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.
Hard Times
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shaking down, down to my toes
Wondered if I'd ever feel that cold again
If I'd ever see that snow (if I'd ever see that snow)
People always talking and moving about (moving about)
People always moving and talking about (talking about)
Hard times
I was a little older now but I still need everyone I know
(Money) money means a little more and more (yeah, we all need it)
At least they tell me so
People always talking and moving about (moving about)
People always moving and talking about (talking about)
Hard times
Talkin' about hard times
Talkin' about hard times
I think about all the times that have passed and
All the times still to come
Will we ever, ever live together again?
Or did we ever at all? Did we ever at all?
People always talking and moving about (moving about)
People always moving and talking about (talking about)
Hard times
The lyrics of Portugal. The Man's song Hard Times seem to be about the struggle of finding purpose and meaning amidst the hardships and difficulties we face in life. The song starts with the singer describing the physical sensation of shaking from the neck down, a feeling that seems to represent a deep-seated fear or uncertainty within. The mention of snow adds to the atmosphere of bleakness and loneliness, as if the singer is lost in a cold and unforgiving wilderness.
The chorus of the song revolves around the idea of "hard times" - an expression that can mean different things to different people. For some, it might refer to financial struggles or poverty, for others it could be a metaphor for broader issues like social injustice or political instability. The verses that follow explore the theme of needing money and the pressure to conform to societal expectations, suggesting that even though we may not always understand why, money seems to be an important part of our lives.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics take a more reflective turn. The singer wonders if they will ever "live together again" and if they ever did in the first place, hinting at a sense of nostalgia or longing for something that may have been lost. Overall, the song seems to be expressing a sense of disillusionment and weariness with the struggles of everyday life, but it also hints at a glimmer of hope - a belief that, despite everything, we can still find connection and meaning in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I was shaking from the neck down
Physically trembling with fear or apprehension
Shaking down
Shaking all the way through; feeling completely overwhelmed
Down to my toes
The anxiety was so intense it felt physically painful
Wondered if I'd ever feel that cold again
Fearing that the present overwhelming anxiety would never go away
If I'd ever see that snow
Longing for a simpler, happier time in the past
People always talking and moving about
Feeling lost in a world where everyone seems so busy all the time
Moving about
Constantly changing; never still or at peace
People always moving and talking about
The constant noise and activity of everyday life
Talking about
Discussing or gossiping about the things that keep them occupied
Hard times
The difficulties and challenges that everyone must face in life
I was a little older now but I still need
Realizing that, even as an adult, we still need companionship and support
Everyone I know
Everyone we care about or rely on
Money
The material possessions and financial security that we feel we need to be happy
Money means a little more and more
As we get older, we become more preoccupied with money and its power
Yeah we all need it
Despite efforts to live a simple life, we all crave security and luxury
At least they tell me so
Feeling pressured by society to value material possessions over more meaningful things
I think about all the times that have passed and
Reflecting on the past and struggling to accept it is gone
All the times still to come
Anxiety about the future and fear that it may be just as difficult as the past
Will we ever ever live together again?
Longing for a sense of community and connection with others
Or did we ever at all?
Questioning whether true connection and community ever existed in the past
People always talking and moving about
Despite our longing for community, we feel disconnected from others
Moving about
Feeling a sense of restlessness and disconnection from the world around us
People always moving and talking about
Anxiety about fitting into a world where others seem more successful or fulfilled
Talking about
Expressing the anxieties and insecurities that we feel in a world that does not always care for us
Hard times
Acknowledging the difficulties and struggles of everyday life in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Baldwin Gourley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manuel Knutson
Soooo good
spoocyguy
Seen ptm 7 times yet have yet to hear them play this one!!! One day....one day....
spoocyguy
update: soon to be 11 times now, still nothing. even asked john about it on an AMA he did and he's like, nah, I don't even like that song.
funobruso
Yeah, he confirmed it in a live on lords of portland's IG, this live with all the instruments and their jam would sound so cool
saocir
@spoocyguy crazy to hear that, This is literally the song that made me love them
David Graczyk
i love porgal the man :)
saltyjustice
John Gourley on his least favorite PTM song: "There aren’t any songs that we hate actually… if it were to come down to one for me it would be Hard Times. Never thought we should’ve recorded that one ."
Crypts
Damn, that's kinda dissapointing :(
Jacob Thompson
For real? I love it
Annoying man / Ann
they got so inspired by radiohead that they even have that song which they don't quite like but everyone else does