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.
Motorway to Roswell
Pixies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He tried hard but could not make it
Last night he could not make it
On a holiday, for many miles
Looking for a place to stay
Near some friendly star, he found this mote
And now we wonder where we are
How could this so great turn so shitty
He ended up in army crates
And photographs in files, his tiny boat
Sparked as he turned to grazed our city
I started driving on the motorway
I was feeling down
Last night he could not make it
Last night he could not make it
He tried hard but could not make it
Last night he could not make it
On a holiday, for many miles
Looking for a place to stay
Near some friendly star, he found this mote
And now we wonder
How could this so great turn so shitty
Ended up in army crates
And photographs in files, his tiny boat
Sparked as he grazed it
Last night he could not make it
He tried hard but could not make it
Last night he could not make it
He tried hard but could not make it
He started heading for the motorway and he came right now
He started heading for the motorway and he came right now
He started heading for the motorway and he came right now
...
The lyrics to Pixies' song "Motorway to Roswell" present a vivid narrative of a traveler who sets out on a holiday and explores for many miles, searching for a friendly star to rest near. However, things don't go as planned for the traveler, and we discover that he couldn't make it to a specific location the night before. The lyrics suggest that something has gone wrong, and the singer laments how such a great experience has turned so "shitty." The traveler, it turns out, ended up in army crates, with his boat photographed and cataloged in files, sparking as he grazed the city.
Despite the dark undertones, the song offers no clear explanation of what's happening or why it might be significant. The use of language that seems almost childlike, with words like "mote" and "grazed" and the repetition of the phrase "last night he could not make it," deliberately creates an air of confusion and uncertainty. The idea of a "motorway to Roswell" suggests travel to a place linked with UFO sightings and conspiracy theories, perhaps adding another layer of eerie mystery to the story being told.
Overall, the song is a haunting and enigmatic exploration of how even the best intentions and most hopeful journeys can lead into unexpected, unsettling territory.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night he could not make it
He made an attempt to show up, but was unable to attend
He tried hard but could not make it
He put in effort, but was unable to succeed in his aim
On a holiday, for many miles
During his vacation, he traveled a considerable distance
Looking for a place to stay
In search of lodging for the night
Near some friendly star, he found this mote
He came across a welcoming location, perhaps named after a celestial body or with a star-like quality
And now we wonder where we are
The current situation has left us feeling unsure and lost
How could this so great turn so shitty
We are questioning how this once positive situation turned negative
He ended up in army crates
He was confined and transported in military containers
And photographs in files, his tiny boat
Evidence, in the form of pictures and records, of his boat and its journey was recorded
Sparked as he turned to grazed our city
He caused a brief, bright spark as his boat touched our city
I started driving on the motorway
The singer began driving on a highway
I was feeling down
The artist was experiencing negative feelings
He started heading for the motorway and he came right now
He made his way towards the highway and arrived quickly
He tried hard but could not make it
Once again he made an effort but was unable to succeed in his goal
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike D
on Nimrod's Son
It’s “shock the people” not chocolate people