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)
Starry Stairs
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you think this fan club is for?
I slithered up each rose corridor,
I kept a warm safe place in my core
Before I lost it.
They ask for blood,
What do you think this woman's made of?
They dreamt a low long line to be crossed
And I crossed it.
I'm alive but a different kind of life
Than the way I used to be,
I retire to a split white smile to be seen
In on an old sad magazine.
And this girls eyes,
Well they were roughly wretched open,
I could see a starry stare up your thigh.
You hid behind your hair, oh, but I saw you smiling
While all these guys, all these curious sets of eyes
Safe behind a TV screen.
I let them pry,
Pick apart and hang out to dry
Almost every piece of me.
(If you don't love me, I'm sorry)
Oh, what a trip,
Oh, what a shivering silver ship,
Oh, what a hot half-life I half lived
Oh, and the stripes and stars
How they stripped off the siding.
When my life ripped, all from the part that played as a kid
Into the part that blazed through your lips
To find a warm, safe place then to sit
Curl up inside it.
So here's goodbye
From the part that stays behind
To the part that has to leave
To the sublime lips that were never spoiled
By lying to the face inside the being
Who wasn't me
Who wasn't me
She's not me
The song "Starry Stairs" by Okkervil River features deep and vulnerable lyrics that tell a story of a person who has lost a part of themselves and replaced it with a new version that they are struggling to come into terms with. The opening verses are filled with introspection and a sense of confusion as they question the motives of the people around them. The chorus expresses a sense of loss, both of self and of innocence, as they describe the physical and emotional pain they have faced in life.
The opening line "They ask for more; what do you think this fan club is for?" may indicate a sense of pressure to maintain an image or a persona that is not authentic, but rather constructed to please others. The next line "I slithered up each rose corridor, I kept a warm safe place in my core, Before I lost it," suggests that the person may have felt secure and true to themselves before they were influenced or pressured to change. The following line "They ask for blood, what do you think this woman's made of" portrays a sense of objectification and exploitation that the person feels in their relationships.
As the song progresses, the person goes through a series of emotions, from feeling exposed and vulnerable as they confront the curiosity of others, to feeling empowered and in control as they reclaim their sense of self. The line "I'm alive but a different kind of life Than the way I used to be" suggests that the person is aware that they have changed, but they are uncertain if it was for the better or if they lost something essential along the way. The ending of the song "She's not me" may indicate a final acceptance that they are not the same person they used to be, but they are still trying to figure out who they are now.
Overall, "Starry Stairs" is a poignant and introspective song that explores the complexities of personal identity and the emotional toll it takes to maintain or change it.
Line by Line Meaning
They ask for more;
People demand increasing amounts of attention and devotion from me.
What do you think this fan club is for?
Why else would this group of people gather if not to worship me?
I slithered up each rose corridor,
I have taken every opportunity available to advance and succeed in my career.
I kept a warm safe place in my core
I maintain a guarded and protected inner self, despite the demands of the public eye.
Before I lost it.
Prior to being forced to reveal my true self to others.
They ask for blood,
The public wants to see my pain and suffering, as it creates an illusion of intimacy and vulnerabilities.
What do you think this woman's made of?
Despite appearances, I am human and have limited capabilities.
I stuck a small thin pin in my thumb;
I inflicted pain upon myself in order to bring entertainment to others or make myself seem more authentic.
They dreamt a low long line to be crossed
The expectations of the audience are endless and ever-increasing, necessitating continual self-sacrifice in order to keep up.
And I crossed it.
I have given everything I can in order to meet the public's expectations of me.
I'm alive but a different kind of life
Despite being alive and celebrated, I feel like I am not living an authentic or fulfilling life.
Than the way I used to be,
I have been transformed by the experience of achieving celebrity and its associated demands.
I retire to a split white smile to be seen
I present a carefully crafted image of joy to the public in order to maintain their interest and favor.
In on an old sad magazine.
My carefully constructed public identity exists only in the pages of print media.
And this girls eyes,
Another woman was present in the room with me.
Well they were roughly wretched open,
The other woman appeared to be in a state of shock or surprise.
I could see a starry stare up your thigh.
There was an implied sexual tension between myself and this other woman.
You hid behind your hair, oh, but I saw you smiling
The other woman attempted to conceal her feelings, but I could tell that she was happy or excited to be in my presence.
While all these guys, all these curious sets of eyes
Men in the media and public seem to be constantly watching and judging me.
Safe behind a TV screen.
These men are not directly involved in my life or work and generally view me as entertainment or a spectacle.
I let them pry,
I allow these men to invade my life and personal space with their attention and criticism.
Pick apart and hang out to dry
These men dissect and criticize every aspect of my life in order to indulge their own curiosity and fantasies.
Almost every piece of me.
Despite my attempts to maintain an inner self, the public has succeeded in taking almost everything from me.
(If you don't love me, I'm sorry)
If the public finds fault with me, I am sorry for not meeting their expectations.
Oh, what a trip,
The experience of fame and success has been life-changing and at times overwhelming.
Oh, what a shivering silver ship,
My life as a celebrity has been both exhilarating and terrifying.
Oh, what a hot half-life I half lived
Despite achieving a great deal of success and notoriety, I feel as though my life is only half-real.
Oh, and the stripes and stars
References to the American flag, which serves as a symbol of both patriotism and superficial appearances.
How they stripped off the siding.
The experience of being a celebrity has stripped away my façade and exposed my inner self in a way that I find deeply unsettling.
When my life ripped, all from the part that played as a kid
When my life as a celebrity began, it felt like a tearing away from my childhood self and life.
Into the part that blazed through your lips
The persona that I created as a celebrity has been validated by the public through descriptions spoken about me, which has prolonged it too much.
To find a warm, safe place then to sit
Despite my conflicted feelings about my life and the experience of being a celebrity, I seek a place of stability and comfort in my inner self.
Curl up inside it.
I wish to retreat from the public eye and the pressures that it brings in order to find inner peace.
So here's goodbye
I am saying goodbye to the part of me that is a celebrity, which has caused me so much stress and conflict.
From the part that stays behind
Some aspect of my public persona will remain even as I attempt to leave the world of celebrity behind.
To the part that has to leave
I am leaving behind the part of me that has been constantly on display for the public eye and created so much inner conflict.
To the sublime lips that were never spoiled
A reference to idealized physical beauty or celebrity, which remains unblemished and perfect despite the passing of time.
By lying to the face inside the being
The inner self or true self that I have hidden for so long has never been corrupted by the lies and falsehoods required to maintain a public identity.
Who wasn't me
The public persona that I have created and cultivated over time is not reflective of my true self as an individual.
Who wasn't me
A repetition of the previous line - hammering home the idea that my celebrity persona is not truly reflective of who I am as an individual.
She's not me
One final repetition of the previous line - emphasizing the difference between my public persona and my true inner self.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: WILL ROBINSON SHEFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind