The name Silversun Pickups refers to a liquor store across the road L.A. rock-scene hang Silverlake Lounge. One of the band’s friends would often arrive at the store late at night to buy liquor, and would be as such making the "Silversun Pickup".
The band is signed to Dangerbird Records. They released their debut EP "Pikul" in July of 2005. The band has released four albums, 2006's "Carnavas", 2009's "Swoon", 2012's "Neck of the Woods" and 2015's "Better Nature". The band managed two Top 10 singles on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2007: "Lazy Eye" (#5) and "Well Thought Out Twinkles" (#9). In 2009, they managed their third top 10 on the chart, "Panic Switch" (#1) and a fourth song "Substitution" was also on that chart (#23).
Silversun Pickups have been compared to The Smashing Pumpkins (possibly due in part to Brian Aubert's vocal style) and 90's shoegazing bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride, and Slowdive. Silversun Pickups claim they have been heavily influenced by Modest Mouse and The Velvet Underground as well as other lesser-known acts.
Their first break came when a friend mailed a boombox demo to CMJ and they were accepted. They got their start in many of the most important L.A. clubs and began to draw a strong following upon the release of the Pikul EP. This culminated in frequent touring, including a co-headlining stint with Viva Voce.
The band finished a three-week tour opening for Australian rockers Wolfmother on December 9, 2006, and have toured with OK Go and Snow Patrol on their U.S. spring tour, which ended on April 10, 2007. The Pickups played at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007.
The band supported Foo Fighters, along with Nine Inch Nails on August 21st 2007 as part of the 'T on the Fringe' music festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, and then on the 22nd in Marley Park, Dublin, Ireland. They also performed at the Carling Reading and Leeds festivals on the 25th/26th August 2007 and supported Kaiser Chiefs on their Autumn European tour and Snow Patrol on their tour of Australia (with Paolo from Snow Patrol joining them regularly to play guitar on Lazy Eye and Nikki guesting on vocals for Snow Patrol's Set The Fire To The Third Bar onstage). On some of these dates the band have been covering Joy Division's Shadowplay and Bjork's Big Time Sensuality, both of which have been recorded for web or radio sessions.
The second full studio album, entitled "Swoon", was released 14th April 2009 in both the US and UK.
The band was also part of Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago, IL, Voodoo Fest 2009 and 2012 in New Orleans, and the 2009 Sasquatch! Festival.
In early 2010, they supported the UK anthem-rock superstars Muse for several of their North American dates for The Resistance tour.
The Royal We
Silversun Pickups Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are armed up to the teeth
Be careful how you live and breathe
Release what's broken underneath
How many times do you wanna die?
How many ways do you wanna die?
Very carefully look over your shoulder
We can laugh about it now
We hope everything works out
Be careful how you lick your wounds
Believe that change is coming soon
How many times do you wanna die?
How many ways do you wanna die?
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Very carefully look over your shoulder
You used to do a little, but a little won't fly
Right before you hit your prime
That's when we fell in love, but not the first time
Can I please you still?
Remain in your father's will
Or does it make you ill?
Let us bruise their knees
We went in straight for a defeat
You will be relieved
So relieved, so relieved to the flow, and desire
Bitter sparks to the friendly fire
Misery inspires
Your throwin' me cuts several times before
Never noticed the size of the flow
Make it be ignored
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Carefully look over your shoulder
You said you believe, but believing won't fly
Right before you hit your prime
That's when we fell in love, but not the first time
And when it's all over and you open your eyes
You see the room turned on its side
And you'll be lying down and over on the floor; signed,
The Royal We [Repeats: x8]
Love The Royal We
The lyrics to Silversun Pickups' song "The Royal We" are full of intensity, rebellion, and a desire for change. The first verse sets the tone with the lines "We are ready for the siege, We are armed up to the teeth." The song’s central theme is revealed in the refrain with lines "How many times do you wanna die? How many ways do you wanna die?" which seems to question the complacency of society in the face of adversity. The song also contains themes of bitterness and desire for revenge that can be seen in the line “Let us bruise their knees, We went in straight for a defeat, You will be relieved.”
The second verse offers a glimmer of hope that things may change and that wounds can be healed. With the lines "We can laugh about it now, We hope everything works out," there is a sense of optimism. However, the bridge "You used to do a little, but a little won't fly, Right before you hit your prime, That's when we fell in love, but not the first time," seems to cast doubt on this optimism. The song concludes with a message of empowerment and taking control of one's own destiny with the repeated refrain "Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder, Very carefully look over your shoulder."
Overall, the song's lyrics invite listeners to question their lives and the world around them. It encourages them to examine their circumstances and take control of their future by recognizing the power they possess to change what might seem like a hopeless situation.
Line by Line Meaning
We are ready for the siege
We are prepared for any challenge that comes our way
We are armed up to the teeth
We are well equipped with the necessary tools to overcome any obstacle
Be careful how you live and breathe
Be cautious in all aspects of your life
Release what's broken underneath
Let go of any hidden emotions or feelings that are causing harm
How many times do you wanna die?
How many times are you willing to fail before you succeed?
How many ways do you wanna die?
What methods will you use to overcome obstacles?
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Are you confident that you have protected yourself from harm?
Very carefully look over your shoulder
Be extremely cautious and vigilant in your actions
We can laugh about it now
We can find humor in our past struggles
We hope everything works out
We have high expectations for the future
Be careful how you lick your wounds
Be mindful of the ways in which you recover from setbacks
Believe that change is coming soon
Have faith that positive transformations are on the horizon
You used to do a little, but a little won't fly
Your previous actions were not enough to achieve success
Right before you hit your prime
Just before you reach the peak of your abilities
That's when we fell in love, but not the first time
We have experienced these feelings before, but they are still impactful
Can I please you still?
Can I still satisfy you?
Remain in your father's will
Stay true to your family's values
Or does it make you ill?
Or does it make you uncomfortable?
Let us bruise their knees
Let us weaken our opponents
We went in straight for a defeat
We challenged our enemies head-on, knowing they would lose
You will be relieved, so relieved to the flow, and desire
You will feel immense relief when you follow what you truly desire
Bitter sparks to the friendly fire
Even close relationships can experience conflict
Misery inspires
Difficult times can motivate change and growth
Your throwin' me cuts several times before
You have previously hurt me
Never noticed the size of the flow
I wasn't aware of the significance of the harm inflicted
Make it be ignored
Choose to disregard the pain and move forward
And when it's all over and you open your eyes
After everything is said and done and you gain clarity
You see the room turned on its side
You see the world in a completely different way
And you'll be lying down and over on the floor. Signed, The Royal We
You will be in a vulnerable state after everything has transpired, just like our band name implies.
Love The Royal We
We support each other and stand together as a group.
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Written by: Brian Nolan Kalei Aubert, Christopher Andrew Guanlao, Joseph C Lester, Nicole Lynn Webber
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tristan campos
We are ready for the siege
We are armed up to the teeth
Be careful how you live and breathe
Release what's broken underneath
How many times do you wanna die?
How many ways do you wanna die?
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Very carefully look over your shoulder
We can laugh about it now
We hope everything works out
Be careful how you lick your wounds
Believe that change is coming soon
How many times do you wanna die?
How many ways do you wanna die?
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Very carefully look over your shoulder
You used to do a little, but a little won't fly
Right before you hit your prime
That's when we fell in love, but not the first time
Can I please you still?
Remain in your father's will
Or does it make you ill?
Let us bruise their knees
We went in straight for a defeat
You will be relieved
So relieved, so relieved to the flow, and desire
Bitter sparks to the friendly fire
Misery inspires
Your throwin' me cuts several times before
Never noticed the size of the flow
Make it be ignored
Do you feel safe again? Look over your shoulder
Carefully look over your shoulder
You said you believe, but believing won't fly
Right before you hit your prime
That's when we fell in love, but not the first time
And when it's all over and you open your eyes
You see the room turned on its side
And you'll be lying down and over on the floor; signed,
The Royal We [Repeats: x8]
Love The Royal We
What's Next?
2:49
Can I please you still
Remain in your father's will
Or does it make you ill?
Let us bruise their knees
We will aim straight for defeat
You will be relieved, so relieved, so relieved
Turn on full desire,
feel the sparks of the friendly fire
Misery inspires.
Your throat has been cut several times before.
Never noticed the size of the flow.
It can't be ignored....
Jesus, these lyrics are so freaking powerful
Antioch
I can say with honesty that Silversun Pickups is the most underrated band of the past two decades.
jerrud johnson
Every album deserves some kind of award. I don't think I think skip a song on any one
DinnZ
I second that 🙏🏼🥰
JUST LEE
I 83rd that
Leo Sgouros
@JUST LEE I agreed just now.
No Name
Best fing band ever
djstrains
I love reading the comments and thinking "YES! THESE PEOPLE GET IT!" Not enough people know the brilliance of this band, but every comment does.
Michelle Walters
Oh I completely agree with you on that one
Ryan Wallace
Silversun is my favorite band of the new millennium. They are so eclectic and haunting, heavy and melodic, ethereal and hard AF all at once. With lyrics that beg to be put together like a puzzle that has no picture on the box.
James Glenn
I love the song Melatonin 🙂👍