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.
Tumbling Down
Ima Robot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i got a beautiful girl
shes nothing to me
i got some really great friends
they're nothing to see
thank you for nothing my love
i needed it most
now i'd like to make a toast
its the year of the walking dead
the year of the talking heads
let it all come tumblin' down
oh wow
so its the year of the mid regret
the year of the blue blue stays*
let it all come tumblin' down
it all comes tumblin' down
tonight
hey
sir ive got nothing to say
to your big night stick
i dont believe in your power
you stupid prick
thank you for nothing my love
i needed it bad
without it i would have gone mad
for nothing!
its the year of the walking dead
the year of the talking heads
the year that it all comes tumblin' down
oh wow
so its the year of the mid regret
the year of the blue blue stage
let it all come tumbling down
it all comes tumbling down
tonight
it all comes tumbling down
tonight
tonight
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
mh mh mh mh mh
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
mh mh mh mh mh
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh.
The lyrics of "Tumbling Down" by Ima Robot appears to be about the singer's disillusionment with the world and everything around him. The song starts with the singer describing the people in his life, a beautiful girl and great friends, but quickly downplays their importance, stating that they're nothing to him or nothing to see. The singer then sarcastically thanks his love for nothing, suggesting that he needed disappointment in order to find clarity. The song's refrain, "let it all come tumbling down," seems to refer to the singer's desire to see everything fall apart in order to rebuild anew.
The second verse continues the singer's critical tone, directly challenging someone in power, "Sir, I've got nothing to say to your big nightstick." The singer further expresses his disdain for authority, calling the person a "stupid prick" and again thanking his love for nothing. The song's overall message suggests a kind of nihilistic worldview, where everything is meaningless and ripe for destruction. The final repeated "mh" sounds in the song feel ambiguous but could symbolize the only sounds escaping the broken speaker's mouth.
Line by Line Meaning
hey
The singer greets or catches someone's attention.
i got a beautiful girl
The singer has an attractive partner, but the singer feels empty inside.
shes nothing to me
The singer is emotionally detached from their partner.
i got some really great friends
The artist has amazing friends.
they're nothing to see
The artist wishes others could not see how cool their friends are, to keep them to themselves.
thank you for nothing my love
The singer is thanking their love for nothing.
i needed it most
The singer needed their love to give them nothing, as that was better than giving something negative.
now i'd like to make a toast
The artist wants to make a toast.
to nothing!
The artist is toasting to having or wanting nothing.
its the year of the walking dead
The artist is proclaiming that it's the year of those living vacant lives. It's the year of the passionless ones.
the year of the talking heads
It's the year of people who talk without thinking or caring.
let it all come tumblin' down
The artist wants everything to fall apart.
oh wow
The singer is expressing surprise, possibly about the events mentioned earlier in the song.
so its the year of the mid regret
It's the year of regrets that the singer is settling for because they do not know any better. It's the year of the mediocre regret.
the year of the blue blue stays*
It's the year of boring, stagnant living situations.
it all comes tumblin' down
Everything is collapsing.
tonight
The events described are happening today.
sir ive got nothing to say
The singer has nothing to contribute to the conversation.
to your big night stick
The singer is addressing someone with a large stick, possibly the police or an authority figure.
i dont believe in your power
The artist disagrees with the power dynamic of the situation.
you stupid prick
The artist insults the person with the stick.
thank you for nothing my love
The artist thanks their love for providing nothing.
i needed it bad
The singer needed nothing, desperately.
without it i would have gone mad
The artist implies that, without having nothing, they would have been worse off.
its the year of the walking dead
Repeating the previous sentiment, that this is the year of lifelessness.
the year that it all comes tumblin' down
Focusing back on the deteriorating state of everything around them.
it all comes tumbling down
Again emphasizing that everything is collapsing.
tonight
Things will come to a head today.
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
Mumbling sounds from the artist that may represent feelings of sadness or emptiness.
mh mh mh mh mh
More mumbling from the singer, perhaps continuing the aforementioned sadness or emptiness.
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
Further mumbling that could indicate the singer slipping deeper into a state of melancholy.
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh mh
Continuation of the previous idea.
mh mh mh mh mh
Final mumbling sounds that could denote the artist's defeat.
mh mh mh mh mh mh mh.
The artist trails off with more indistinct mumbling, potentially representing a feeling of being lost or directionless.
Contributed by Natalie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
StripperLicker
What is this?
Alexander Cashurn
and thank you for doing that! :3
Ima Robot Unofficial
no, we're just archiving them
StripperLicker
@ima-robot.net Are you the creator of these sounds?
Ima Robot Unofficial
then what were you asking lol
StripperLicker
@ima-robot.net Of course the name is obvious, it's right there. <facepalm>