In 1996, Oversoul 7 came together as members Geri Soriano-Lightwood, Ramin Sakurai, (Bassist)) Kiran Shahani, and (Guitarist) Rick Torres released "Nothing Like Tomorrow" and "What's the Deal" on two compilations on the Moonshine Music dance label. After the Moonshine releases, Oversoul 7 signed a demo deal with A&M records recording demos of "Truth From Fiction", "Never the Same", and "Last Girl on Earth", all songs which ended up on the now classic "Supreme Beings of Leisure" debut album (released on Palm Pictures label).
The release of the first Supreme Beings of Leisure album sold over 250,000 units with very little promotional touring. Instead, SBL opted to use the internet to market and promote the album, becoming the first band ever to do a "Virtual Internet Tour", and was among the first to use Flash animation for their videos, making them the first true "Internet Band" of the new millennium.
After the release of their debut album, the group disbanded. The core duo of Soriano-Lightwood and Sakurai, however, released the second SBL album "Divine Operating System" shortly thereafter in 2002. In 2003, SBL left Palm Pictures, taking a three year hiatus, releasing various remixes and appearing on various other artists' albums. In 2006, Supreme Beings of Leisure started writing material which coalesced into a new album, the highly anticipated 11i.
Pieces
Supreme Beings Of Leisure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still those dog eared pages get in the way
All those slings and arrows
I never pointed my dear
Leave me shoring the dam
And soothing the beast of your wild frontier
Pieces of people and shapes of their hearts
Footsteps before me that carved who you are
Echoes of someone you wear as a scar
You're in pieces
Pieces
You're in pieces baby
Under the rug buried in the dust
Hides a little boy who cannot trust
With your bow and arrow
Ready and pointed my dear
Leave me lost in a harbor
Soothing your ghosts til they disappear
Pieces of people and shapes of their hearts
Layers of loving you've worn from the start
Footsteps before me that carved who you are
Echoes of someone you wear as a scar
You're in pieces
Pieces
You're in pieces baby
The lyrics of Supreme Beings Of Leisure's song Pieces describe a person who is struggling to understand and manage their partner's emotional baggage. The partner comes open to them, but the singer is having a hard time seeing the person underneath all the damage they have suffered. The "dog-eared pages" of their partner's past get in the way, and the singer is left trying to "shore the dam" and "soothe the beast" of their partner's emotional turmoil. Despite all of their efforts to help, they can only see the person they love in "pieces".
The second verse continues this theme, with the singer recognizing that their partner's emotional issues stem from deep-seated trust issues. They see the scared little boy hiding under the rug and feel lost trying to navigate the emotional minefield of their partner's past. The partner is always "ready and pointed" with their metaphorical bow and arrow, shooting down any chance of vulnerability. In this verse, the singer is left "soothing [their partner's] ghosts until they disappear", but they can't heal the scars that have already been carved into their partner's heart.
Overall, the song is a poignant commentary on the difficulties of loving someone who has been deeply hurt. It's a challenging journey, but the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to piece their loved one back together.
Line by Line Meaning
You've come to me an open book you say
You've revealed yourself to me, claiming to be an open book.
Still those dog eared pages get in the way
But the worn and creased pages of your past obstruct my understanding of you.
All those slings and arrows
All the harsh experiences and criticism you've faced.
I never pointed my dear
I never caused you those hardships.
Leave me shoring the dam
Let me help you keep your emotional turmoil at bay.
And soothing the beast of your wild frontier
As I calm and comfort the untamed parts of you.
Pieces of people and shapes of their hearts
You're made up of fragments of others and their influence on your heart.
Layers of loving you've worn from the start
You've experienced love before, and it has left its mark on you.
Footsteps before me that carved who you are
The paths you've walked have shaped you into who you are today.
Echoes of someone you wear as a scar
The memory of someone you've lost or hurt still haunts you.
You're in pieces
You feel fragmented and broken.
Pieces
These pieces of you are scattered and hard to understand.
You're in pieces baby
You are crumbling emotionally, my darling.
Under the rug buried in the dust
You've hidden away pain or trauma, letting it collect dust.
Hides a little boy who cannot trust
And that trauma has left you unable to trust.
With your bow and arrow
You lash out with your defenses.
Ready and pointed my dear
And I become a target of that defense mechanism, despite my good intentions.
Leave me lost in a harbor
I am alone and adrift, trying to support and understand you.
Soothing your ghosts til they disappear
As I provide comfort and care for the parts of you still haunted by painful memories.
Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.