Origins
Jeff Mangum was a member of The Olivia Tremor Control, along with his friend Will Cullen Hart and Bill Doss, appearing on their first release, the California Demise 7".
Prior to recording for friends under the NMH moniker, Mangum recorded at least one cassette under the name Milk: the only known tape was called Pygmie Barn in E Minor. This is the earliest known recordings that Mangum initiated and executed himself, on the cover there is "all songs: j.m '89. art: w. cullen hart". There is only an estimated dozen or so copies ever made of this tape, none of which have been made public. The tracklist etc. are also unknown.
Neutral Milk Hotel began life in Ruston, Louisiana, United States in the early 1990s, simply as a recording project for Mangum. He produced several demo cassettes, among them 1991's Invent Yourself a Shortcake, 1992's Beauty and 1993's Hype City Soundtrack, along with two more from this period, seemingly unnamed. Although easily found on the internet, these demos capture the project at a very embryonic state: songs are played in between various sound collages and tape experiments, and even, at one point, a six minute conversation between Mangum and Hart.
During this period, Mangum was wandering the country, staying in the closets of friends, and in a state of permanent unemployment. It was in these circumstances that the band's first formal releases took shape. Strictly speaking, however, the 'band' usually consisted of Mangum and whoever else was present at the time. This is obvious on Neutral Milk Hotel's first release, a 7" entitled Everything Is, recorded when Mangum was spending time in Seattle, Washington, released on Cher Doll Records in 1994.
On Avery Island
A full album, On Avery Island, followed, this time recorded mainly in Denver, Colorado, where Mangum was backed by Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo, Rick Benjamin of the Perry Weissman Three and Lisa Janssen of Secret Square. Merge Records released it in 1996. On On Avery Island, Mangum's unique vocal style and the band's quirky but playful arrangements create a carnival atmosphere of moods ranging from excitement, suspense, and melodrama.
After the release of On Avery Island, Neutral Milk Hotel became a fully-fledged band, as Julian Koster, Scott Spillane and Jeremy Barnes joined Mangum, the band now being based in New York. Soon after this, they moved to Athens, Georgia, where many of Mangum's friends had begun to settle, and the Elephant 6 recording company began, fully, to take shape. After this, the band went back to Denver, to record a proper follow up to On Avery Island.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
The band's second LP, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, released in 1998, is notable as a critically acclaimed work and a widely popular recording. It is a spiritually motivated work, conceptually based on the beauty to be found in the horrific fate of Anne Frank and similarly overwhelming tragedies. (Mangum has, during live performances, including the one released under the title "Live at Jittery Joe's", described some of the songs off this album as based on urgent, recurring dreams he had of a European family during the 1940s.) The album was highly praised by critics for its wildly inventive instrumentation and Mangum's provocative and impassioned lyrics. Although it met with scant response from the general public when it was released, the recording has continued to gain momentum in indie music circles and has become a cult classic, selling well over 100,000 copies according to Merge Records. However, the record along with the year of constant touring that succeeded it took its toll on Mangum. The band quite abruptly went on hiatus turning down all requests for shows, including a support slot for R.E.M.. All of a sudden, the band appeared to go silent and very little has been heard from Mangum since 1999.
Hiatus
Although all the members are still active with one another in other projects, it is unknown whether any more Neutral Milk Hotel albums will be released. There were plans to release a Neutral Milk Hotel rarities album on the Orange Twin label; however, after an announcement in 2005 on the Orange Twin website claiming that Jeff Mangum had in fact eventually decided against the project, it is unclear if this will ever happen.
There has been, however, some activity since In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. First, Orange Twin re-released Everything Is...., complete with extra bonus tracks, as well as Live at Jittery Joe's, a bootleg recording of a show Mangum played in a coffee house in Athens in 1997. The Major Organ and the Adding Machine album, a rather secretive project released by Orange Twin in 2001 and consisting mainly of experimental musical collage, features Mangum, along with Julian Koster, Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes, Elf Power's Andrew Reiger and the Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System's Will Cullen Hart and Eric Harris. There was also the release of Orange Twin Field Works, Vol. 1, Mangum's field recording of a Bulgarian folk festival, also on Orange Twin in 2001. Additionally, he plays drums on the first Circulatory System album.
Since the start of the hiatus Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum has only played live properly again once, under the pseudonym 'World of Wild Beards, Inc.', at the Kings Arms pub in Auckland, New Zealand, at the request of the Tall Dwarfs' Chris Knox. He has also made appearances with Elf Power, and appeared onstage at the first of The Olivia Tremor Control's New York shows on their 2005 reunion tour, to sing briefly. Further releases from Neutral Milk Hotel, however, are indicated to be unlikely.
The other members are all still releasing or recording material: Julian Koster as The Music Tapes, Scott Spillane as The Gerbils and Jeremy Barnes as A Hawk & A Hacksaw, Bablicon and Marta Tennae.
In 2005, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea saw its re-release by Domino Records in the UK, in a sleeve featuring praise from, among others, Franz Ferdinand and The Arcade Fire, both very much influenced by the band. On Avery Island was re-released in the US in January of 2006 with live bonus tracks. Mangum has also been fairly busy creatively - following a charity auction on eBay of an acoustic guitar decorated by Mangum himself, more guitars hand-decorated by Mangum were sold via Orange Twin Records for $900 apiece. In addition, a number of Mangum's original drawings, this time costing only $10 each, were sold via Neutral Milk Hotel's website.
In 2013, made a reunion tour of the United States, Australia, Taiwan and Japan. The band subsequently played concerts sporadically until going on indefinite hiatus in mid-2015.
Wishful Eyes
Neutral Milk Hotel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fill this room up with the spirit of your pride
So, that all the world can hear it go in vain
Tripping to the drain, wait I can explain
Inside myself that I am seeking
Little smiles,
Every moment brings another wasted mile
Get up to leave for the time has come for leaving
And if it don't succeed will just bury all the leaves
And we could escape this emptiness
Someone take control of me
I am spinning in infinity
With my life its going endlessly from control
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
Little child
I discovered you and hold you till good-bye
Just to punch you in the face with nothing more
Then when all my anger bore
Its little head it started screaming
That we’ve heard this all before
So just open up the door
And fill your mouth with freedom’s feeling
But, someone take control of me
I am trudging with my infantry
With my army and my enemies taking all
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
The lyrics of Wishful Eyes by Neutral Milk Hotel are a reflection of the human condition and the struggles faced by individuals. The first verse speaks about the desire to express oneself fully and unapologetically in a world that often ignores or dismisses individuality, with wishful eyes filling up the room with the spirit of one's pride. However, these wishes often seem to go in vain, with the singer tripping and seeking explanation within themselves. This highlights the struggle to articulate one's true self in a world that often forces them to conform or hide their true identity.
The second verse shifts to a sense of frustration that arises due to the distance between what one needs and wants and what one has. Despite the promises of progress and development, there seems to be a gap between the ideal and the reality that leaves the singer feeling stuck and unable to leave. This feeling is repeated in the chorus, with the plea to take control of oneself and escape the emptiness that surrounds them. The third verse speaks to the feelings of being overwhelmed and out of control, with the singer spinning in infinity and unable to reign in their life. The final lines remind listeners of the inevitability of change and the need to embrace the present moment as it passes, even if it feels unbearable.
Overall, Wishful Eyes speaks to the universal struggle of identity, purpose and control. The lyrics are a call for individuals to take ownership of their lives, to embrace their individuality and find ways to escape the emptiness that often surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
Wishful eyes
The singer and/or subject of the song has hopeful and optimistic feelings, as implied by the adjective 'wishful,' which is used to describe their eyes
Fill this room up with the spirit of your pride
The singer is requesting that someone else bring energy, enthusiasm, and confidence ('spirit of your pride') into the room, which would presumably brighten the mood or atmosphere
So, that all the world can hear it go in vain
Despite the optimism expressed in the previous line, the singer seems to believe that these positive feelings will ultimately be wasted ('go in vain') or ignored by the rest of the world
Tripping to the drain, wait I can explain
The artist is in a state of confusion or distress ('tripping to the drain'), but is also trying to offer some sort of explanation or justification for their behavior or emotions ('wait I can explain')
Inside myself that I am seeking
The artist is on an internal search or quest ('inside myself') for something that is not explicitly stated or described
Little smiles
This phrase is a reference to small or fleeting moments of happiness or contentment
Every moment brings another wasted mile
The singer feels as though their life is full of pointless or unproductive experiences ('another wasted mile'), with no clear direction or purpose
Between everything and everything I need
The artist is caught in a limbo or conflict between what they have ('everything') and what they desire or require ('everything I need')
Get up to leave for the time has come for leaving
The artist is preparing to depart or move on from their current situation or environment ('get up to leave'), likely because it is unsatisfying or unfulfilling
And if it don't succeed will just bury all the leaves
The artist will abandon or forget about their failed attempts ('bury all the leaves') if they do not achieve their goals ('if it don't succeed')
And we could escape this emptiness
The singer is proposing that they and another person (presumably the 'you' referred to in the previous lines) could escape their feelings of emptiness or dissatisfaction together
Someone take control of me
The artist feels lost or unsure of themselves, and is requesting assistance or guidance from another person ('someone')
I am spinning in infinity
The singer feels as though they are trapped in an endless cycle or pattern ('infinity'), with no clear way out or sense of purpose
With my life its going endlessly from control
The singer feels as though their life is slipping out of their grasp or influence ('going endlessly from control'), and they are powerless to change their circumstances
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
The singer is suggesting that they and another person (perhaps the same person as before) should take off their clothes and go to bed, likely to engage in intimate or sexual activity
Cause everybody know the world continues though Whether or not your still breathing
The artist is highlighting the fact that life goes on regardless of whether or not any individual is alive or dead ('whether or not your still breathing')
Little child
This is likely a term of endearment or affection directed at another person, who is potentially younger or less experienced than the artist
I discovered you and hold you till good-bye
The singer met or encountered the other person ('discovered you') and enjoyed their company or presence ('hold you') up until the point when they had to part ways ('till good-bye')
Just to punch you in the face with nothing more
This line is likely meant metaphorically or figuratively, suggesting that the singer betrayed or hurt the other person ('punch you in the face') without any clear reason or justification ('with nothing more')
Then when all my anger bore
The artist seems to be describing a situation where their anger or frustration built up over time until it reached a breaking point ('when all my anger bore')
Its little head it started screaming
The artist is using an anthropomorphic metaphor to describe their anger as a small creature ('its little head') that suddenly started making noise or causing a commotion ('started screaming')
That we’ve heard this all before
The artist's anger or outburst is not seen as unique or surprising ('heard this all before'), but rather a pattern of behavior that has occurred repeatedly in the past
So just open up the door
The singer is suggesting that the other person should leave or exit their current situation ('open up the door') rather than staying and enduring further conflict or harm
And fill your mouth with freedom’s feeling
The artist is encouraging the other person to embrace a sense of liberation or liberation ('freedom's feeling') and to move on from whatever has been holding them back or causing them pain
I am trudging with my infantry
The singer is using a military metaphor to describe their sense of struggle or difficulty ('trudging'), as though they are part of an army ('my infantry') that is fighting a war
With my army and my enemies taking all
The singer feels as though their life is an ongoing battle ('army and enemies') where they are constantly being defeated or overcome ('taking all')
Contributed by Zachary P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
steelshark studios
Wishful eyes,
Fill this room up with the spirit of your cries
So, that all the world can hear it go in vain
Oh, once again I'm cracked and empty leaking
Drip into the drain, wait I can explain
Inside myself that I am seeking
Little smiles,
Every moment brings another wasted mile
Between everything and everything I need
Get up to leave for the time has come for leaving
And if it don't succeed will just burry all the leaves
And we could escape this emptiness
Someone take control of me
I am spinning in infinity
With my life it's going endlessly from control
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
Little Child,
I discovered you and hold you till surprise(?)
Just to punch you in the face with nothing more
Than what all my anger bore
Its little head and started screaming
But weve heard this all before
Don't just open up the door
And fill your mouth with freedoms feelings
But, someone take control of me
I am trudging with my infantry
With my army and my enemies taking hold
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
steelshark studios
Wishful eyes,
Fill this room up with the spirit of your cries
So, that all the world can hear it go in vain
Oh, once again I'm cracked and empty leaking
Drip into the drain, wait I can explain
Inside myself that I am seeking
Little smiles,
Every moment brings another wasted mile
Between everything and everything I need
Get up to leave for the time has come for leaving
And if it don't succeed will just burry all the leaves
And we could escape this emptiness
Someone take control of me
I am spinning in infinity
With my life it's going endlessly from control
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
Little Child,
I discovered you and hold you till surprise(?)
Just to punch you in the face with nothing more
Than what all my anger bore
Its little head and started screaming
But weve heard this all before
Don't just open up the door
And fill your mouth with freedoms feelings
But, someone take control of me
I am trudging with my infantry
With my army and my enemies taking hold
Take off your clothes for the time has come for sleeping
Cause everybody know the world continues though
Whether or not your still breathing
darkblock9
Hey, just wanted to say "I discovered you and hold you till surprise" I think he's saying "...and hold you to defile"
Behelitt
I think that's the highest i've ever heard Jeff sing. This song should be better-known!
Ali Rossetti
so happy someone else knows this cassette!! love this song
EAE
Will someone take control of me? I am spinning in infinity
ianthegamer
Sailing through is what you need to hear
John A. Sørenson
"my life was coming apart at the time" laughs
star warrior
<3
Elizabeth Phillips
wow
Ross Anderson
This gotta be written at the same time as engine?