Portugal. The Man centered on frontman John Gourley’s abstract musical approach and corresponding upbringing. He was raised in a sort of technological isolation: his log cabin home in the winter wasteland of the fringes of Wasilla, Alaska was powered by a generator and had no telephone. Both of his parents helped completely immerse him in the unique lifestyle that comes with a land of seasonal darkness and perpetual cold with their jobs as dog sled mushers. Gourley’s innate curiosity and individual spirit combined with a fascination with science fiction and experiences of homelessness create a distinctly transcendent sound that is always open to interpretation and change.
The band’s debut album, Waiter: “You Vultures!” was released by Fearless Records on January 24th, 2006.
On June 22, 2007 they released their second full length, Church Mouth. The band then set out on a full US tour with support from The Photo Atlas, Play Radio Play, Tera Melos, and The Only Children. They then toured Europe, and followed it up with another US headlining tour with support from Rocky Votolato and Great Depression during September and October. Following this tour, they joined Thursday on a short east coast tour in November alongside Circle Takes the Square.
Portugal. The Man collaborated with the band The Sound of Animals Fighting on the re-release of their first album, “Tiger and the Duke.” Portugal. The Man remixed three of the songs on that album.
On July 30, 2008, it was announced that Portugal. The Man would release Censored Colors under its independent record label, Approaching AIRballoons, with a partnership with EQUAL VISION RECORDS. The album was released September 16, 2008.
On April 9th, 2009, Portugal. The Man announced a fourth studio album, The Satanic Satanist. It was released on July 21, 2009.
As of October 2009, It was announced through Twitter that Portugal. The Man have completed another album entitled “American Ghetto” which combines their progressive rock style from their latter albums with some of the electo style from their “Its Complicated Being A Wizard” release. A listening party was held for a group of 17 fans in Los Angeles CA. The album was released on March 2, 2010.
The Got it All (This Can’t Be Living Now) Songfacts reports the band’s sixth album and first for Atlantic, In the Mountain in the Cloud, was released on July 19, 2011.
On February 8, 2013, Portugal. The Man leaked pictures on Bonnaroo's official Tumblr page which showed that celebrated producer Danger Mouse was producing the band's new record. According to a Q&A Zach did on the band's Tumblr, their new album was influenced by Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album.
On February 25, 2013, Portugal. The Man released the name of their new album, titled Evil Friends, on Instagram. On March 6, the band revealed the album art for Evil Friends using a Tweet-to-reveal mosaic. The next day, the video for the title track from Evil Friends was released on the band's YouTube channel. On June 4, 2013, the album was released in the United States. The album featured backing vocals by Este Haim and Danielle Haim. A music video of "Purple Yellow Red and Blue" followed.
On April 22, 2014, the band announced a partnership with Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to release a limited-edition run of 400 records to raise awareness for critically endangered Sumatran tigers. The track, "Sumatran Tiger" does not officially exist digitally, and the copies were sent to "400 carefully chosen influencers, among them actors, activists, musicians, conservationists, bloggers and journalists," and is, as the band claims, "the first song meant to go extinct unless it's reproduced." The band encouraged fans to "scour the Internet" using the hashtags #EndangeredSong and #SumatranTiger to find recordings of the song.
In November 2014, Portugal. The Man were in the studio recording their eighth album with Mike D from The Beastie Boys producing. The band also posted pictures of themselves in the studio on Instagram, as well as showcasing small teasers of what their new album would sound like. Mac Miller was also shown working with the band as well. In May 2015, the band released teasers on social networks of what appeared to be new music with a Latin twist with huapango guitars, dream synths and drums machines. On May 5, Portugal. The Man released a Spanish version of "Purple Yellow Red and Blue" covered by a Mexican-American band called The Chamanas on their official YouTube channel to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. On December 31, 2015, Portugal. The Man posted to their website that they had completed two records followed by separate hashtags #Gloomin + #Doomin. However, on February 3, 2016, the band tweeted from their official account that the new record would be entitled Gloomin + Doomin. In February 2016 Portugal. the Man were featured on the Yoko Ono collaboration album Yes, I'm A Witch Too performing "Soul Got Out of the Box".
On November 30, 2016, Triple J radio debuted Portugal. The Man's new song "Noise Pollution". It was released as a single on December 2, and featured Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Zoe Manville. On March 3, 2017, the band released a single titled "Feel It Still", which was followed by the release of an accompanying music video three days later. It was revealed that Gloomin + Doomin "failed to complete" and was thrown out after three years. They have since completed another album, titled Woodstock, which is promoted by "Feel It Still". The album's title was inspired by an original 1969 Woodstock music festival ticket stub owned by Gourley's father. It led Gourley to a realization that almost 50 years later, music has the same mission as then – "to comment on societal and political unease." "We worked with so many rad people on this album, but ended up with just the four of us in a basement at 4 a.m. trying to say something that mattered," said Gourley. "Trying to write music that would help people feel they're not alone, even if they're angry or feeling lost." Woodstock was released on June 16, 2017. John Gourley and Zoe Manville married on New Year's Eve 2017.
AKA M80 the Wolf
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They spit you up river just like all those lions
That walked the banks
They said, "Paint me that river
And would you use only blues?
Brilliant big black mouth
Lengths of pines that route the river through
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
"Paint me that arm that lies directly over mountains
Where the glaciers climb so tall
One absent of the scars, passing boats and ships and oars
Tend to leave, the veins will be the tributaries
With all the sounds of the ocean, the ocean"
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
I am but a man
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man
Silver bells that line the way
Baited trails
We'll find you there
Silver bells (silver bells)
That line the way (that line the way)
Baited trails (baited trails)
We'll find you there
I am but a man (but a man)
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man
The lyrics to "AKA M80 the Wolf" by Portugal. The Man tell a story of being cast out and left to fend for oneself. Through "crooked teeth and mouthed up ties," the singer is spat upriver by lions that walk the banks. This imagery suggests the brutal and predatory nature of the world, where one can easily become prey if they are not careful.
The singer is instructed to paint a river with only blues, with a "brilliant big black mouth" and lengths of pines. The description of the river is atmospheric and evocative, suggesting a natural landscape that is both beautiful and dangerous. Similarly, the command to paint an arm that lies over the mountains, absent of the scars passing boats and ships and oars tend to leave with all the sounds of the ocean, speaks to the allure of a pristine and untouched world.
The chorus of "I am but a man, but a proud, proud man" further emphasizes the struggle to survive in a world that is harsh and unforgiving. The silver bells that line the way are a haunting symbol of lost hope and a desperate search for a way out of the darkness. Ultimately, the lyrics to "AKA M80 the Wolf" present a vivid and poetic picture of the human experience, one that is both beautiful and brutal.
Line by Line Meaning
Through crooked teeth and mouthed up ties
Despite their outward appearance of success and sophistication, those in power are often dishonest and corrupt.
They spit you up river just like all those lions That walked the banks
Those in power will use and discard individuals or groups they no longer find useful.
They said, "Paint me that river And would you use only blues With a brilliant big black mouth and? Lengths of pines that route the river through Through and through"
Those in power demand complete control over all aspects of art and culture, including dictating specific colors, textures, and composition.
Fashion ballrooms of the leaves We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
Nature and its beauty provide respite from the corrupt world created by those in power.
They said, "Paint me that arm That lies directly over mountains Where the glaciers climb so tall One absent of the scars passing boats and ships and oars Tend to leave with all the sounds of the ocean"
Those in power also control how nature is viewed and romanticized, demanding an idealized version of untouched beauty rather than acknowledging the scars left by human consumption and industry.
I am but a man But a proud, proud man Silver bells that line the way Through baited trails We'll find you there
Despite the overwhelming power of those in control, individuals can still take pride in resisting and finding their own way, even if it means navigating difficult and dangerous paths.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Baldwin Gourley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pegamentoparlante8517
[Intro]
Through crooked teeth and mouthed up ties
They spit you up river just like all those lions
That walked the banks
[Verse 1]
They said, "Paint me that river
And would you only use blues?
Brilliant big black mouth
Lengths of pines that route the river through
Through and through"
[Chorus]
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of the leaves
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
[Verse 2]
"Paint me that arm
That lies directly over mountains
Where the glaciers climb so tall
One absent of the scars, passing boats and ships and oars
Tend to leave, the veins will be the tributaries
With all the sounds of the ocean, the ocean"
[Chorus]
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of the leaves
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
Fashion, fashion ballrooms of the leaves
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
We’d like to watch the ghosts dance
[Bridge]
I am but a man
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man
Silver bells
That line the way
Baited trails
We’ll find you there
Silver bells (Silver bells)
That line the way (Line the way)
Baited trails (Baited trails)
We’ll find you there
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro]
I am but a man
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man
@nabers03
Through crooked teeth and mouthed up ties
They spit you up river just like all those lions
That walked the banks
They said, "Paint me that river
And would you use only blues
With a brilliant big black mouth and?
Lengths of pines that route the river through
Through and through"
Fashion ballrooms of the leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
They said, "Paint me that arm
That lies directly over mountains
Where the glaciers climb so tall
One absent of the scars passing boats and ships and oars
Tend to leave with all the sounds of the ocean"
I am but a man
But a proud, proud man
Silver bells that line the way
Through baited trails
We'll find you there
@keeganshorey6485
My friend had this as his myspace song when he died. I still come back to listen to it from time to time, just landed here randomly for the first time in a while. I'm just glad you guys are still making music. Justin would love that.
@nevadie133
These were the good days.
They're still fucking awesome, but I get warm fuzzy feelings remembering when they were my favorite little band that nobody knew about.
I'm glad they're successful.
@thetypetwolife3602
It's so true. Their videos, The Sun, Guns and Dogs, Do You, Lay Be Back Down, All You're Light, this one... Like I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. Lol Still love them. I live in Portland. Gonna see them in October I think it is...
@tomhatherford3283
@@thetypetwolife3602 hoping they play some oldies for ya
@joshuaharris9372
I second this. They were one of the first bands that I saw at the now closed Granada Theatre in D\FW. I just remember telling myself, "Damn, they're going to be big." Flash forward about 5 years later, and I saw them at ACL live in Austin and they were headlining Saturday Night. Kudos to recognizing such a talent way before their time.
@hernand7466
2019 and I still prefer this over “Feel It Still”
@zachsmith6423
That was one of their worst songs and they know it
@marsirock66
@@zachsmith6423 it was the record label and radio industry that had them make the single. It was because of the publicity stunt it was overplayed and THAT ruined the song, but it is just as good as any other songs they have. If you cant appreciate all their music and the fact that they made it then you should keep it to yourself, instead of talking crap and looking ignorant.
Also by the way just because a underground band made it big doesn't change who or what they are or even makes them worse it makes them deserving of more respect.
@peopleperson4400
Wojtek Ilowiecki lol you want to talk about ignorance when you made a large assumption to make based off someone saying they prefer this song to feel it still.
@zhou_sei
@@marsirock66 stating preferences is a far cry from talking crap