Their songs are notable for their male/female vocal harmony, shifting rhythms, and quirky song structure- most tracks are composed of multiple distinct, almost disjointed movements. Both members sing with great intensity, often in the upper ranges of their voices, and often sing different (yet complementary) melodies simultaneously. Tempos are nearly always fast, with beats often resembling those found in electronic club or dance music.
The main instruments used by the band are drums and electric organ. Although both members started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments.
The band recorded one album on Omnibus Records before moving to Polyvinyl Record Company for their second and third full-lengths. They have also released five 7-inch singles and two EPs. In December 2005, the band signed with Barsuk and since have released an album entitled Bring It Back. In May 2008, they released the album Re-Arrange Us.
Technicolor Girls
Mates of State Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
talking about their homes
and the conversations continue endlessly.
Technicolor boys, transistor radios
blasting their treble tones
and the arguments are disputed after school,
in the parking lot as the teachers bend the rules.
Patiently you waited for a courting boy's embrace,
then everyone would know.
But the letter jacket wasn't yours to own
and it proves to be on temporary loan.
And as they all grow older the truth will be understood,
'cause we never turn out the way we thought we would.
The song Technicolor Girls by Mates of State explores the theme of growing up and how people change as they age. The opening lines speak of how the Technicolor girls are always on the phone, talking about their homes and the conversations continue endlessly. This implies that they are still wrapped up in their own world, somewhat self-absorbed, and haven't quite moved on from their childhood. The Technicolor boys, on the other hand, are described as being loud, blasting their transistor radios and arguing after school in the parking lot as the teachers bend the rules. This paints a picture of teens who are trying to assert their independence, experimenting with their identity, challenging boundaries, and growing up.
The song then concludes with a final verse that talks about waiting for a courting boy's embrace, but the letter jacket wasn't hers to own and it proves to be on temporary loan. This could represent the fleeting nature of youth and how some things we hold dear may not be as permanent as we had hoped. As people grow older, they begin to realize that they didn't turn out the way they thought they would, and things that were once important are no longer as significant. The song touches on themes of nostalgia, the impermanence of youth, and growing up.
Line by Line Meaning
Technicolor girls are always on the phone talking about their homes and the conversations continue endlessly.
Young women are often obsessed with talking on the phone about their personal lives, and these conversations seem to never end.
Technicolor boys, transistor radios blasting their treble tones and the arguments are disputed after school, in the parking lot as the teachers bend the rules.
On the other hand, young men prefer to listen to their radios loudly and engage in arguments after school, in places where teachers have no control.
Patiently you waited for a courting boy's embrace, then everyone would know. But the letter jacket wasn't yours to own and it proves to be on temporary loan.
Some young women dream of being embraced by a popular boy, ultimately wanting to be adored by everyone around them. However, despite receiving his letter jacket, they know it is not in their possession for long.
And as they all grow older the truth will be understood, 'cause we never turn out the way we thought we would.
As the years pass, they will all realize that life does not turn out as planned, and that their teenage dreams and expectations were far from reality.
Contributed by Savannah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.