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.
Flat Beauty
Robert Pollard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cost you more time than you realized?
There will be no more following eyes
May I help you arrange your beauty flat?
Oil down your wardrobe with color and flair?
Jump up and down in your rock & roll chair?
Proud is a low-life sign
And pride alone is slightly lame
She's got a lovely line on her spine
So I'll cause you less pain tonight
Don't need much more
No, really, it's alright
I'll open up real wide
Before I get along...
The lyrics of Robert Pollard's song "Flat Beauty" are open to interpretation, but one possible interpretation is that the singer is offering to help someone embrace their true identity and let go of societal expectations. The opening lines "May I cause you more pain than that? Cost you more time than you realized? There will be no more following eyes" suggest that the singer is asking the listener if they are willing to break free from the constraints of their current life and potentially endure some discomfort in order to do so. The next lines "May I help you arrange your beauty flat? Oil down your wardrobe with color and flair? Jump up and down in your rock & roll chair?" suggest that the singer is offering to help the listener embrace their true self with style and enthusiasm.
The chorus "Shout out the glass together, alright Proud is a low-life sign And pride alone is slightly lame She's got a lovely line on her spine" further reinforces the idea that the songwriter is calling for a rejection of societal norms and the embrace of individuality. The line "Proud is a low-life sign" implies that pride can lead to negative outcomes, while "She's got a lovely line on her spine" suggests that the listener has a unique and attractive quality that should be celebrated rather than concealed.
Line by Line Meaning
May I cause you more pain than that?
Do you want me to hurt you even more than I already have?
Cost you more time than you realized?
Did my actions take up more of your time than you expected?
There will be no more following eyes
You won't have anyone watching or following you anymore
May I help you arrange your beauty flat?
Do you want me to help you tone down your beauty and make it simpler?
Oil down your wardrobe with color and flair?
Do you want me to add more vibrancy and personality to your clothes?
Jump up and down in your rock & roll chair?
Do you want to let loose and have fun in your comfortable space?
Shout out the glass together, alright
Let's drink and have fun together, okay?
Proud is a low-life sign
Being proud is seen as undesirable and negative
And pride alone is slightly lame
Feeling proud about yourself without reason or accomplishment is unimpressive
She's got a lovely line on her spine
She has an attractive feature on her back
So I'll cause you less pain tonight
I won't hurt you as much tonight
Don't need much more
I don't require anything else
No, really, it's alright
Seriously, everything is okay
I'll open up real wide
I'll be honest and vulnerable
Before I get along...
Before I leave and move on
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBERT E. JR. POLLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind