Chad Petree and Jeremy Dawson grew up in Oklahoma and were involved in previous music projects together, including the soundtrack for the videogame Grand Theft Auto III in 2000 and Cloud2Ground. After relocating to Los Angeles, California in 2004, the two recruited vocalist Carah Faye Charnow and drummer Mikey Martin.
Their debut album, We Are Pilots was originally released in January 2005, though versions of the album featuring different cover art and tracklisting would be released later the following year. Three singles were issued: "Le Disko", "You Are the One" and "Rainy Monday". We Are Pilots received a Grammy Award nomination on 6 December 2007 in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album, but lost to The Chemical Brothers.
The band's second studio album, Season of Poison, was released on 4th November 2008, with Sisely Treasure as vocalist. They have released two singles from their second album: "Ghost Town" and "Ricochet!".
In 2009, Shiny Toy Guns released "Major Tom", a Peter Schilling cover.
In 2011, Carah Faye Charnow returned to Shiny Toy Guns. In addition, Daniel Johansson also joined the band on guitar, synth and bass. In March 2011, the band released a new single "The Sun", available to download for free.
In May 2012 the band announced that Daniel Johansson left the band.
Band Members:
Current members
Carah Faye Charnow – vocals, synth (2004–2008, 2011–present)
Gregori Chad Petree – vocals, guitar (2002–present)
Jeremy Dawson – synths, bass (2002–present)
Mikey Martin – drums (2004–present)
Former members
Daniel Johansson – guitar, synth, bass (2011–2012)
Sisely Treasure – vocals (2008–2010)
Ursula Vari – vocals (2004)
Official site: http://www.shinytoyguns.com
Starts With One
Shiny Toy Guns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all in your mind anyway
I can't heal
Make me feel this way, oh
Now there's two I can't see
I've never felt this way
I can't feel
Let's show them the only way
Let's show them our hearts
Only three I can't seem
To get enough anyway
I can't speak
Nothing to say anyway
Let's show them the only way
Let's show them our hearts
Let's show them the only way
Let's sew up their hearts
Distorted light moves in
Or am I mistaken'
It feels so
It feels so
It feels so cold... x2
There goes today
It slowly fades...slowly fades away
Here comes today
Never go...never go away
In the song "Starts with One," by Shiny Toy Guns, the lyrics depict a feeling of detachment and numbness. The first verse reflects a sense of hopelessness as the singer acknowledges that they cannot feel anything, and even if they could, they could not heal. The second verse further emphasizes this feeling as now there are two people who cannot see each other, and again the singer cannot connect emotionally. The repetition of "let's show them the only way" throughout the song seems to be a call to action, to break down these emotional barriers and show others one's heart. However, the lyrics end on a somewhat bleak tone with the image of today slowly fading away and the uncertainty if tomorrow will ever come.
The overall message of the song speaks to the human experience of feeling disconnected, a common theme in modern times where technology and social media often leave people feeling isolated. The use of distorted light and the question of whether it's real or imagined further emphasizes this disconnect. However, the repetition of the line "let's show them the only way" seems to be a message of hope, an encouragement to break down these emotional barriers and be vulnerable with one another.
Line by Line Meaning
Starts with one I can't feel
The beginning of change often goes unnoticed
It's all in your mind anyway
Your perception shapes your reality
I can't heal
Make me feel this way, oh
I'm unable to fix what's causing this emotional turmoil
Now there's two I can't see
I've never felt this way
I can't feel
Anything anyway
The problem has escalated and I'm now feeling lost and numb
Let's show them the only way
Let's show them our hearts
The solution is to be vulnerable and genuine with others
Only three I can't seem
To get enough anyway
I can't speak
Nothing to say anyway
Despite my efforts, I'm still struggling and don't know how to express myself
Let's sew up their hearts
We need to repair the brokenness in others
Distorted light moves in
Or am I mistaken'
It feels so
It feels so
It feels so cold... x2
Everything seems off and unsettling, maybe it's just me
There goes today
It slowly fades...slowly fades away
Here comes today
Never go...never go away
Time keeps moving forward, and we can't stop it, but we can choose to live in the present
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD PETREE, CO-WRITER UNKNOWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind