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.
Losing My Mind
Phantom Planet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For all I care this town's already dead and empty
I'm told that I'm a victim of obsession
That's what my friends say
Oh I'm a fool for having ever let her tempt me
Well I turn pale
When she walks by
In her eyes
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
She glances over but she keeps on walking down the street
All I can do is hope that she is thinking of me
If I could blink, if I could breathe, if I could get my legs to move
Well this could be the day I get this girl to love me
Well I turn pale
When she walks by
I am lost
In her eyes
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
She had turned
From a sound
Well I must have cried out loud
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
If I could blink, if I could breathe, if I could get my legs to move
Well this could be the day I get this girl to love me
Well I turn pale
When she walks by
I am lost
In her eyes
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
She had turned
From a sound
Well I must have cried out loud
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
She is always on my mind
In Phantom Planet's song "Always On My Mind," the singer expresses his fixation on a woman despite his friends warning him of the dangers of obsession. The chorus repeats the titular phrase "she is always on my mind" to emphasize the depth of his infatuation. The first verse establishes the singer's disdain for his hometown and his increasing distance from being able to relate to those who don't understand his feelings for the woman. He admits his foolishness in letting her temptation lead him down a path of fixation.
The second verse delves further into the singer's yearning for the woman, as he watches her walk by, unable to act upon his desires. He hopes that she is thinking of him too, indicating a sense of desperation for reciprocation. The song's bridge provides a moment of clarity, as the singer reflects on how deeply the woman has affected him. He acknowledges that he has cried out loud over her, further emphasizing the intensity of his emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody in this place can up and move away
This town and its people have no significance or relevance to me.
For all I care this town's already dead and empty
I have no emotional attachment to this town.
I'm told that I'm a victim of obsession
My friends believe that I am obsessed with someone.
That's what my friends say
My friends think that my thoughts and actions are not healthy.
Oh I'm a fool for having ever let her tempt me
I regret allowing this person to have such a strong effect on me.
Well I turn pale When she walks by I am lost In her eyes She is always on my mind She is always on my mind
I am strongly attracted to this person and am constantly thinking about them.
She glances over but she keeps on walking down the street All I can do is hope that she is thinking of me
I have no idea if this person reciprocates my feelings, but I still hold onto hope.
If I could blink, if I could breathe, if I could get my legs to move Well this could be the day I get this girl to love me
I am so desperate for this person's affection that even the slightest chance excites me.
She had turned From a sound Well I must have cried out loud She is always on my mind She is always on my mind
Even small things trigger thoughts of her and her impact on me is strong.
She is always on my mind She is always on my mind
I cannot stop thinking about her and her hold on me is constant.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ALEXANDER GREENWALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind