The most striking and consistent aspect of Oneida's music is their use of and fascination with repetition. Their 2002 LP, Each One Teach One, for instance, begins with two especially long tracks, Sheets of Easter and Antibiotics, the former over fourteen minutes long, the latter more than sixteen. Both of these songs are composed of one repeated riff (with a few short interludes on Antibiotics). In addition to the use of repetition Oneida's music can be distinguished by the bandmember's extensive use of and enthusiasm for antique keyboards and analog electric pianos.
Originally recording on Turnbuckle Records (their first two albums in 1997 and 1999), the band now runs Brah Records, an imprint of Jagjaguwar (Jagjaguwar group at Last.fm). In September 2007 the group celebrated 10 years of existence with a concert at the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in NYC.
The current lineup is:
* Kid Millions - drums, vocals participated as drummer 53 in the Boredoms 77 Boadrum performance which occurred on July 7th, 2007 at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, New York
* Bobby Matador - organ, guitar, vocals
* Hanoi Jane - guitar, bass
* Double Rainbow (aka Phil Manley of Trans Am and The Fucking Champs) - guitar
* Shahin Motia (of Ex Models) - guitar
Papa Crazy (aka PCRZ) of Oakley Hall is a former member of Oneida, and has revived connections with Oneida by recording OH's most recent album Gypsum Strings on Oneida's Brah Records label.
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The Adversary
Oneida Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one you recognize
Think, and you will understand
No Adversary I.
Names escape you, voices fade
Morning breaks anew
Always undisturbed by words
Born to never know the truth
Undeceived at last
Altered only in your age
Now your time is past.
The opening lines of the song "The Adversary" by Oneida seem to be talking about recognizing a face in a stranger - something that could be a common occurrence, like seeing someone who looks like someone you know. But as the lyrics go on, the phrase "No Adversary I" seems to indicate that this recognition is not a hostile one, but one of understanding and compassion. The following lines further emphasize the theme of fleeting nature of things, as names and voices fade away and morning breaks anew. The idea of being undisturbed by words can be interpreted in different ways - as a sign of calm acceptance of things and not being affected by what others say or perhaps as a sense of being above mundane words altogether.
As the song goes on, it becomes more existential in nature, with the line "born to never know the truth" suggesting a life of ignorance and blissful naivety. However, the last line "Now your time is past" brings a sense of finality, perhaps signaling that the singer has moved on to a phase of life where such ignorance is no longer viable. Overall, the song seems to be exploring themes of understanding, acceptance, and the cyclical, fleeting nature of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Seen in every stranger's face
Every stranger seems familiar to me
The one you recognize
I can identify with any stranger
Think, and you will understand
If you consider it, you'll get it
No Adversary I.
I have no enemy in this world
Names escape you, voices fade
I can't seem to recall names, and voices seem to disappear
Morning breaks anew
Every morning is a new start for me
Always undisturbed by words
No word can upset me
No Adversary you.
You have no enemy in this world
Born to never know the truth
I was never meant to know the whole truth
Undeceived at last
I'm no longer fooled by anything or anyone
Altered only in your age
The only thing that has changed about me is my age
Now your time is past.
My time has come and gone
Contributed by Brody O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.