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.
Sugar Cinnamon
Portugal. The Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you ever know anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Speech trial come and lead my palms. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Soil pressed to the knees and below. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
But only sharp eyes ever know. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Tell me where we plan to be.
Tell me where we plan to be.
That sugar met the cinnamon,
Babyboy's born a gentleman. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Only love for everyone. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
My piano begs to take him home. (Sleepin' on the streets)
But he's got those keys in his nose. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
That dance about in skipping views. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Got my only son feeling so low. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Tell me where we plan to be.
Tell me where we plan to be.
I'll be digging up these crops like snails licking,
Leaving lips like living trails.
Bodies dragging down against the earth,
They said: "don't you squeal, I know a pig when I sees one."
Coming up about the bend, it's a long and quiet road ahead,
Still they're talking, talking, talking, talking, talking
And always moving while we're sleeping.
While we're sleeping.
Did you ever see anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Did you ever know anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Did you ever see anyone?
Did you ever know anything?
Tell me where we plan to be.
In "Sugar Cinnamon," Portugal. The Man touches on issues of homelessness and poverty, posing questions about the experiences of those who sleep on the streets. The song's use of repetitive phrases and fragmented imagery creates a dream-like atmosphere, perhaps suggesting the disjointed and chaotic nature of life on the streets. The lyrics "Soil pressed to the knees and below" and "Leaving lips like living trails" call to mind the physical hardships that come with living on the streets, while the lines "That sugar met the cinnamon, Babyboy's born a gentleman" and "Only love for everyone" may symbolize a desire for a more equal and just society.
The song's title, "Sugar Cinnamon," is never explicitly mentioned in the lyrics, giving the track a cryptic and mysterious quality. It is possible that the title is a reference to the traditional American dessert of cinnamon sugar, which may symbolize the sweetness of life and the simple pleasures that many people take for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you ever see anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Have you ever witnessed the unfortunate reality of people sleeping outside on the streets?
Did you ever know anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Have you ever personally known someone who has been forced to sleep on the streets?
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Despite facing adversity and harmful words, I am strong enough to overcome and rise above it all.
Speech trial come and lead my palms. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Even when speaking boldly against societal injustices, I am not too proud to lend a helping hand to those in need, including those who sleep on the streets.
Soil pressed to the knees and below. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Living on the streets can really take its physical toll on people, forcing them to be on their knees and lower.
Because standing tall will make you grow. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Even though facing difficult circumstances, staying strong and resilient will help you to grow and move forward in life.
But only sharp eyes ever know. (Sleepin' on the streets)
It is not always easy to see the struggles and suffering that people who are homeless face, but those who are attentive and observant enough can notice and take action to help.
Tell me where we plan to be.
We need to have a clear plan and goal for where we want to go in life and as a society.
That sugar met the cinnamon,
Babyboy's born a gentleman. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Only love for everyone. (Sleepin' on the streets)
The mixing of different qualities and people can lead to beautiful outcomes, even those who may be seen as less fortunate can still be kind and gentle individuals who deserve love and respect.
My piano begs to take him home. (Sleepin' on the streets)
But he's got those keys in his nose. (Sleepin' on the streets)
The beauty of music and the arts can help us to connect with others and see the world in a different way, but we also need to recognize that some people are dealing with addiction and other serious issues that need to be addressed as well.
That dance about in skipping views. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Got my only son feeling so low. (Sleepin' on the streets)
Sometimes seeing others in joyful situations can make us feel worse about our own struggles and hardships.
I'll be digging up these crops like snails licking,
Leaving lips like living trails.
Bodies dragging down against the earth,
They said: "don't you squeal, I know a pig when I sees one."
Coming up about the bend, it's a long and quiet road ahead,
Still they're talking, talking, talking, talking, talking
And always moving while we're sleeping.
While we're sleeping.
Life can be a slow and grueling process, and sometimes people can be harsh and unkind towards us, but we still need to keep going and pushing forward in spite of it all. Don't let others dictate your path or your worth, and don't give up, even when it seems like nobody is watching or listening.
Did you ever see anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Did you ever know anyone? (Sleepin' on the streets)
Slip out your arrows in tongues,
Oh I, I'll dance on that cross.
Did you ever see anyone?
Did you ever know anything?
The challenges and injustices that we face in society can feel overwhelming and make us feel powerless to enact change, but we need to use our voices, our skills, and our compassion to try and make a difference for those who are suffering and who need our help.
Tell me where we plan to be.
This question of where we want to go as a society and as individuals is a recurring theme throughout the song, reminding us to continually assess our goals and aspirations and work towards them with purpose and intention.
Contributed by Gianna H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gabriella
Putz! essa banda é maravilhosa! Senhooooooor!
DocM
Another fantastic track!!
Chris Jr
Great album
EDarien
Why does this cut off so abruptly? Shame .. great song.
RaptorJesus
Shit, this album is spoiling me too fucking much, damn good music, DAMN GOOD.
RaptorJesus
+RaptorJesus But hell if i didn't wish that the song went on longer, it cut off right after i posted this comment lol.
James Connelly
The first 5 seconds sound exactly like "secrets" by one Republic
Ryan Portugal
Whole song?