"Passion Pit" was a vocabulary word used in a class Michael took in school. The band called their name from the Variety Slanguage Dictionary, a glossary of Variety's frequently-used slang, which was provided by the Hollywood Insider publication to help not-so-savvy readers decipher its content. The magazine used the term to refer to drive-in theatres, because of their privacy and romantic allure for teenagers.
The first Passion Pit songs, which would later become the Chunk of Change EP, were written by Angelakos at Emerson College as a belated Valentine's Day gift to his then-girlfriend. At first, he wrote and performed all his material alone using a laptop. These sets of songs were passed around Emerson and caught the attention of many blogs.
Michael played his first shows alone sitting with his laptop and a microphone. After one of these solo shows in the Boston area, Ian Hultquist, who was attending Berklee at the time, approached Angelakos and expressed interest in creating and playing music collaboratively. After a few line-up changes, Passion Pit was born. They formed a group that consisted of Angelakos, Hultquist, Ayad Al Adhamy, Thom Plasse (bass), and Adam Lavinsky (drums). The band spent a considerable amount of time trying to flesh out a collaborative format and structure that would work best for them. Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer joined the band shortly after they signed to Frenchkiss in 2008, replacing Plasse and Lavinsky, respectively. In 2012, Adhamy was replaced by Xander Singh.
The band's debut EP, "Chunk of Change", was released on September 16, 2008. The first four tracks were those that Angelakos had written as a gift for his girlfriend, which had already become popular throughout Emerson where he had been passing out his own, self-produced copies. Two tracks, "Better Things" and "Sleepyhead", were added for the commercial release of the EP. The same year of their debut EP's release, the band was chosen as "Best New Local Act in 2008" in the WFNX/Boston Phoenix best music poll.
The first and only single to be released from the EP, "Sleepyhead", received a good deal of exposure through its use in numerous media campaigns and advertisements, while the video for the song, directed by The Wilderness, was included on Pitchfork's Top 40 Music Videos of 2008 list. The song contains samples of "Óró Mo Bháidín" by Irish singer and harpist Mary O'Hara.
Other songs from the EP received some exposure as well. "Cuddle Fuddle" was featured in E4's second series of The Inbetweeners and "I've Got Your Number" was used in an advertisement for the cash card from O2, Money in the UK.
The band's first full-length studio album, Manners, was released on May 18, 2009 in the UK and May 19, 2009 in the United States and Canada. In celebration, the band played their record release party on the 18th in New York City on a Rocks Off boat cruise. In a preview article, ClashMusic.com commented that the album "has every chance to rank as one of the year's best" and that "it reveals additional nuances with each visit: a sure-fire sign of an album with true longevity".
In order to obtain a specific background vocal accompaniment the band was looking for on Manners, Passion Pit enlisted the help of the PS22 chorus, who recorded vocals in-studio for three of the album's songs: "The Reeling", "Little Secrets", and "Let Your Love Grow Tall".
Passion Pit made their television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 performing their song "The Reeling" from the album.
"The Reeling" was the first single to be released from the album and found success on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in the fall of 2009, where it peaked at number 34 in October. "Little Secrets" was the third single to be released and had success on the chart as well, topping out at number 39. "Let Your Love Grow Tall" was never released as a single but had some exposure being used in the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the TV series Ugly Betty.
The album's second single, "To Kingdom Come", was used in the Rhapsody commercial for its iPhone application.
"Sleepyhead" was the only track from Chunk of Change to be included on the album and was made available from iTunes for free as a discovery download in 2009. The song continued to receive additional exposure through its appearances in advertisements. It was used in a season 3 episode of the teen-drama, Skins, and most recently in the debut trailer for LittleBigPlanet 2, which led to the band's increased popularity amongst fans and players of the game, who eventually created an in-game instrumental version of the song to listen to in the first game. When the sequel was released, it came with the song's actual instrumental version used in the trailer. This song has also been used in an advertisement for the Palm Pixi and the Canadian PSP.
The song "Moth's Wings" was used in the fourth episode of the third season of the CW teen drama Gossip Girl and in the closing credits of episode 36 of HBO's Big Love. It appeared in the FIFA 10 video game and was featured in the film Life As We Know It, starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. Additionally, the track has been used as a background theme for Sky Sports' coverage of the UEFA Champions League and as the music for a dance routine in Episode 5, Season 8, of the US television show So You Think You Can Dance (United States), which received a standing ovation from the show's judges. It was also featured in MTV's show Awkward.
On April 13, 2010, the band reissued Manners in a deluxe edition format which contained new artwork and three additional tracks: stripped-down versions of "Sleepyhead" and "Moth's Wings" and a cover of The Cranberries' song "Dreams". The deluxe release coincided with the extension of their North American headlining tour.
The band released another cover in June 2010, this time offering up their take on The Smashing Pumpkins hit song "Tonight, Tonight" as part of a promotion with Levi's called "Pioneer Sessions".
In September 2010, Passion Pit toured with the English band Muse as their opening act for eight shows during their fall tour through parts of the U.S.
In an August 2010 interview with NME, Angelakos stated that work had already begun on the follow-up to Manners and that the band intended to release the album in the spring of 2011. He then said that it will be released early in 2012.
On April 24, 2012, Angelakos announced the title of the album, Gossamer, and that it would be released on July 24, 2012.
On May 7, the first track from Gossamer was released, called "Take a Walk".
On June 12, the second track from Gossamer was released, called "I'll Be Alright". The track leaked early on June 11th and was released as an NME premiere on June 8.
On July 9, a third track from Gossamer, called "Constant Conversations", was reviewed and featured as "best new track" by Pitchfork. It was released with the review as streamed content.
Passion Pit officially released their second album, Gossamer, on July 20, 2012 to critical acclaim.
On July 16th, Angelakos posted on the Passion Pit website that the band has cancelled the remaining July tour dates and suspended the tour in order for Angelakos to seek ongoing treatment for bipolar disorder. A Rolling Stones interview stated that Angelakos was diagnosed at 17, undergoing therapy, hospital care, and medication ever since.
On October 13, they performed on Saturday Night Live. They played "Take a Walk" and "Carried Away".
On September 24, Passion Pit released the Constant Conversations EP, exclusively available on Spotify. The EP featured an alternative version of Constant Conversations from their 2012 album Gossamer, in addition to a formerly unreleased b-side called Ruin Your Day. The final track on the EP was a remix of Carried Away by Dillon Francis.
Passion Pit's third studio album, Kindred, was released on April 17, 2015, preceded by the lead singles "Lifted Up (1985)", "Where the Sky Hangs", and "Until We Can't (Let's Go)". In anticipation of the release, the band posted several coded images to various social networking platforms. Soon after the release of the Morse code image, the official Passion Pit website, which had been under construction since the end of the 2013 tour, came back up as "KindredTheAlbum.com" (The website has since returned to "passionpitmusic.com".)
During February and March of 2017, several new Passion Pit songs were uploaded on YouTube on the account for The Wishart Group (from the name of a project started by Michael Angelakos and dedicated to supporting musicians by providing them with legal, educational and healthcare services, with a focus on mental health, a topic on which Angelakos has been especially forthcoming), foreshadowing a fourth album for 2017.
All of the videos for those new songs have the same background photo (a woman wearing a white dress, located in the middle of the sea, turning around as though she had sensed she was being secretly observed from behind), as does the front cover of the album. The songs were taken down, but Angelakos announced that he will give a downloadable copy of the album for free to anyone who retweets neuroscientist Michael F. Wells' tweet on the importance of science and research. The profits from the album will be donated to a psychiatric research institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On July 11, Passion Pit's fourth album, Tremendous Sea of Love, was announced to be released on July 28 on all streaming services.
The band embarked on a North American tour between January and February 2018 to promote Tremendous Sea of Love as well as their EP Chunk of Change's 10th anniversary.
I've Got Your Number
Passion Pit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone that I've met has been somewhat mistreated
That's how it feels when you know that something's wrong.
Then you came along like a swan off of the lake
You flew across my eyes and out into space,
And I ran and I crawled and I chased to get out fast.
If there's just one thing you got to remember;
Is to write down your name and your phone number
That way I'll have it and we'll make something out of this mess, oh!
And if all else fails then the ship won't set sail.
God forbid but I guess the both of us will bail
But as far as I can tell I think things will be swell.
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a homerun crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at
So now the two of us rely on each other
With our premonitions out in the gutter
Who would have thought that I'd make it this far
I'll make it seem like I'm stronger but I'm quite the actor
And now I'm so caught up and I can't escape this pattern
But when I started losing hope, there you were, there you bloomed
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a home run crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at
(Whoa!)
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a home run crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at, oh
What I need to work at, oh
The lyrics of "I've Got Your Number" by Passion Pit express vulnerability and fear towards needing someone, possibly due to negative past experiences. However, the singer meets someone special who helps them overcome this fear and gives them hope for the future. The chorus emphasizes the importance of both parties staying connected and committed to each other, but also acknowledges the possibility of things not working out.
The metaphor of crying tears like diamonds represents the preciousness and intensity of the singer's emotions. The repeated refrain of "diggy diggy boom boom" adds a playful and upbeat tone to the song, possibly symbolizing the exciting and joyful aspect of being in love.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of self-improvement, as the singer acknowledges they need to work on their ability to love. The final line, "What I need to work at, oh", suggests a willingness to put in effort into the relationship.
Overall, "I've Got Your Number" is a song about finding hope and trust in love despite past struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I've always felt so scared of all this needing
I have always been frightened of needing and being needed, due to past mistreatment by others.
Everyone that I've met has been somewhat mistreated
All the people I have encountered have been mistreated in some way or another.
That's how it feels when you know that something's wrong.
This is the feeling that comes with knowing that something is not quite right.
Then you came along like a swan off of the lake
You entered my life gracefully and elegantly, like a swan gliding off a lake.
You flew across my eyes and out into space,
You caught my attention instantly and then seemed to disappear into the vast unknown.
And I ran and I crawled and I chased to get out fast.
I pursued you with all my might, running, crawling, and chasing in an effort to catch up to you.
That's what I did' (Whoa!)
That is what I did to try and catch up to you, and it was an intense experience! (Whoa!)
If there's just one thing you got to remember;
There is one important thing that you need to keep in mind;
Is to write down your name and your phone number
That is to write down your name and phone number, so that we can take our connection to the next level.
That way I'll have it and we'll make something out of this mess, oh!
This will allow me to have your contact information and we can work together to make sense of the chaos around us.
And if all else fails then the ship won't set sail.
If all other options do not work, then we will not be able to move forward together.
God forbid but I guess the both of us will bail
It may not be ideal, but in that case, we may need to separate and move on from each other.
But as far as I can tell I think things will be swell.
However, as far as I can see, I believe that things will work out well for us.
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Have you ever witnessed my crying produce tears like precious diamonds?
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
These tears fall down at an increasingly rapid pace, much like how our love has developed and grown.
Batting a thousand, but a home run crack at love
Although we may be doing quite well in our relationship, we could still hit a homerun and take things to the next level.
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at
This is where I admit that I need to work on learning how to love more deeply and genuinely.
So now the two of us rely on each other
We now depend and rely on each other for love and support.
With our premonitions out in the gutter
Although we may have had doubts and uncertainties about our relationship in the past, we have overcome them and are moving forward together.
Who would have thought that I'd make it this far
I never could have imagined that I would come this far in my journey towards love and happiness.
I'll make it seem like I'm stronger but I'm quite the actor
Although I may put on a facade of strength and confidence, I am actually quite skilled at pretending and acting a certain way.
And now I'm so caught up and I can't escape this pattern
I am currently deeply wrapped up in this relationship and cannot seem to break out of this cycle.
But when I started losing hope, there you were, there you bloomed
Just when I was about to give up and lose hope, you arrived and brought new life and hope into my world.
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
This is a catchy refrain meant to get everyone excited and moving!
What I need to work at, oh
This is what I need to focus on and work at improving in myself and our relationship.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL ANGELAKOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tungumal1584
I've always felt so scared of all this needing
Everyone that I've met has been somewhat mistreated
That's how it feels when you know that something's wrong.
Then you came along like a swan off of the lake
You flew across my eyes and out into space,
And I ran and I crawled and I chased to get out fast.
That's what I did' (Whoa!)
If there's just one thing you got to remember;
Is to write down your name and your phone number
That way I'll have it and we'll make something out of this mess, oh!
And if all else fails then the ship won't set sail.
God forbid but I guess the both of us will bail
But as far as I can tell I think things will be swell.
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a homerun crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at
So now the two of us rely on each other
With our premonitions out in the gutter
Who would have thought that I'd make it this far
I'll make it seem like I'm stronger but I'm quite the actor
And now I'm so caught up and I can't escape this pattern
But when I started losing hope, there you were, there you bloomed
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a home run crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at
(Whoa!)
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Diggy diggy diggy diggy diggy boom boom!
Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly, faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand, but a home run crack at love
This is where I tell you that, I know love's what I need to work at, oh
What I need to work at, oh
@jakedutton6030
I remember getting super stoned with my buddies and listening to the intro to this song would trip us out so bad. I miss when things were easy.
@kikipines5697
super stoned right now, nonetheless, things can and will be easy a lot of the times. just chill until the next one dude!
@Dmbaquarius
That was so beautiful. I know what you mean man hahahaha
@ShamanNoodles
Same bro. About to spark one and pretend im there again
@JoryStultz1234
If it makes you feel any better, time is an illusion. Just the perception of space. We die due to oxygen slowly breaking us down. There has only ever been now so whatever that's worth, you are already there! Cheers mate!
@danteesquivel7686
Me too
@jsunshineyellow
This is one of my favorite albums. I smile everytime I hear it, which is often, and it still feels new!
@DeathCabLoverx3
"Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds" Best part. Aw man I fucking love Passion Pit.
@100_mph
FASTER AND FASTER
@barefootandindependent
i feel extreamly sorry for the taste buds of people who don't float into "love space" when they hear this.
extremely sorry.