Although quite popular on alternative rock radio in the United States due to heavy airplay of the singles "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man", they were never widely popular there, but found success in Europe, especially in the UK (where they managed three top 40 singles "Velouria", "Planet of Sound" and a re-release of "Debaser") and Belgium and the Netherlands, where they were heavily broadcasted by alternative public radio.
The band's style of alternative rock music is heavily influenced by punk and surf rock, and while highly melodic, is capable of being tremendously abrasive at the same time. Francis is the Pixies' primary songwriter and singer and has a distinctly desperate, yowling delivery. He has typically written cryptic songs about offbeat subjects, such as UFOs and surrealism. References to mental instability, violent Biblical imagery, and physical injury feature in many of the band's songs.
The group is frequently posited as the immediate forebear of the alternative rock boom of the 1990s, though they disbanded before reaping any of the benefits this might have brought them. Avowed fan Kurt Cobain's acknowledgement of the debt Nirvana owed to the Pixies, along with similar tributes by other alternative bands, ensured that the Pixies' legacy and influence grew substantially in the years following their demise.
In 1993, during an interview with BBC Radio 5, Black Francis announced that the band had split - something he had not told his bandmates. After the interview, he called Santiago, who in turn faxed Deal and Lovering the news the next morning. After the split, Black Francis inverted his stage name to Frank Black and embarked on a successful solo career, while Deal resumed her role in The Breeders with her identical twin sister Kelley. In 2004, the band reunited for a tour - documented in the film loudQUIETloud - and released a new single, "Bam Thwok" that summer. In 2007, Black Francis (now going by that name again) stated in an interview that the reunion was "done" even though the members remain in good terms with each other. In later interviews however, he began to mention that he might be willing to record another Pixies album. Nonetheless, Francis has returned to his solo career and Deal to the Breeders, both of which released albums and toured in 2008. Lovering and Santiago, meanwhile, set up their own project, a band called Everybody.
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Doolittle, Pixies launched a tour in October 2009, on which they perform all the album's songs and B-sides. In the autumn of 2011 the "Lost Cities" tour continued the "Doolittle Tour" as they played many venues for the first time.
Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons
Pixies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need some place to sleep tonight
Blowing in the rocking of the pine
Speed leaving without warning
The sunlight is going into the mountain
I will crawl into the mountain
Skyline of the Olympus Mons
I think about it sometimes
Sun shines in the rusty morning
Once I had a good fly
Into the mountain
I will fall
This song, "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons" by the Pixies, seems to be about the singer's desire to escape the mundanity of their everyday life and find some kind of solace in sleep or in a dreamlike state. The first verse mentions "speed leaving without warning," indicating perhaps that someone or something has suddenly left the singer's life, leaving them searching for a place to sleep. The "rocking of the pine" could refer to the sound of trees swaying in the wind, which could be soothing or calming to the singer.
In the second verse, the singer imagines themselves crawling into the mountain, seeking refuge or shelter. The mention of the "rusty morning" creates a sense of desolation or decay, which could intensify the singer's desire to escape. The reference to the Olympus Mons, which is a volcano on Mars, suggests that the singer is seeking something otherworldly or mystical in their quest for escape. The final lines, "Once I had a good fly / Into the mountain / I will fall," depict the singer's desire to let go and surrender to their dreams or their imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
Speed leaving without warning
The sun is setting and I need to find shelter quickly
I need some place to sleep tonight
I am searching for a safe place to rest and protect myself from the elements
Blowing in the rocking of the pine
The wind is shaking the trees around me
The sunlight is going into the mountain
The sun is setting and casting a warm glow on the mountain
I will crawl into the mountain
I will seek refuge in the mountain's caves or crevices
Skyline of the Olympus Mons
The majestic and towering view of the Olympus Mons
I think about it sometimes
The sight of the Olympus Mons is so impressive that I cannot help but remember it
Sun shines in the rusty morning
The sun is rising and casting an orange glow on everything as far as the eye can see
Once I had a good fly
I once had a wonderful experience of flying through the sky
Into the mountain
I flew towards and landed on the mountain's surface
I will fall
I will let go and surrender myself to gravity and the natural world
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ESTREMONIAS
It's just a song about a bird and he's flying around and then, like most birds, he flies into his tree at night and sleeps and then he dreams, and then he dreams about the Olympus Mons, which is the tallest mountain on Mars, a volcanic mountain, like 10 times the size of Everest or something.
Frank talking to the BBC
Speed leaving without
Warning
I need some place to sleep tonight
Blowing in the rocking of the pine
Speed leaving without warning
The sunglight is going
Into the mountain
I will crawl
Into the mountain
Sun shines in the rusty morning
Skyline of the oplympus mons
I think about it sometimes
Sun shines in the rusty morning
Once I had a good fly
Into the mountain
I will fall
Giyuu Tomioka
Speed leaving without warning
I need some place to sleep tonight
Blowing in the rocking of the pine
Speed leaving without warning
The sunlight is going into the mountain
I will crawl into the mountain
Sun shines in the rusty morning
Skyline of the Olympus Mons
I think about it sometimes
Sun shines in the rusty morning
Once I had a good fly
Into the mountain
I will fall
Bunta Fujiwara
Speed leaving without warning
i need some place to sleep tonight
blowing in the rocking of the pine
speed leaving without warning
the sunlight is going
into the mountain
i will crawl
into the mountain
sun shines in the rusty morning
skyline of the olympus mons
i think about it some times
sun shines in the rusty morning
once i had a good fly
into the mountain
i will fall.
into the mountain
Ooooohhhhhyyyeeeahhhhhhh
into the mountain
i will fall
into the mountain
Ooooohhhhhyyyeeeahhhhhhh
into the mountain
i will fall
i will fall
TheEamoB
Black Francis's lyrics were very underrated. He decides to write a song about a bird who dreams of flying to the Olympus Mons. That's it. Who else would do such a thing?! Brilliant song musically around it.
BadGuise
He got credit. Ask a Pixies fan.
Stephanie Walker
Totally agree. I flipped out when I figured out what this song was about and why the morning was rusty
Jack Kilburn
What's wrong with the name Bird Dream? It's a perfectly good name
William Davis
His words and music put together, Helped me through the roughest parts of my life. My teen years, and young adulthood. 30 years later, and I'm STILL moved. And if I have a son, I want to name him Olympus.
Mario Ravaschio
In those years, I was an university student, and my soul vibrated exactly like this. All my dreams came true, but life brougth me others ones. Greetings from Argentina.
ch1nmuzak
What a tremendous swan song album. Indeed, grows on you with every listen. Which is always the mark of a great record. And the band say in interviews that it was painful to create and produce and they weren't happy with it at the time. In the end though, the Pixies never put out a bad track. Not one. The Clash credited with owning the best record the 80's with London Calling (I'd argue Doolittle deserves consideration) .... Pixies kick the 90's off with that decade's best album, Trompe.
Ryan Dooner
It's one of my favorites!
mordicant
+ch1nmuzak
You're FUCKING RIGHT my friend !
Wim Blancquaert
This is too great. It always comforts me with the terrible thought of my existence.