Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released on Howe Gelb's Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was released by Future Farmer Records, and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records. A collection of live recordings, Live Music & the Voices of Strangers, was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows. His next album, Transfiguration of Vincent, was released in 2003, followed by Transistor Radio in 2005. A year later, Post War was released.
In 2006, he contributed a song to, and helped produce, the John Fahey tribute album, I Am the Resurrection. He also contributed the song "Transfiguration #1" from Transfiguration of Vincent to the Brushfire Records soundtrack for A Brokedown Melody, a Jack Johnson surfing film.
His album, Hold Time, was released in 2009. The album A Wasteland Companion followed in 2012. The album title alludes to T.S. Eliot's 1922 modernist poem, The Waste Land. In 2016, he released More Rain. On June 8, 2018, M. Ward released What a Wonderful Industry.
Side Projects
In 2008 M. Ward combined forces with Zooey Deschanel and became She & Him. They have released two albums so far, Volume One in 2008 and Volume Two in 2010. He is also one fourth of the folk supergroup, Monsters of Folk, alongside Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes. Their self-titled release, Monsters of Folk, was released in 2009.
* Official website
Outta My Head
M. Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then off with it's head, off with it's head, oh my!
And a breeze met a blossom in a winter embrace
And then off with it's head, off with it's head, oh my!
Am I outta my head, outta my head my love?
Am I outta my head or is this real life?
(No clue on the this verse at all!)
And then off with my head, off with my head, oh my!
Once you taught me how to crawl, and you taught me how to cry
And then off with my head, off with my head, oh my!
Am I outta my head, outta my head my love?
Am I outta my head or is this goodbye?
Am I outta my head or is this goodbye?
In M. Ward's song Outta My Head, the lyrics describe the destructive nature of love and how it can turn one's world upside down. The first two stanzas describe the meeting of a playful kitten and a bird, and a breeze and a blossom, respectively. These seemingly innocuous meetings end in a violent and abrupt manner, with each victim losing its head. This imagery is used to depict how even innocent and harmless things can meet untimely, violent ends.
The chorus of the song repeats the question "Am I outta my head, outta my head my love?" with the addition of "or is this real life?" This question is repeated several times, perhaps indicating the singer's confusion and anxiety about the state of his relationship. The third verse is a bit cryptic, with the singer saying "And then off with my head, off with my head, oh my!" It could be interpreted as a reference to the earlier imagery, suggesting that the singer feels like he is about to meet a similarly violent and abrupt end.
The final two stanzas are more straightforward, with the singer reminiscing about a time when his lover taught him how to crawl and cry. However, this nostalgic sentiment is also subverted when the singer repeats the phrase "off with my head," suggesting that even this time of innocence and vulnerability is not exempt from the destructive powers of love.
Overall, Outta My Head is a song about the confusing and sometimes painful nature of love, and how it can make one feel like they are losing their mind. The violent imagery used is a powerful metaphor for the destructive powers of love, and the repetition of the chorus emphasizes the singer's confusion and disorientation.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh a playful little kitten met a playful little bird,
Two seemingly innocent creatures come together, but one meets a tragic end.
And then off with it's head, off with it's head, oh my!
The outcome is violent, sudden, and unexpected.
And a breeze met a blossom in a winter embrace
Two opposing forces connect in a temporary moment of unity.
And then off with it's head, off with it's head, oh my!
The moment of harmony is short-lived and ends in destruction.
Am I outta my head, outta my head my love?
The artist questions their own sanity and sense of reality.
Am I outta my head or is this real life?
The singer is unsure if what they are experiencing is genuine or a figment of their imagination.
And then off with my head, off with my head, oh my!
The singer fears losing their own sense of self and control.
Once you taught me how to crawl, and you taught me how to cry
Someone close to the artist had a profound impact on their development and emotions.
And then off with my head, off with my head, oh my!
Despite this influence, the artist still feels vulnerable and overwhelmed.
Am I outta my head, outta my head my love?
The artist seeks reassurance from a loved one.
Am I outta my head or is this goodbye?
The singer is uncertain if their relationship will last amidst their own doubts and fears.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind