Matt Pond PA has performed with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Nickel Creek, Youth Group, Mae, Keane, Guster, Dios Malos, Neko Case, Straylight Run, and Liz Phair.
The band's music has been included in the soundtrack for the FOX television program The O.C., specifically cover versions of Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" and Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea."
As of late 2007, the lineup consists of Matt Pond on vocals and guitar, Dan Crowell on drums, Steve Jewett on guitar, Matthew Daniel Siskin on bass, and Chris Hansen on keyboards, guitar, and vocals.
Albums
* Deer Apartments (1998)
* Measure (2000)
* The Green Fury (2002)
* The Nature of Maps (2002)
* Emblems (2004)
* Several Arrows Later (2005)
* Last Light (2007)
* The Dark Leaves (2010)
EPs & Singles
* I Thought You Were Sleeping EP (2001)
* This Is Not the Green Fury (2001)
* Four Songs EP (2004)
* Lily Two (Single) (2004)
* Winter Songs EP (2005)
* Snow Day (Single) (2005)
* Halloween (Single) (2006)
* Champagne Supernova EP (2006)
* Several Arrows Later (Single) (2006)
* If You Want Blood (2007)
* People Have A Way (Single) (2007)
* Sunlight (Single) (2007)
* The Freeep (2008)
* The Threeep - Part I - Starting (2009)
Running Wild
Matt Pond PA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In brown grass and blood
A piece of the high life
Digs into my heel
Give back to the soil to see
What can come up from the spring
The red of the last light
From Brooklyn to Hawthorn
The planes fill the sky
You tell me about death
I tell you the cardinal
Crepe myrtle and the call
With your chest you believe
We're not fast enough to sleep
Through the night a million miles
We're both smashing windows
Running wild
The power line branches
Make shadows of trees
I'm still in the wet warmth
Where muscles are faithful
I tell you about death
You tell me about the cardinal
Crepe myrtle and the call
With your chest you believe
We're not fast enough to sleep
Through the night a million miles
We're both smashing windows
Running wild
Break all the dishes
And tear down the curtains
And throw over tables
And rip all our clothes off
In love so completely
In love so completely
In love so completely
The lyrics of Matt Pond PA's song Running Wild paint a vivid picture of two individuals, possibly lovers, who are running wild and carefree in a backyard filled with brown grass and blood, barefooted. The "piece of the high life" that "digs into my heel" serves as a metaphor for the harsh realities of life that can intrude and cause pain despite the idyllic setting. They give back to the soil in hopes of growth in the spring, symbolizing an optimistic outlook on life despite the challenges they face.
The second verse delves deeper into their conversation, with one person discussing death while the other talks about the beauty of nature with a cardinal, crepe myrtle, and the sounds they make. The two concepts seem to clash, but the music ties them together with a sense of cohesion. The chorus repeats the idea that they are both "smashing windows / running wild" despite the obstacles in their path. They continue to defy convention and live life on their own terms.
The bridge becomes more intense, with the power line branches casting shadows on the trees and the singer still in the "wet warmth" of the backyard. They continue their conversation about death and the beauty of life, with the refrain that they are both "smashing windows / running wild" echoing throughout the song. As the song comes to an end, the couple moves beyond words and begins breaking dishes and tearing down curtains, fully immersed in the passionate abandon of love.
Line by Line Meaning
In bare feet in backyards
We are back to nature, feeling the earth below our feet in our own outdoor space.
In brown grass and blood
The harsh reality of life is always present - shown through the colors of the grass, and the inevitability of pain and loss.
A piece of the high life
Digs into my heel
We think we understand what it means to have 'the good life,' but in reality, it can still be painful and uncomfortable.
Give back to the soil to see
What can come up from the spring
We must nurture the environment to see what can truly grow and flourish.
The red of the last light
Goes down with your words
The day's final moments are colored by the emotions and words shared, whether positive or negative.
From Brooklyn to Hawthorn
The planes fill the sky
No matter where we are, the power and influence of technology can be as ubiquitous as the sky above.
You tell me about death
I tell you the cardinal
Crepe myrtle and the call
We share knowledge and beauty, but also grief and loss, as two individuals experiencing life together.
With your chest you believe
We're not fast enough to sleep
Through the night a million miles
We're both smashing windows
Running wild
We are filled with a passion for life that keeps us up at night, wanting to break through the barriers and explore the world with fierce abandon.
The power line branches
Make shadows of trees
The complex technology of society can obscure and overshadow the natural world around us, reducing it to mere shadows and echoes.
I'm still in the wet warmth
Where muscles are faithful
Despite the many distractions and hardships of life, we can still find comfort and solace in our own bodies and surroundings.
Break all the dishes
And tear down the curtains
And throw over tables
And rip all our clothes off
In love so completely
In love so completely
We revel in the intensity and passion of love, unafraid of the chaos and damage it might bring.
Contributed by Austin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.