Their first full-length album released on September 6, 2003 was self-titled IMA Robot, and featured the singles "Dynomite" and "Song #1" (released in the UK only.) The band has toured with artists such as Hot Hot Heat, The Von Bondies, Hoobastank, The Sounds, She Wants Revenge and others. In 2004 Waronker and Oligee left the band, and Meldal-Johnsen followed in 2005, with former Oleander drummer Scott Devours taking over drumming duties, Filip Nikolic taking over on bass, and Andy Marlow on keyboards and guitar. In June of 2008 Lars Vognstrup joined the group, having previously played with Nikolic in Junior Senior. On September 12, 2006 IMA Robot released their second album Monument to the Masses which featured the singles "Creeps Me Out" and "Lovers in Captivity".
In April 2007, the band won their independence from Virgin Records, and went under the management of Alexis Rivera of Echo Park Records. The song "Gangster" premiered on the band's MySpace on April 15, 2008, with its lyrics posted in a blog entry by the band. In 2010 the band announced the upcoming release of their new album, Another Man's Treasure, and released the song "Ruthless" on the Internet. They are now being represented by the Werewolf Heart label.
On January 6, 2011, The banded played six songs live on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic . This was the first time since Monument To The Masses tours that the new full banded played live. They added Orpheo McCord (of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Fool's Gold), Jason Taylor, and Jonas Petri Megyessi.
Their songs have been featured in the game SSX3 ("A is for Action"), ATV Off Road Fury 4 ("Creeps Me Out"), and the movie 'Grandma's Boy' ("STD Dance"). "STD Dance" was also featured in 'Suicide Girls: The First Tour'.' Greenback Boogie' is featured in the credits of the USA Network legal drama Suits.
Alex Ebert has since gone on to lead the band Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.
Scream
Ima Robot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pathetic religion of sex and crying
I nailed the door shut to leave you blind
I nailed the door shut for peace of mind
You were the best love I ever had
You hit me high, you hit me low
Time doesn't slow down for those who dream
Hot and cold in the goldmine, the diamond legs
After she hit me off, I just had to beg
I nailed the door shut to leave you blind
I nailed the door shut for peace of mind
You were the best love I ever had
You hit me high, you hit me low
Time doesn't slow down for those who dream
I wake only to hear this scream
You were the best love I ever had
You hit me high, you hit me low
Time doesn't slow down for those who dream
I wake only to hear this scream
You were the best love I ever had
You hit me high, you hit me low
Time doesn't slow down for those who dream
I wake only to hear this scream
Love is the only incident
An infatuation
Is this sweet manipulation?
Well, I was frightened myself
What is love?
It's a fine inclination
A lovely retardation
What is life but a reality vacation?
Indulging operation
What is love?
The worthiest damnation
Sweet temptation
What is love?
The lyrics to Ima Robot's song "Scream" tell a story of a tumultuous relationship. The opening lines describe a situation in which the singer has been caught in a lie, surrounded by a "big blue" gasfield. The "pathetic religion of sex and crying" may refer to the use of physical pleasures in order to mask emotional pain. The singer then describes "nailing the door shut" to avoid further conflict and find solace in peace of mind.
Despite this decision, the chorus repeats that the subject was "the best love I ever had," with a reference to the pain of being hit "high" and "low" in the relationship. The lines "hot and cold in the goldmine, the diamond legs" introduce the imagery of the relationships as a mining operation, with rewards that are valuable, but come at a price. The singer describes being "hit off" and begging for more - perhaps suggesting that the relationship has become toxic.
The bridge questions the nature of love, asking if it is sweet manipulation, sweet temptation, or something else entirely. It ends with the question "what is love?" inviting the listener to contemplate this same question.
Line by Line Meaning
Big blue in a gasfield, you caught me lying
I'm in a desolate place and you caught me in a lie.
Pathetic religion of sex and crying
Our relationship was solely based on sex and emotional turmoil.
I nailed the door shut to leave you blind
I deliberately cut you out of my life.
I nailed the door shut for peace of mind
I needed closure and to move on with my life.
Hot and cold in the goldmine, the diamond legs
Our relationship was up and down and sometimes felt like a treasure hunt.
After she hit me off, I just had to beg
After sex, I was left wanting more and had to plead for it.
You were the best love I ever had
You were the most intense and passionate love I experienced.
Time doesn't slow down for those who dream
Life goes by quickly and we must take action to achieve our goals.
I wake only to hear this scream
I am haunted by memories of our failed relationship.
Love is the only incident
Love is rare and special.
An infatuation
I was not truly in love, but infatuated.
Is this sweet manipulation?
I wonder if love is just a way people manipulate each other.
Well, I was frightened myself
I was afraid of my own emotions and vulnerability.
What is love?
A rhetorical question about the nature of love.
It's a fine inclination
Love is an exquisite feeling.
A lovely retardation
Love slows down time and can make us feel delayed or stuck in a moment.
What is life but a reality vacation?
Life is a brief escape from reality.
Indulging operation
Loving someone is indulging in emotions.
The worthiest damnation
Love is worth the pain it may cause.
Sweet temptation
Love is tempting and can be dangerous.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jamie Houston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind