In 1999, Rocky Votolato branched out from his work with Waxwing, having written a handful of songs which did not really fit in with their more aggressive, fast tempo syle. Along the way he has toured with the likes of Damien Jurado, Small Brown Bike, The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, Owen and The Casket Lottery, members of the latter having provided assistance as backing musicians on occasion. His studio albums have also been littered with appearances from some of Seattle's finest musicians (including players in the bands Red Stars Theory, Sharks Keep Moving, The Blood Brothers, Death Cab for Cutie, Pedro the Lion and Sub Pop solo artist Rosie Thomas). On the production side, Votolato has worked with Matt Bayles (Pearl Jam, Botch, Murder City Devils, Hayden), along with Chris Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie). It is a creative input which has helped see Rocky progress sylistically with every release, from his low key self-titled album released in 1999 - all pretty much recorded live, right through to his recent, alt-country, folk-esque offering, 'Makers'. A video was shot for the first track of Makers, "White Daisy Passing", a song which also appears on the soundtrack of the forthcoming Seattle indie feature film Cthulu.
Rocky also starred in the film 'The Edge of Quarrel', which he worked on with Dave Larson from Excursion Records. It also includes members of the Murder City Devils and Botch, and is about a gang war between straightedgers and punk rockers.
He is married with two children, and lives in Seattle.
Tinfoil Hats
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
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Keep aliens from reading
Your mind
Is to wear a tinfoil hat friend and wear it all the time
Life keeps on changing
Tell it to stay still but it won't listen
I just want you near me like you are now for good
Tape recorder, tell me about everything that I've lost
I know
You've got it all stored somewhere
At least I'm keeping my
Fingers crossed
Life keeps on changing
Tell it to stay still but
It won't listen
I just want you near me like you are now for good
Kid I'm gonna be with you longer than the world can stand cause
There's a light that's stronger
Shinning out of your eyes I see it
And it won't be long now
Life keeps on changing
Tell it to stay still
But it won't listen
I just want you near me like you are now for good
The lyrics of Rocky Votolato's "Tinfoil Hats" talk about the need to protect one's thoughts and emotions with a physical barrier to prevent unwanted intrusions. The singer mentions a friend who reminds him that the only way to prevent "aliens from reading your mind" is to wear a tinfoil hat constantly. This reference to extraterrestrial interference could be interpreted as a metaphor for the overwhelming influence of external factors on an individual's psyche. The singer seems to be looking for a way to resist this influence, to keep a sense of autonomy in a world that keeps on changing, despite his efforts to keep it still.
The second half of the song seems to be aimed at a particular person, perhaps a lover or a child. The singer wants this person to stay close to him and promises to be with him/her for as long as possible, even "longer than the world can stand." He perceives a radiant light shining out of the person's eyes, indicating that he/she possesses a quality that inspires him to keep going despite his fears and anxieties. The mention of a "transistor tape recorder" could be a nostalgic reference to a time when memories could be preserved in a tangible way, contrasting with the unsettling transience of life.
Line by Line Meaning
He reminded me that the only way to
He reminded me that the sole way to
Keep aliens from reading
Keep extraterrestrial beings from scanning
Your mind
Your thoughts
Is to wear a tinfoil hat friend and wear it all the time
Is to wear a hat crafted from thin aluminum foil, my friend, and wear it constantly
Life keeps on changing
Life is in a continuous state of flux
Tell it to stay still but it won't listen
I urge it to halt, but it disobeys
I just want you near me like you are now for good
I desire your proximity to me, just as you are now, forever
Transistor
Transistor
Tape recorder, tell me about everything that I've lost
Recorder of magnetic tape, inform me of everything that has been lost to me
I know
I am aware
You've got it all stored somewhere
You have preserved everything in someplace
At least I'm keeping my
At the very least, I am maintaining
Fingers crossed
Fingers crossed
Kid I'm gonna be with you longer than the world can stand cause
Child, I am going to be with you for a greater duration than the world can tolerate because
There's a light that's stronger
There exists a light that is more robust
Shinning out of your eyes I see it
I perceive it radiating out of your eyes
And it won't be long now
It will not take long now
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Rocky Votolato
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind