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.
Shoe Box
Foxy Shazam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath my bed
Somewhere other sweetness
In pencil with the lead
A picture of me with a smile that I'm not faking
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
Spin around the head
A vision in the night, me as a kid
I picture myself with a smile
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
Milestone, ticking time bomb
Fate to nothing more
Hope not to be forgotten
Drowning off the shore
A polishing man in the sand
And I'm forsaken
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
The song "Shoe Box" by Foxy Shazam is a melancholic piece that explores the concept of nostalgia and the passing of time. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer looking back on his childhood and the memories that he has stored away in a "busted shoebox" underneath his bed. The memories are of a time when things were simpler and the happiness captured in old photographs were not contrived or faked. The nostalgia is palpable as the singer longs for the past and the feeling of "home" that it embodied.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more abstract and the imagery more surreal. The lines "Milestone, ticking time bomb / Fate to nothing more / Hope not to be forgotten / Drowning off the shore" seem to convey a sense of dread and anxiety about the future that the singer cannot escape. The mention of a "polishing man in the sand" and being "forsaken" adds a layer of enigma to the song that invites the listener to draw their own conclusions.
Overall, "Shoe Box" is a heartfelt and poetic exploration of the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia and the complexities of growing up.
Line by Line Meaning
Memories in a busted shoebox
My past is contained in a damaged and old shoebox
Underneath my bed
This shoebox is hidden beneath my bed
Somewhere other sweetness
This box contains sweet memories from another time
In pencil with the lead
These memories are written with a pencil and lead
A picture of me with a smile that I'm not faking
One of these memories is a genuine picture of me, happy and smiling
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
I long for the same happiness and contentment I felt when that picture was taken
Black and white, slow motion flashback
This memory plays in my mind like a black and white movie in slow motion
Spin around the head
It makes me dizzy to remember this moment so vividly
A vision in the night, me as a kid
I see a clear image of myself as a child, even in the darkness of the night
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
I must close this shoebox completely to find my way back home
Gotta be there, hard through
It will be difficult to accomplish, but I must persist
Milestone, ticking time bomb
My life is a ticking time bomb, with milestones marking its passage
Fate to nothing more
Ultimately, my fate is unknown and insignificant
Hope not to be forgotten
I fear being forgotten and hope to be remembered
Drowning off the shore
I feel overwhelmed and lost, like I'm drowning by the shore
A polishing man in the sand
I see a man polishing something on the sand, symbolic of my desire to polish and perfect my life
And I'm forsaken
Despite my efforts, I am abandoned and alone
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
To find my way back, I must fully close off this box of memories
Gotta be there, hard through
It will not be easy, but I must persevere
That will be the way, I get home
This is the path that will lead me back to where I belong
Gotta be there, shaken
I must traverse this path, even if it leaves me feeling shaken and uncertain
Contributed by Colton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
joshua halt
Memories in a busted shoebox
Underneath my bed
Somewhere other sweetness
In pencil with the lead
A picture of me with a smile that I'm not faking
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
Black and white, slow motion flashback
Spin around the head
A vision in the night, me as a kid
I picture myself with a smile
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
Milestone, ticking time bomb
Fate to nothing more
Hope not to be forgotten
Drowning off the shore
A polishing man in the sand
And I'm forsaken
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
moogie joogie
Memories in a busted shoebox
Underneath my bed
Somewhere other sweetness
In pencil with the lead
A picture of me with a smile that I'm not faking
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
Black and white, slow motion flashback
Spin around the head
A vision in the night, me as a kid
I picture myself with a smile
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
Milestone, ticking time bomb
Fate to nothing more
Hope not to be forgotten
Drowning off the shore
A polishing man in the sand
And I'm forsaken
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
joshua halt
Memories in a busted shoebox
Underneath my bed
Somewhere other sweetness
In pencil with the lead
A picture of me with a smile that I'm not faking
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
Black and white, slow motion flashback
Spin around the head
A vision in the night, me as a kid
I picture myself with a smile
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
Milestone, ticking time bomb
Fate to nothing more
Hope not to be forgotten
Drowning off the shore
A polishing man in the sand
And I'm forsaken
I wish things were the way they are when the picture was taken
When the picture was taken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
That will be the way, slam shut, whole
Gotta be there, hard through
That will be the way, I get home
Gotta be there, shaken
Teagan McCarthy
I think this is my favourite song on the album. And I've checked thoroughly. Already listened to the whole album six times :)
04ra
I still love Tragic Thrill.
Sara s
The drumming, the vocals it all comes together so sweet
Zack van Helvoirt
It's rare to find an artist that can convey a powerful emotion through their work. This song is a highlight on Gonzo and Foxy's career.
B. H.
I keep coming back to this song even after over 2 years, beautiful song
B. H.
I came back again, so good
B. H.
Hey look, back again
jacq26
Love the way this song grooves:)
Madgegames
Great song as always.