Orrall took the band's pop folk direction into electronic & ambient house music in the later 1990's ,but has since returned to explore the soft rock, folk, country & soul influences that gave the band it's initial audience on the indie Texas Hotel imprint and eventual major label contract with Columbia/Sony in the late 1980's.
Poi Dog Pondering "the little big band with the strong back and supple/stubborn heart" has been following its intuition for 20 years. From bohemian street buskers to impossible-to-market major label sacrificial lambs, PdP have ripened into staunchly independent musical voyagers. Every sound that has excited them flows through their music and floods it with ever changing colors - acoustic, folk, global music, big band disco, electronic textures, orchestral collaborations, ROCK and SOUL - threaded with lyrics that embrace both the beauty and pain that life can bring.
Poi dog Pondering formed in Hawaii in 1986. The first live performance was at the Honolulu Arts Academy. Filled with youthful exuberance and inspiration from ready about Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground's "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" projected film and music happening, PdP projected films of lava eruptions, ocean and other natural environments over the band as they performed. The tradition of projected imagery along with PdP live performances has developed and matured over the years and continues.
There is a bolstered sense of history within the band now, a swagger that comes from having steadfastly carved their own path. It is quite apparent that PdP has always been, and ever will be in it for the love of it; creating and performing. Line up changes are par for the course. PdP is an organic entity, it changes like life does. But there is a core with strong roots, open to new eras and ready to experiment. That's what keeps it vibrant.
Band leader, Frank Orrall's interest in electronic music garnered him respect from the Chicago House/Electronic music community for his solo project 8fatfat8, and lead him to become a member of Thievery Corporation as percussionist and vocalist. All this influenced 2 of PDP’s Natural Thing and In Seed Comes Fruit albums which saw the band experimenting with electronic textures, beautiful lush arrangements and un-hurried, sometimes instrumental song structures, letting musicality determine the song structure, rather than traditional "verse / chorus / bridge" style song writing.
Poi dog Pondering delivered a Rock and Soul record with " 7 ",their 7th studio album, 14 cuts deep and layered in horns, strings, immediate guitars; sometimes shimmering and liquid, & sometimes "crunch and gristle". A painter's pallete of unique instruments, vintage keyboards, "on the sleeve" lyrics, gripping bass & drums and beautiful harmonies. Known for following their heart, this record finds PdP playful, intimate, honest, cocky, boisterous and definitely ready to take it live.
“Poi is becoming one of the longest running and most spirited do-it-yourself musical institutions in the country, defying the odds of commerce and interpersonal relationships by keeping a 12 piece band viable…” – GREG KOT, CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“The Poi Dog sound happens because of the real and deep connection between the
players, which shows in how they listen to one another in performance. The fact that most of them have been doing just that for two decades only increases the power of community they bring to the stage.” - NO DEPRESSION (January 2008, Live Review)
Be The One
Poi Dog Pondering Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drowning in my heart, to be
Drowning in your arms, (take me)
3 summers heat, tangled up
In sheets (take me)
I'm as steady as a sea saw,
And as longing as the wind,
I swoon -- so far
And distant and under the same
Moon, all I ask is you to
Take Me
Under the strength of your
Words my heart is carried
By a hundred birds (Take me)
Into death I do seep, into
The arms of your hearts
Sleep (take me)
Breathing as you where,
Lying on The floor
Take Me
Take Me.
The lyrics of Poi Dog Pondering's song Be The One is a tale about someone in love, seeking someone that will mutually reciprocate their affections. The song begins with a plea for the person to say that they will be the one that the singer is drowning in their heart for. They desire to be tangled up with this person in bed during the summer. The singer then compares their emotions to being steady as a seesaw and as yearning as the wind. They yearn for visions of this person to fill them up, making them swoon. Even though they may be far apart, they both are under the same moon, and the singer only has one request - to take them.
The singer believes in the power of this person's words to carry their heart and soul like a thousand birds as they yearn to be taken into the arms of this person's heart. Even in the possibility of death, they desire to be taken into the arms of this person's heart's sleep. They want to be embraced in love so much that they desire to be taken just as they were lying on the floor, breathing. The song's chorus is a plea to this person, asking them to take the singer, and the lyrics are representative of someone who is deeply in love and seeking to be loved back equally.
Line by Line Meaning
Say that you'll be The one
Please tell me that you'll be the one I can rely on and be emotionally attached to
Drowning in my heart, to be
I'm overwhelmed with emotions and feelings for you, and I want you to experience the same for me
Drowning in your arms, (take me)
I want to be embraced by you, and I'm willing to let myself be lost in your love
3 summers heat, tangled up / In sheets (take me)
I want to spend a passionate and intimate summer with you, and I want our bodies to be intertwined
I'm as steady as a sea saw,
My emotions are inconsistent and unpredictable
And as longing as the wind,
I have a deep and unfulfilled desire for you
Visions of you come so filling
Thoughts of you consume my mind completely
I swoon -- so far
I'm mesmerized by you, and I get lost in my thoughts of you
And distant and under the same / Moon, all I ask is you to / Take Me
Even though we may be far apart, I want to be with you and I urge you to take me with you
Under the strength of your / Words my heart is carried / By a hundred birds (Take me)
Your words have a strong impact on me, and I feel an overwhelming sensation of love and joy when I hear from you
Into death I do seep, into / The arms of your hearts / Sleep (take me)
I feel like I'm dying without you, and I want to be embraced in the comfort of your arms and love
Breathing as you where, / Lying on The floor / Take Me
I want to take in and share every moment with you, and I want to surrender myself completely to you
Take Me.
Please accept me and take me with you, as I can't imagine my life without you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: COLBY O'DONIS, BRYAN NELSON, KATYA MATSUNO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Meatmallet
These guys are really hip and soulful -- I really like how how they do it in such a bouncy and sunny way. These guys were too modest to show it, but they were way ahead of their time.
@erflingnot
I miss these guys! And girls one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to in my life! They had a good time!!!!!!!🎉
@williamba3755
How cool is that! Great FEELIN. Thank you PoiDog. So grateful to have you in Chicago!
@cyncty666
Will forever and forever be my happy music. Aloha❤️
@roseartlefty
I can't BELIEVE that this doesn't have more LIKES! FANTASTIC!
@colelocke4967
A blast from the past. Hearing this with older ears I keep hearing Squeeze. His voice even has a bit of Glenn Tilbrook to me.
@TexasDevin
Definitely get a Squeeze vibe. Good call on that one.
@MrSeezero
I just watched this video, and I had watched "Jack Ass Ginger" a lot. I am very surprised that neither of these two made the top 20 MTV 120 minutes videos of the year for 1991. You guys are good. Wow!!
@catherinelaughlin4111
I found this band because I liked their photo on the back of the LP in the record store back in the 80's. I chose wisely.
@naomisanchez8687
My husband loves this music ♥️