Jets to Brazil was an American rock band. It was founded by Blake Schwarzen… Read Full Bio ↴Jets to Brazil was an American rock band. It was founded by Blake Schwarzenbach, former frontman of Jawbreaker, who found himself in Brooklyn, New York, after Jawbreaker disbanded. There he united with friend Jeremy Chatelain (who is not to be confused with the French singer of the same name); the two had met at the final Jawbreaker show, Chatelain himself having emerged from the break-up of Handsome.

Together they began working on four-track recordings aided by drum machines until they asked Chris Daly, previously the drummer for Texas Is the Reason, to join them. Daly created the name "Jets to Brazil" (perhaps taken from a poster seen in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's), and the band joined Jade Tree Records in 1997.

It was under Jade Tree that they recorded their first (and, following the successes of their previous bands, highly anticipated) album, Orange Rhyming Dictionary. Following its eventual success they went on to release Four Cornered Night, which introduced the fourth member of the band: former Van Pelt guitarist, Brian Maryansky. In 2002, Jets to Brazil launched their third — and what was to be final — album, Perfecting Loneliness. By 2003 the band had broken up, for unspecified reasons.

Crown
Jets to Brazil Lyrics

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we are the high street service trays
coming to take you away
pasadena 1968
with speed on your breakfast plate
aunt cancer calls them happy pills
they keep her calm and cool until he leaves
the moccasin skin obsession leather thigh
white tennis skirt so high

the eyes of mine are new and kind
but the hair's not grey, it's white
and grandfather's an ascot noose
can't tie the tassels on his shoes
leave me
these are the red-eyed politics
the cocktail revisionists
war room rules: no wives or kids
here men sing the boy in them
the hedge casts heroes late across our lawn
the valley hunt militiamen, all gone
thought we had the lock in '54
now the maid owns the house next door
and what's more
swims in the pool she used to clean
our new king looks like a queen
leave me
oh god stop tearing off the roof
of my experimental bathroom
it's the only thing that's halfway mine
and not for your prying and lying eyes
the empire's melting like ice cream
on the altar of the sun

this skin we've stretched for centuries
it's faded, it's fraying, it's meaningless to me

Overall Meaning

The song "Crown of the Valley" by Jets to Brazil paints a vivid picture of a place and time that's now long gone. The lyrics are full of intriguing images that demand interpretation. At its core, the song seems to be about the decline of a once-great empire or institution. The repeated line "we are the high street service trays coming to take you away" conjures up images of servants carrying trays of food, suggesting that the singer is part of a wealthy or powerful establishment that's on the verge of collapse.

The first verse takes us to "Pasadena 1968" and describes a surreal scene in which "speed" is served on breakfast plates and "happy pills" keep the singer's aunt calm until her husband leaves. The imagery of moccasin skin obsession, leather thighs, and high white tennis skirts is suggestive of a bygone era of sexual liberation and free love.

The second verse describes a world of "red-eyed politics," "cocktail revisionists," and "hedge casts heroes late across our lawn." The clues here suggest that the song is about the decline of a privileged class, one that's lost its grip on power and is watching as its world falls apart. The final lines, "the empire's melting like ice cream on the altar of the sun this skin we've stretched for centuries it's faded, it's fraying, it's meaningless to me," drive home the sense of loss and decay that permeates the song.

Line by Line Meaning

we are the high street service trays
We are the common people who serve others without recognition.

coming to take you away
We are coming to lead you to a new realization.

pasadena 1968
The setting is a place and time that represents a period of change.

with speed on your breakfast plate
We have a fast-paced lifestyle that reflects our desire to achieve more each day.

aunt cancer calls them happy pills
Prescription drugs can provide temporary relief for those dealing with serious health issues and emotional distress.

they keep her calm and cool until he leaves
The pills help her to cope until she's alone again with her thoughts and fears.

the moccasin skin obsession leather thigh
Fashion trends reflect the cultural and social ideals of a particular era or group of people.

white tennis skirt so high
The style represents feminine beauty and gracefulness.

the eyes of mine are new and kind
Our perspective is fresh, youthful, and full of empathy.

but the hair's not grey, it's white
We may look young and vibrant, but we are wise beyond our years.

and grandfather's an ascot noose
Our elders are bound by tradition and social expectations that limit their expression.

can't tie the tassels on his shoes
He struggles to keep up with the pace of change and new ideas.

leave me
I need space and time to reflect on my individual path and values.

these are the red-eyed politics
The issues at hand are divisive and emotional, leading to heated debates and strong opinions.

the cocktail revisionists
People are reimagining the past and shaping a new social narrative with their actions.

war room rules: no wives or kids
The political class functions in its own world, separate from the needs and concerns of ordinary people.

here men sing the boy in them
Society encourages men to embrace traditional values of strength and competitiveness, but they also yearn for the vulnerability and emotional expression of their youth.

the hedge casts heroes late across our lawn
The conflicts of the past have left their mark on our present, shaping our perceptions of what is heroic or valuable.

the valley hunt militiamen, all gone
The old guard has faded away, replaced by new ideas and people who are redefining our culture.

thought we had the lock in '54
We were secure and confident in our way of life in the past, but things have changed.

now the maid owns the house next door
The social order has shifted, with people outside of the traditional power structure gaining influence and asserting their own ideas.

and what's more swims in the pool she used to clean
People are no longer confined by the limitations of their past, and they are free to do or be whatever they choose.

our new king looks like a queen
The traditional gender roles are being challenged, and society is embracing a new way of looking at masculinity and femininity.

oh god stop tearing off the roof
The things I hold dear are under attack, and I feel vulnerable and exposed.

of my experimental bathroom
Our personal spaces are where we can truly be ourselves, without the constraints or expectations of others.

it's the only thing that's halfway mine
In a world of constant change, I need something that I can cling to as my own.

and not for your prying and lying eyes
I am guarding my privacy and my identity from those who would seek to control or manipulate me.

the empire's melting like ice cream
The structures and institutions that once seemed unshakeable are now crumbling and fading away.

on the altar of the sun
We are sacrificing our old ways of life in order to embrace a new, brighter future.

this skin we've stretched for centuries
Our culture has survived decades of change and turmoil, but now it is stretched thin and fragile.

it's faded, it's fraying, it's meaningless to me
The traditional values and beliefs are no longer holding true, and people are searching for new ways to find meaning and purpose in their lives.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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