Phillips spent his formative years in Stockton, CA, where he founded a band called Bloody Holly, but prior to his 20th birthday Phillips headed to Los Angeles to study film, and he quickly found himself beneath the spell cast by local bands as the Rain Parade and Dream Syndicate. Phillips soon joined with Stockton acquaintance Jeff Clark to form Shiva Burlesque. The band dissolved after two critically acclaimed records, and Phillips soon began writing and demo-ing using the Grant Lee Buffalo alias.
Following some solo dates, Phillips invited former bandmates Joey Peters and Paul Kimble to join him, and the trio signed to Warner subsidiary Slash in 1992. Phillips' golden, honey-soaked voice went largely to waste in Shiva Burlesque, but the new band enabled him to step out as a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. GLB went on to release four very different LPs, consistent in excellence. A cult following, successful tours, and across-the-board critical acclaim (he was voted Rolling Stone's Male Vocalist of the Year following their second LP) didn't translate into sales, however. Frustrated with his label's dead-on-arrival promotion, Phillips asked for his band to be released from their contract, and he was obliged. (It was erroneously reported that GLB had been dropped.) Phillips dissolved his band, anxious to forge a new path.
In October of 1999, he headed to Jon Brion's studio and recorded a handful of new songs, played exclusively by himself. Dubbed Ladies' Love Oracle, it was self-released the following year online and at his numerous appearances at Largo in Hollywood. After landing a deal with Zoe/Rounder, Phillips issued the excellent Mobilize in 2001. The next year, Rounder reissued Ladies' Love Oracle in time for Phillips' joint tour with Kristin Hersh and Joe Doe. In 2004, he released Virginia Creeper, followed by an album of covers (Nineteeneighties) in 2006. Strangelet appeared in 2007 on Rounder Records, followed by Little Moon (2009), and Walking in the Green Corn (2012) .
Discography
Ladies Love Oracle (2000)
Mobilize (2001)
Virginia Creeper (2004)
Nineteeneighties (2006)
Strangelet (2007)
Little Moon (2009)
Walking in the Green Corn (2012)
Sunday Best
Grant-Lee Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
High on the fumes of sweet success
Goin' on a Sunday stroll
I'm movin' up you walk
Even if I have to hug the fence
I'm determined to call you my lover
Well can't you tell
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon yeah
Goin' on a Sunday drive
Windin' our way 'cross the countryside
Hopin' that you slip on over close
For the rest of this ride you my lover
Well can't you tell
That I'm over the moon
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon yeah
Hit me like a Sunday bus (like a Sunday bus)
That comes only once in a moment's glance
The lyrics of my heart could miss a beat
And get lost in the language of romance my lover
Well can't you tell
That I'm over the moon
Well I'm over the moon
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon for you
I'm over the moon yeah
I'm over the moon for you
The song "Sunday Best" by Grant-Lee Phillips is a love song in which the singer is expressing his deep affection for his lover. He is putting on his best clothes and is high on the fumes of sweet success, in order to take his lover out for a Sunday stroll. Despite his determination and the obstacles he may face, such as having to hug the fence, he is overcome with joy and love for his partner.
The song further describes the singer's desire to go for a Sunday drive with his lover, winding their way across the countryside. He hopes that his partner would come over and sit close to him on this ride, and for them to continue being lovers. The song emphasizes that the singer is overwhelmed with love and joy for his partner, and the feelings are making him feel like he is over the moon.
Overall, the song is an expression of love and joy, and the lyrics are filled with metaphors and imagery to convey the singer's devotion to his lover. The song has a simple structure and straightforward lyrics that convey the depth and purity of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Puttin' on the Sunday best
Dressing up in the best attire for the occasion
High on the fumes of sweet success
Feeling ecstatic about one's current achievements
Goin' on a Sunday stroll
Taking a leisure walk on a lazy day
I'm movin' up you walk
Trying to impress someone by walking gracefully
Even if I have to hug the fence
Going an extra mile to get closer to the goal
I'm determined to call you my lover
Having a strong desire to make someone one's partner
Well can't you tell
Asking someone to observe and understand one's feelings
That I'm over the moon
Feeling extremely happy and excited
Goin' on a Sunday drive
Enjoying a long drive on a day off
Windin' our way 'cross the countryside
Driving through the scenic location of the countryside
Hopin' that you slip on over close
Desiring to get closer to someone on the drive
For the rest of this ride you my lover
Wanting the person to be one's partner for the whole journey
Hit me like a Sunday bus (like a Sunday bus)
Being unexpectedly hit by love like a rare event
That comes only once in a moment's glance
Describing a fleeting opportunity to fall in love
The lyrics of my heart could miss a beat
The singer's heart might skip a beat due to being nervous and excited
And get lost in the language of romance my lover
Being captivated by the language of love with one's partner
Well I'm over the moon
Being excessively happy and excited
I'm over the moon for you
Expressing one's love and admiration for someone
I'm over the moon yeah
Confirming one's strong feelings of joy and elation
I'm over the moon for you
Reiterating one's love for someone special
Contributed by Hudson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.