Robert Pollard (born October 31, 1957) is a Dayton, Ohio singer-songwriter,… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Pollard (born October 31, 1957) is a Dayton, Ohio singer-songwriter, who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices. During his high school years, he was a successful basketball and baseball player. Pollard was a fourth grade schoolteacher until 1994, when Guided by Voices first broke into the national consciousness with the release of the album Bee Thousand. With over 1300 songs registered to his name with BMI, Pollard is among the most prolific songwriters of his time. In 2006 Paste Magazine listed him at the 78th greatest living songwriter.

Pollard began releasing solo records in 1996, alongside regular releases from Guided by Voices. These albums were typically recorded with a small group consisting of current or former Guided by Voices members, and they were generally considered to informally be part of the Guided by Voices canon, as that band would regularly perform selections from the solo releases in concert.
After the dissolution of Guided by Voices in 2004, Robert Pollard launched his official solo career with the release of From a Compound Eye in February 2006. Pollard's recent studio work has eschewed the live-band format, instead relying on the multi-instrumental talents of Todd Tobias, who produced several Guided by Voices albums. In 2006, he resumed touring with a new band informally dubbed "The Ascended Masters", which featured Tommy Keene on lead guitar and keyboards, Dave Phillips on guitar, Jon Wurster on drums, and Jason Narducy on bass. After Normal Happiness was released, the band returned to the road but subsequent to the cancellation of some 2006 dates due to a leg injury, Pollard announced his retirement from touring. Pollard, however, has since toured with Boston Spaceships.

Pollard resides just outside of Dayton, OH. with his wife, Sarah.

Far-out Crops
Robert Pollard Lyrics

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Look to the outside
In the failing garden
In the backwash
Far-out crops
Single-minded erections
Not so observable
From the inside
You must listen

You must look
In a soft-shelled vehicle
Gaze through this book
See them!
In a closet of household items
In a forest of examples
And I'm taking samples

Clipping and saving
Far-out crops

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Robert Pollard's song, "Far-out Crops," are dense with imagery that can be interpreted in several different ways. At its core, the song appears to be about the act of searching outside oneself for meaning and inspiration. The repeated refrain of "far-out crops" suggests that the singer is looking for something unusual or unexpected, perhaps in order to find new ideas or perspectives.

The first stanza talks about looking to the outside, specifically a failing garden. This could be read as a metaphor for the wider world, which is often unpredictable and difficult to navigate. The "backwash" may refer to the aftermath of a destructive event, which the singer is trying to make sense of. The "single-minded erections" and "far-out crops" might suggest that the singer is looking for something that is both strange and meaningful.

The second stanza tells the listener that they must "listen" and "look" to find what they're searching for. The "soft-shelled vehicle" and the book the listener is asked to gaze through may represent the vulnerability needed to truly open oneself up to new experiences and perspectives. The final lines of the song, which speak of samples, clipping, and saving, suggest that the singer has found what they were looking for and is eager to hold onto it.

Line by Line Meaning

Look to the outside
Direct your attention beyond what is immediately in front of you

In the failing garden
In a place where things are not growing or prospering

In the backwash
In the aftermath or consequence of an event

Far-out crops
Strange or unusual plants that are located a great distance away

Single-minded erections
Intense and focused creative bursts

Not so observable
Difficult to notice or perceive

From the inside
From a limited or subjective perspective

You must listen
You need to pay attention and hear what is being communicated

You must look
You need to observe and see what is happening

In a soft-shelled vehicle
Traveling in a vulnerable state or with an open mind

Gaze through this book
Read between the lines and see the hidden meanings