Hailing from Western Australia, Watson began recording self-produced music as GUM in 2011. The alias is short for his nickname, Gumby. The project's first album, Delorean Highway, arrived on Spinning Top Music in 2014. He followed it a year later with Glamorous Damage, and the synth-hook-heavy Flash in the Pan saw release in 2016. Without relinquishing synths, a more streamlined psych rock defined The Underdog, which arrived on Spinning Top in 2018. Still putting out albums with Pond and on call for the live version of Tame Impala, Watson issued GUM's fifth long-player, Out in the World, in 2020.
There are others artists with the same name:
(2) Gum are a London based, four piece musical pop group. Gum were born on Thursday 15th September 2011 and are not dead yet.
(3) Back in the late '80s, Melbourne's Andrew Curtis and Philip Samartzis collaborated in the aurally volatile project simply called Gum. With little expertise or training, the two gathered up what objects they were familiar with, in particular thrift store turntables and soiled records. Eschewing their original attraction to the giants of Industrial Culture, Gum quickly developed an aesthetic privileging the caustic rupture of skipping records and smoldering surface noise, predating the current avant-turntablist aficionados like Philip Jeck, Janek Schaefer, and Otomo Yoshihide. With the publication of Gum's Vinyl Anthology, 23five, Inc uncovers the bulk of Gum's work, including all of the material from their self-published albums Vinyl and 20 Years in Blue Movies and Yet to Fake an Orgasm as well as several infamous compilation tracks and plenty of unreleased material.
(4) Gum is an indie rock band from CT/NY.
(5) Gum is the doom/sludge metal band from Italy.
Pink Skies
Gum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I
Spending all of my time wishing that I could change
Change
Pink skies over me
I can taste atomic waste
Pink skies over me
Smiling overnight until the sunrise
All night
Swirling all around aside of the pillow
Aaah
Pink skies over me
I can taste atomic waste
Pink skies over me
Am I ever gonna see again?
The song Pink Skies by Gum is a poignant representation of the sentiment of being stuck in an unchanging routine, wishing for change but feeling lost and helpless. The opening lyrics, "I like sitting around and watching the day go by," indicate a sense of boredom and stagnation. The repetition of the word "change" emphasizes the desire for something new, but the lack of action to make that change happen.
The chorus "Pink skies over me, I can taste atomic waste" alludes to the destruction of the natural environment caused by human activity. The use of the color pink is significant as it symbolizes femininity, innocence, and love. Combining it with the word "atomic waste" creates a jarring contrast, implying the destruction and pollution of a beautiful and pure sky. The repetition of the chorus "Am I ever gonna see again?" suggests a pessimistic outlook, questioning if the world can be saved from the damage already done.
The verse "Smiling overnight until the sunrise, All night swirling all around aside of the pillow" paints a picture of sleeplessness and anxiety, possibly caused by the uncertainty and helplessness towards the world's environmental crises. Gum's song Pink Skies is a powerful statement on the need to take action towards protecting the environment and avoiding the destruction of what is left for future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
I like sitting around and watching the day go by
I enjoy being still and experiencing the passing of time
Spending all of my time wishing that I could change
I spend most of my existence yearning for a different reality
Pink skies over me
I observe hazy pink colors in the sky
I can taste atomic waste
I sense the contamination and toxicity in the air
Am I ever gonna see again?
I question if I will have the chance to perceive clear vision once more
Smiling overnight until the sunrise
I put on a facade of happiness throughout the night until the sun emerges
Swirling all around aside of the pillow
My thoughts are in constant motion, preventing me from finding peace in rest
Pink skies over me
The shade of the sky remains tinted with pinkness
I can taste atomic waste
I can still feel the contamination surrounding me
Am I ever gonna see again?
I'm unsure if my perception of the world will ever become clear again
Contributed by Penelope V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.