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.
All Mine
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A fixed escape, still we didn't know just what to do
It was steps and steps on missing backs
Our hands had been bent backwards to match
It's all mine, all mine
It's all mine, all mine
Our will and bones that never know just what to do
One hundred stuck and stayed
A million more just played
It's all mine, all mine
It's all mine, all mine
I shed my skin and just crawled around
My body ached, I was rolling 'round
Felt it as I slipped away
Making parts and mixing with the stars
It's all mine, all mine
It's all mine, all mine
It's all mine
The lyrics of Portugal. The Man's song All Mine refer to the way humans are caged by societal expectations and norms, like animals in a zoo. As the song title suggests, the singer is claiming ownership of their mind and body, and rejecting any attempts to control or contain them. The first stanza speaks to a sense of confusion and uncertainty - even when given the freedom to escape, they don't know what to do. The second stanza describes the feeling of being trapped and helpless, unable to control their own will and actions.
The bridge of the song contains some of the most powerful imagery, with the singer shedding their skin and becoming one with the universe. The line "making parts and mixing with the stars" suggests that they are transcending earthly limitations and merging with something greater. Overall, the message of the song is one of defiance and self-determination, urging listeners to break free from the cages that society has constructed around them.
Line by Line Meaning
They let us out from our zoos
We were finally freed from our controlled environment
A fixed escape, still we didn't know just what to do
Even though we were given a clear path out, we were uncertain of what we should do next
It was steps and steps on missing backs
We had to take difficult steps forward while overcoming past hindrances
Our hands had been bent backwards to match
We had been shaped and molded by the rules and limitations of our previous environment
It's all mine, all mine
Everything we have is ours and it's for us to take control of
A pacing pace that races through
An intense speed that moves us forward quickly
Our will and bones that never know just what to do
Our minds and bodies can be uncertain and unsteady, making it difficult to make decisions
One hundred stuck and stayed
Many people were stuck in the same situation for a long time
A million more just played
There were many others who just went along with the way things were, without questioning it
I shed my skin and just crawled around
I shed my old self and began anew, starting from the bottom
My body ached, I was rolling 'round
It was a painful and difficult process to start fresh
Felt it as I slipped away
I could feel my old self fading away as I embarked on something new
Making parts and mixing with the stars
I was creating something new and unique, something that is a part of something greater than myself
It's all mine, all mine
Everything I am now is my creation, my own unique expression of myself
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Gourley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BEACHBABE12345678100
This is the most magnificent song I have ever heard. The end always finds a way to seek my soul at any moment of the day. Portugal. The Man: thankyou for your comfort.
@JillianForever
How isn't this more popular? This is true music.
@epiqo
This is pobably one of the most beautiful songs I'll ever hear.
@aritgirlfoamflinging4816
Definitely one of the best songs from Censored Colors
@LifevsMusic
beautiful
@inkjoker20
its so calm i could sleep!
@sofiakarelina5466
It's all mine
@Wettaco13
It's so cash i could use it to purchase things i would like to have.
@chefgregdc8569
I miss this weird and beautiful PTM. The new stuff is well produced, but doesn’t speak to me in anywhere close to the same way. Bands need to change, I get it, just my preference