Phantom Planet are: Alex Greenwald on vocals, Sam Farrar on bass, Darren Robinson and Jeff Conrad, who replaced original drummer Jason Schwartzman after he left to continue pursuing his acting career.
They played their first show ever in 1995 at The Dragonfly in Hollywood. Most of their friends couldn't attend because they were still in high school, while the Dragonfly only serves customers that are 21 and over. Two of the songs they played are featured on the bonus material of the Chicago, Chicagogoing, Chicagogone DVD. Among the songs performed were "My Friend Liz's Dad" (misprinted as "My Friend Liz Is Dead on the DVD), and a cover of the Beastie Boys' 1994 song "Sabotage".
Phantom Planet has appeared on the televison programs "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", Performing So I Fall Again, and "American Dreams", playing British rock band The Zombies. They have appeared in the remake of the feature film The Bad News Bears, playing a band called The Bloodfarts. In 2005 they covered the CSNY track, Our House for the movie The Chumscrubber.
The band is named after the theme song of a 1961 b-movie called The Phantom Planet. They decided on the name in 1994 in a Pizza Hut.
The band has opened for many well-known artists, including Sting, Elvis Costello, Incubus, Guided By Voices, The Hives, American Hi-Fi, Maroon 5, and even Ludacris.
Lead singer and song writer Alex Greenwald became a popular model and the familiar face of many commercials for clothing retailer Gap. Greenwald also played a sociopath in the 2001 film Donnie Darko. Bassist Sam Farrar is the son of John Farrar, the singer/songwriter known best for notable songs from the movie Grease ("You're the One That I Want" and "Hopelessly Devoted to You") and other hits sung by Olivia Newton-John.
Ex-drummer Jason Schwartzman is the son of actress Talia Shire, brother of Rooney singer Robert Schwartzman and nephew of famed director Francis Ford Coppola. Schwartzman is now an acclaimed actor. He starred in Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees, Shopgirl, Roman Coppola's CQ, Bewitched, and appeared in his cousin Sofia Coppola's film Marie-Antoinette.
The band released their fourth and most recent album in April 2008 called Raise the Dead.
They announced, on November 25th, 2008, that they are on an indefinite hiatus.
On November 4, 2011, an official Phantom Planet reunion Twitter account was created which stated they would be reuniting in 2012. Since then, they have held their first practice in 3 years. In late January 2012, Phantom Planet announced their first reunion show, June 13, at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. On January 31, they announced the addition of a second Troubadour show to be played June 14, 2012. Former member of the band, Jacques Brautbar, joined them for songs at the June 13th show.
Also on January 31, guitarist Darren Robinson hinted at a Phantom Planet tour with the following Facebook status update: "Preparing for June shows for 5 months, in a huge positive way." No tour was announced.
In Augusts of 2013, the band, under Alex Greenwald & Phriends, performed a new song titled Balisong, which ended up being on Greenwald's solo album. This performance did not have bassist Sam Farrar because he was touring with Maroon 5. He was replaced by Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender.
A Phantom Planet Instagram account was created on January 19, 2019, indicating that the band could be reforming. Additionally, band members posted the logo on their personal social media accounts. It was confirmed that the band played a small secret private show January 19, 2019, at No Name on Fairfax in Los Angeles.
On March 18, 2019, the band officially announced "Hiatus. Over." They announced their first "public" show in over 7 years at Hanson's "Hop Jam" Music and Beer Festival in Tulsa, OK on May 19, 2019. Before that event, they scheduled three shows across Southern California.
California
Phantom Planet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Driving in the sun
Looking out for number one
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
California here we come
Right back where we started from
California (California)
Here we come
On the stereo
Listen as we go
Nothing's gonna stop me now
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Pedal to the floor
Thinkin' of the roar
Gotta get us to the show
California here we come
Right back where we started from
California (California)
Here we come
California, California
Here we come, oh oh
California, California
Here we come
California, California
Here we come
California, California
Here we come
California, California
Here we come
The lyrics of Phantom Planet's song California are an ode to the dream of finding success in Hollywood. The first stanza suggests that the main character has been on the run, possibly from a small town or from a life that they didn't feel completely fulfilled in. Driving in the sun, they are looking out for themselves, determined to make it big in California. The second stanza is addressed to the "Hustlers", those who are just as determined to make it as the main character. They are told to grab their guns, which could refer to their drive, ambition or talent, and to come to California on the iconic 101 highway. The chorus repeats the main message of the song; "California, here we come" and "Right back where we started from". Even though they may have left their homes behind, they will always come back to California, where they feel like they belong.
The bridge is the triumphant moment of the song, providing the main character with the energy they need to make it through the journey. "On the stereo, listen as we go. Nothing's gonna stop me now" suggests that the character is listening to music that inspires and uplifts them, and that they are completely focused on their goal. The last stanza sums up the journey - pedal to the floor, thinking of the roar (referring to the crowd screaming at their success), they have to get to the show. This line emphasizes the hunger and urgency they feel to make their dreams a reality.
Line by Line Meaning
We've been on the run
We've been moving around a lot
Driving in the sun
Traveling during the daytime with enough sunlight
Looking out for number one
Prioritizing ourselves and our goals above others
California here we come
We're heading to California
Right back where we started from
Going back to where we initially began
Hustlers grab your guns
People who work hard, get ready to take action
Your shadow weighs a ton
Feeling overwhelmed and burdened by the consequences of past actions and mistakes
Driving down the 101
Driving down the highway 101 which goes through California
On the stereo
Playing music on the radio
Listen as we go
Hearing music as we travel
Nothing's gonna stop me now
Nothing will prevent me from achieving my goal
Pedal to the floor
Accelerating as hard and fast as possible
Thinkin' of the roar
Imagining how it will feel when we achieve our goal
Gotta get us to the show
We must get to the event that we're trying to attend
California, California
Repeatedly saying California to emphasize its importance to us
Here we come, oh oh
We're arriving soon
Here we come
We're heading to California again
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Jolson, Jacques Brautbar, Buddy Desylva, Sam Farrar, Alex Greenwald, Joseph Meyer, Darren Robinson, Jason F Schwartzman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CarlosGonzalez-lp6qm
We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for number one
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from
California here we come
On the stereo
Listen as we go
Nothings gonna stop me now
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Pedal to the floor
Thinking of the roar
Gotta get us to the show
California here we come
Right back where we started from
California here we come
California
California here we come
Oh
California, California here we come
California, California here we come
California, California here we come
California, California here we come
@rowffy9132
This song is like an old friend you haven't see in ages
@jetas5820
True
@johnmcgrath5871
🙏
@xilee5993
True
@anymoretime
the video too
@stelralook
Hah yeah❤️
@milliegreer4815
This song makes me want to go back to my life in California and I’ve never even been to California
@revo.d
Millie Greer dont everything is expensive here and dumb laws
@milliegreer4815
Revo D would like to visit at least... I’ve never actually been to America
@KillaMichez
101 the most beautiful highway of the world 🥰