The band self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums. In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.
Okkervil River released their most recent album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3, 2013.
Discography:
* 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound
* 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound
* 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Julie Doiron/Okkervil River (A split CD with Julie Dorion) - Acuarela
* 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral (A split CD with Shearwater) - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2006 Overboard and Down (EP) – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP
* 2007 The Stage Names - Jagjaguwar
* 2008 The Stand-Ins - Jagjaguwar
* 2011 I Am Very Far - Jagjaguwar
* 2013 The Silver Gymnasium - ATO Records
* 2016 Away - ATO Records
* 2018 In The Rainbow Rain - ATO Records
Current band members:
* Will Sheff - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica (keyboard occasionally)
* Travis Nelsen - drums, misc. percussion
* Scott Brackett - trumpet, coronet, keyboards, organ, tape player, misc. percussion
* Patrick Pestorius - bass, piano, woodblocks
* Justin Sherburn - keys, guitar
* Lauren Gurgiolo - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin
Past band members:
* Seth Warren - guitar
* Zachary Thomas - vocals, bass
* Jonathan Meiburg - vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, piano, organ
* Mark Pedini - drums
* Brian Cassidy - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, melodica (keyboard and accordion when on tour without Jonathan)
Blue Tulip
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So give them an excuse
They say that it changed you
I know that can't be true
I came in the entrance the makeup girl went through
And waited for ages, I waited there for you
Hats off to my distant hope
And he's behind the wall the smoke machine has made between us
And if he does exist, if camera clicking,
Green room guests swirl 'round the man whose real life can be touched
Then I will do just that much
Hats off to my distant hope
A little lie, a puff of smoke
My street tonight's on fire with hope
You'll be there, you'll see us
I've got my ear against the screen
I'll feel your feelings crackling
For every single inch of me, I'm going to make you mean it
With every single cell of me, I'm going to make you mean the words you sigh
You lie
Goodbye
Goodbye
The lyrics of Okkervil River's Blue Tulip can be interpreted as a commentary on the pressures of fame and the sacrifices one must make to achieve it. When the singer sings "They're waiting to hate you, so give them an excuse," it suggests that the public is eagerly waiting for a reason to turn on the artist. The line "They say that it changed you, I know that can't be true" implies that the public perceives the artist as having become different and unrelatable since becoming famous, but the singer knows that the artist is still the same person they always were. The reference to waiting for someone in the same entrance that the makeup girl used suggests the extravagance of fame and the manufactured image that is often created around artists.
The repeated line "Hats off to my distant hope" parallels the image of the artist being blocked by a velvet rope and a smoke machine. The lyricist is acknowledging that fame creates a barrier between the artist and their fans - a barrier that is not easily crossed. The "camera clicking" and "green room guests" swirling around the artist imply the shallowness of fame and how people can be swept up in the idea of an artist rather than the art itself. The singer says that they will "make you mean it" and push the artist to convey genuine emotions rather than phony ones.
Overall, Blue Tulip can be seen as a commentary on the challenges of navigating the complex world of fame and maintaining artistic integrity in the face of public scrutiny and pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
They're waiting to hate you
People are poised to dislike and criticize you
So give them an excuse
Deliberately do something to provoke them because you know they already dislike you
They say that it changed you
Others accuse you of being different
I know that can't be true
You know that you're still the same person you've always been
I came in the entrance the makeup girl went through
You arrived at the same place as someone else, but you are not given the same treatment
And waited for ages, I waited there for you
You patiently waited for someone you cared about to show up
Hats off to my distant hope
Acknowledging your far-fetched aspirations
I'm held back by a velvet rope
Attracted to a lifestyle or person that you cannot fully access
And he's behind the wall the smoke machine has made between us
There are artificial barriers between you and someone you want to connect with
And if he does exist, if camera clicking,
Questioning if the person you're trying to reach is even real
Green room guests swirl 'round the man whose real life can be touched
People around the person you're trying to reach are able to interact with them in a more authentic way
Then I will do just that much
You'll do everything in your power to make that connection happen
A little lie, a puff of smoke
Acknowledging that sometimes you may have to deceive to get ahead
My street tonight's on fire with hope
You are excited and hopeful about what might happen in the future
You'll be there, you'll see us
You believe the person you want to connect with will eventually be able to see your true self
I've got my ear against the screen
You're eagerly listening and waiting for the person you want to connect with
I'll feel your feelings crackling
You're keenly perceptive and can sense what the other person is feeling
For every single inch of me, I'm going to make you mean it
You're absolutely determined to make the other person see the truth of your situation
With every single cell of me, I'm going to make you mean the words you sigh
You'll make sure the person fully understands what they're saying when they sigh or express doubt
You lie
You resent the other person for making things unnecessarily difficult
Goodbye
Accepting that the situation is unlikely to change and leaving it behind
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: WILL ROBINSON SHEFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind