv. They recently performed a 5 song set for shockhound.com. They also recently performed 3 songs acoustic for Spin Magazine, one of which was a brand new song entitled "I'm in love with a boy." The band performed a full set and interview on Chicago's JBTV in July 2010. The band have also performed a live an exclusive version of "oh Lord" for music discovery app and namesake Shazam.
Foxy Shazam's first album, The Flamingo Trigger is seen as a post-hardcore album, with some slight classical influences. The band more resembled peers such as Chiodos and The Fall of Troy. With their second release, Introducing, the band incorporated more genres into their sound, and even making ballads, though still with some post-hardcore influence. Their latest release, Foxy Shazam, has influences ranging from Gospel, Soul, and Glam Metal. The band continues to surprise fans by keeping themselves original.
A quote from lead singer, Eric Sean Nally: "When I listen to a Foxy Shazam record I think of Evel Knievel, Bruce Springsteen, my childhood, Van Morrison, my old friends from high school I don't talk to anymore, Elton John, the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and beyond, Iggy Pop and my first kiss. One of my favorite things to do when listening to my music is to close my eyes and picture a crowd of six million people all chanting "Foxy! Foxy! Foxy!" The lights go out and my band walks on stage. It gives me goose bumps. It all makes sense to me. When you listen to our record, think of your favorite things and it'll make sense to you as well. Foxy Shazam is not concerned with what category it falls into. We want to stand for our generation. We want to be the biggest band in the world. We want to be the Michael Jordan of Rock N' Roll."
Many media outlets compare the band to Queen and Meat Loaf because of their use of theatrics and over-the-tops lyrics. The band themselves have noted the similarities but believe that they are just all influenced by the same things. It's not always music that influences the band, it could even be a smell that triggers a memory.
Eric Sean Nally has said an album that influenced him was Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. The magazine Alternative Press has compared the band to bands like Queen, My Chemical Romance, and The Darkness while also believing that the band has a very unique sound that should best be seen live.
Second Floor
Foxy Shazam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
The song "Second Floor" by Foxy Shazam talks about leaving behind the conformity and pretentiousness of the upper classes and finding a place among the "lower class" where one feels more accepted and true to oneself. The singer sneaks out of a window as those around them sleep, symbolizing the desire to break free from the constraints of societal expectations. As they shimmy down the ledge, they prepare themselves for their return to the "lonely world below." The lyric "fall down fall down" appears several times, indicating a sense of falling away from the perceived safety and comfort of the second floor.
The singer declares "so long to the second floor" when they arrive at their destination, proclaiming their departure from the world they no longer feel they belong in. The second floor represents an elevated status, perhaps in the music industry or amongst wealthier and more influential individuals. The singer suggests that being with this crowd has made them feel like they are in the company of wolves, indicating a predatory or cutthroat nature to these relationships. Instead, they choose to be with the "lower class" or "idiots," a choice that makes them feel better and more at ease with themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Soon as they fall asleep I'll be out of here
As soon as everyone is asleep, I will leave this place.
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
I will wear shoes and quietly go to the window.
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
Remove the bird droppings from the edge of the window.
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Slide down the side of the building carefully.
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Preparing myself while looking down from the second floor.
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
Going to where I truly belong and improve myself.
I hold my breath and close my eyes
Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes out of fear.
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
Falling down from the second floor to the lonely world below.
In midair floating there I declare
Declaring something while floating in the air.
So long to the second floor
Goodbye to the second floor.
It's been fun but I don't belong
I had fun, but I don't belong on the second floor.
Up there with the industry or
Up there with the high-class society.
Up there with you wolves
Up there with you opportunists.
Now I'm down here with the lower class
I am now with the lower class.
Down here with the idiots yeah
Down here with the stupid people.
I feel better now
I feel better about myself now.
I said I feel better now
I am confirming that I feel better about myself now.
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
As soon as I get back home, I found the door to be locked.
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
Pretend to be like G.I. Joe and sneak around the house.
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
Dogs are barking and causing chaos.
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I am not ready to stay alone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC NALLY, JOHN FELDMANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hügus And The Jibs
Soon as they fall asleep I'll be out of here
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Lindsay
Soon as they fall asleep I'll be out of here
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
lyrics bc im dead
Jonathan Barber
Best song in the entire album, and that's saying a lot given how this album is just a few steps short of a masterpiece.
Antlion161
Eric said in an interview about this song:
"When i was about 7 or 8 i had my first overnight at my friends zacks house. he lived down the street from my mom's. for some reason i was really uneasy about the whole idea of spending the night away from my mom. so when his mom put us to bed i waited until everyone was asleep and i jumped out of their second story window and ran back home. sometimes even though i'm older, my career feels like it's too much for me and i feel like i want to jump out of the window and run home to my mom. "
Johann Fowl
that's so cute and so deep
imperialphoenix
Been cruising around youtube, looking for Foxy Shazam stuff since discovering Eric Nally through "Downtown". This is MY FAVORITE so far.. wow! this is amazing work from Foxy Shazam. I've loved a lot of their stuff so far, but this has sold me.
Johann Fowl
I always liked him from Downtown but only yesterday I found Foxy Shazam. Shame on me.
Hügus And The Jibs
Soon as they fall asleep I'll be out of here
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
13374pwnt
my current favorite song. foxy shazam is the best band ever!!
Black Salami
Is it still your favorite song?
Vael Victus
Recently moved from a very corporate environment to the little three-man shop that I work at now. I relate to this song.
Black Salami
They are back everybody for 2020