Zach Smith is noted for his unique style of bass-playing, as he combines strumming (the most prevalent of his techniques), popping, and slapping. He uses an Alembic Stanley Clarke bass and is currently working on a solo project entitled Systems Officer. Smith tends to write most of the instrumental parts of Pinback's songs while Rob Crow's forte is lyric-writing. At their concerts, they are known for giving away limited edition tour EPs. Both feel strongly about keeping their music in the independent scene, free from excessive media attention and corporate pressures that could affect the band's original sound.
Versailles
Pinback Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
full moon had all disappeared (two more times)
we asked the tide where he had gone
she said to you he's gone to versailles
we packed the ship left that day
stand at the side and the sky in versailles
the time took us left us there
you found him on the hillsides of versailles (no more times)
he asked the moon to come back to our side
stand at the side and the sky in versailles
stand at the side and the sky in versailles
stand at the side and the sky in versailles ( .... )
stand at the side and the sky in versailles ( .... )
ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh-ooh, ooh
ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh
make away, the moon tonight
"Versailles" by Pinback is a hauntingly beautiful song that uses surreal imagery to explore the concepts of loss and longing. In the first verse, the singer recounts how they looked for the full moon on a grey, bitter night but couldn't find it. When they turned to the tide for answers, she revealed that the moon had gone to Versailles. The second verse picks up some time later, with the singer and someone else having gone to Versailles to find the moon. They eventually find him on the hillsides, where he begs the moon to come back to their side.
The refrain in the song is "Stand at the side and the sky in Versailles". The repetition of these lines, combined with the dreamy quality of the music and lyrics, creates a sense of being lost in a magical realm where reality is twisted and uncertain. The song seems to suggest that the moon represents something or someone that has been lost, and Versailles is a symbol for the search for that lost thing or person.
Overall, "Versailles" is a song that encourages listeners to embrace mystery and beauty, even in the face of loss and uncertainty. It's a reminder that sometimes the things we love most can be found in unexpected places, and that the act of searching for them can be just as meaningful as finding them.
Line by Line Meaning
it was a grey bitter night
The night was cold and gloomy
full moon had all disappeared
The moon was not visible in the sky
we asked the tide where he had gone
They asked the sea where the moon was
she said to you he's gone to versailles
The sea said that the moon had gone to Versailles
we packed the ship left that day
They left on a ship to find the moon
stand at the side and the sky in versailles
They arrived in Versailles and looked at the sky
the time took us left us there
Time passed, and they were still searching
you found him on the hillsides of versailles
They found the moon on the hills of Versailles
he asked the moon to come back to our side
They asked the moon to return with them
stand at the side and the sky in versailles
They continue to look at the sky in Versailles
ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh-ooh, ooh
Musical interlude
ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh
Musical interlude
make away, the moon tonight
They want the moon to return with them that night
Contributed by Addison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.