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 My People
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sift around the bottom row and soon will be your time
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Deeper in and deeper still the belly was the bank
The lion holds the mouth we feed still died at forty-five
Keep your hands by your side
Hands by your side
Your hands by your side
Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
Bring all my people with me
The lyrics of Portugal. The Man’s “All My People” portray a mysterious narrative, with metaphoric and enigmatic phrases. The song starts with the lines “Deeper in and deeper still use your hands for eyes, Sift around the bottom row and soon will be your time”. This creates an image of someone delving deeper into a place and advises the person to use their hands as eyes to discover something hidden. The sense of urgency to act soon adds to the intensity of the situation. The line “Keep your hands by your side, Your hands by your side, Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)” reinforces the urgency and creates a sense of waiting and readiness for an event that is about to occur.
The chorus “I’ve got my hands on it, I’ve gotta find a way out, Bring all my people with me” repeats three times with the same melody but with changing emphasis on certain words. The phrase “I’ve got my hands on it” is repeated in each line, possibly conveying that the singer has gained control of something that they must now leave or escape from. “Bring all my people with me” suggests that the singer is not alone in this and that they need to take their companions with them for whatever escape they are planning.
The second verse “Deeper in and deeper still the belly was the bank, The lion holds the mouth we feed still died at forty-five” continues the mysterious imagery further. The belly being the bank could be alluding to the saying that the “belly is the way to a man’s heart”. The second line has a deeper meaning, with the lion probably representing “life” which is holding on to the “mouth we feed”, resulting in death at forty-five. The repetition of “Keep your hands by your side, Your hands by your side, Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)” reinforces the waiting aspect, possibly for a moment of reckoning.
Overall, “All My People” has a sense of urgency and impending action, along with cryptic phrases that can be interpreted in various ways. The chorus reiterates the fact that the singer has their hands on something that they must leave with their group of people, highlighting the theme of camaraderie and shared responsibility.
Line by Line Meaning
Deeper in and deeper still use your hands for eyes
Go further inward and use intuition to see clearly
Sift around the bottom row and soon will be your time
Search the depths and your moment will come
Keep your hands by your side
Be patient and stay focused
Hands by your side
Reiterating the need for patience and focus
Hands by your side
Continuation of previous line
Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)
Wait and be ready, your opportunity is coming soon
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
I'm in control, but I need to figure out my path
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
I need to escape and move forward
Bring all my people with me
Take my community with me
Bring all my people with me
Reiterating the previous line
Bring all my people with me
Continuation of previous line
Deeper in and deeper still the belly was the bank
The source of wealth is deep within
The lion holds the mouth we feed still died at forty-five
Even the mighty fall, despite what sustains them
Keep your hands by your side
Repeating the necessity of patience and focus
Hands by your side
Continuing the previous line
Your hands by your side
Reiterating the importance of waiting and readiness
Your hands by your side (soon will be your time)
Reminding that opportunity is approaching, be prepared
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way
Repeating the search for a path to move forward
I've got my hands on it, I've gotta find a way out
Continuing the theme of needing to escape and progress
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN BALDWIN GOURLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BlueJelly23
Is there anything more perfect than Portugal. The Man? I think not.
loud whisper
me neither
Tyler Smith
mr wong No they don't what are you talking about?
L N
Michelle Millz me to!
Jilayne Miceli
Most underrated band ever. they are perfection
L N
Jilayne Miceli you're so right
can't wait for their new album btw
Andrew E
theres always a top comment saying something along the lines of "this is the best song on the album". hahaha they're all just so fucking GOOOOOD
Afro Disiac
True, though.
Vinícius
masterpiece
Vitor Roberto
melhor música 🎶