Although the band started out playing at Christian music festivals, they shun the label of "Christian rock," with singer and guitarist Jon Foreman saying, "For us, it's a faith, not a genre. We've always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us `Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind -- and that's what we want." They started out on Charlie Peacock's label "re:think" and spent several years appearing at Christian festivals and enjoying Christian radio hits. Most of their early tours were with Christian bands and both of the band's new members were borrowed from Christian bands.
Switchfoot did not see success outside of the Christian rock scene until they were featured alongside singer Mandy Moore on the A Walk To Remember soundtrack. The band's first true commercial success came in 2003 with the release of their fourth major label (and first mainstream label) offering, The Beautiful Letdown. The album went on to sell more than 2 million albums and Switchfoot became the most popular rock band to be associated with Christian music.
They were featured on the British Edition of the Spiderman II soundtrack along with the likes of Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional to name a few, in 2004 with the song 'Meant To Live'.
In 2005 Switchfoot released "Nothing Is Sound". The album went gold within 3 months and received much critical acclaim.
Switchfoot's highly anticipated album, titled "Oh! Gravity." was released on December 26th, 2006.
On November 10th, 2009, Switchfoot released their first album produced under their own label, lowercase people. "Mess of Me", a single from the album released months before the CD, has enjoy chart-topping radio plays since its release.
In 2010 Switchfoot released their album, "Hello Hurricane".
On September 27th, 2011, to much anticipation and excitement, Switchfoot released their newest album, "Vice Verses".
Sites:
www.switchfoot.com
Switchfoot Message Boards
Poparazzi
Switchfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tune for the paparazzi
This is a tune for the paparazzi
The who's who and the so and so's
This is a tune for the graven images of Marilyn Monroe
We saw your face on the magazine
You're stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
But Pop will never leave you alone
Leave me alone with your social mingle
You try so hard to stay on top
Leave me alone with your little jingle
With your picture perfect pop
We read the article in Seventeen
We saw the video on MTv
You're stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
But Pop will never leave you alone
This is a tune for the last Nirvana
The teen spirit rock-and-roll
This is a tune for the velvet Elvis's
On the 90210
I thought my eyes were gonna get off clean
'Til I read your lips on the TV screen
You were busy saying what you didn't mean
Now everyone's singing along
With your ridiculous song
You got it stuck
You got it stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
You can close your ears and your eyes
But Pop will never leave you alone
Tune for the Paparazzi
The song "Poparazzi" by Switchfoot is a critique of pop culture and its obsession with fame, beauty, and celebrity worship. The lyrics urge listeners to be aware of the shallow nature of this culture and to not get caught up in its empty promises. The chorus repeats "stuck in my head" and "you can close your ears and your eyes but Pop will never leave you alone," emphasizing the pervasive and inescapable nature of pop culture.
The opening lines set the tone for the song, declaring it a "tune for the paparazzi." The paparazzi are the photographers who relentlessly pursue celebrities to capture their images for tabloid magazines and online gossip sites. The lyrics go on to reference Marilyn Monroe, a Hollywood icon and symbol of beauty and glamour, and Nirvana, a grunge band and counter-cultural force that stood in opposition to mainstream pop culture.
The song's final verse also critiques the phoniness of pop culture, specifically calling out those who say things they don't mean. The repetition of "stuck in my head" throughout the song further emphasizes the power of pop culture to worm its way into people's thoughts and consciousness.
Overall, "Poparazzi" is a powerful commentary on the toxic influence of pop culture and the need to be aware of its insidious effects on society.
Line by Line Meaning
Tune for the paparazzi
This song is dedicated to the paparazzi, the people who capture and spread images of celebrities and their glamorous lives.
Tune for the paparazzi
Again, this song is dedicated to the paparazzi.
This is a tune for the paparazzi
The who's who and the so and so's
This is a tune for the graven images of Marilyn Monroe
This song is specifically created for the paparazzi who are interested in people who are famous or important, including icons like Marilyn Monroe.
We saw your face on the magazine
We heard the song on the MP3
We have become aware of your presence and brand through different media outlets like magazine and MP3 players.
You're stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
But Pop will never leave you alone
Your music or image has become catchy and stuck in my mind, and no matter how much I try to avoid it, Pop culture will continue to surround and follow me.
Leave me alone with your social mingle
You try so hard to stay on top
Leave me alone with your little jingle
With your picture perfect pop
I want to distance myself from the shallow social environment and you, the celebrity or musician, as you strive to remain relevant and popular with your artificially perfect image and catchy tunes.
We read the article in Seventeen
We saw the video on MTv
We came across your image and music through teenage magazines like Seventeen and TV channels like MTV.
This is a tune for the last Nirvana
The teen spirit rock-and-roll
This is a tune for the velvet Elvis's
On the 90210
This is a song created for the last legendary rock band Nirvana, their rock and roll sound and spirit, as well as for the Elvis Presley painting, which was commonly found in the affluent zipcode area of 90210.
I thought my eyes were gonna get off clean
'Til I read your lips on the TV screen
You were busy saying what you didn't mean
Now everyone's singing along
With your ridiculous song
You got it stuck
You got it stuck in my head
I initially thought I could ignore or avoid the Pop culture's influence, but I ended up reading and listening to your inauthentic statements on TV. As a result, people are mindlessly singing along to your nonsensical song, and it has stuck in my mind too.
Stuck in my head
Stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
You can close your ears and your eyes
But Pop will never leave you alone
The Pop culture that surrounds us, including the celebrities and their media, will always influence us and be present in our lives, regardless of whether we try to avoid it or not.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Topaz
This is a tune for the poparazzi
Yo, yo, yo, hey, hey, hey
This is a tune for the poparazzi
This is a tune for the poparazzi
The who's who and the so and so's
This is a tune for the graven images
Of Marilyn Monroe
We saw your face on the magazine
You're stuck in my head
Stuck in my head, stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes, but
Pop will never leave you alone
This is a tune for the poparazzi
Leave me alone with your social mingle
You try so hard to stay on top
Leave me alone with your little jingle
With your picture perfect pop
We read the article in "Seventeen"
We saw your video on MTV
But you're stuck in my head
Stuck in my head, stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes, but
Pop will never leave you alone
Pop will never leave you alone
This is a tune for the late Nirvana
The teen spirit rock and roll
This is a tune for the velvet Elvis's
On the 90210
I thought my eyes were gonna get off clean
Till I read your lips on the TV screen
You were busy sayin' what you didn't mean
Now everyone's singin' along
With your ridiculous song
You got it stuck, you got it stuck in my head
Stuck in my head, stuck in my head
You can close your ears and your eyes
You can close your ears and your eyes, but
Pop will never leave you alone
Tune for the poparazzi
Tune for the poparazzi
Ashley Burd
This is a great song and it's my go-to to get a "ridiculous song" out of my head! I'd much rather have this as my earworm.
david caron
Same
McDuube
pumped for Switchfoot releasing their music on youtube!
Mariana Pando
Most underrated switchfoot song award
ricardo gonzalez
I agree definitely
Odd _pistachio1
That's every switchfoot song. Only played on christian radio and occasionally in movies.
indiidesign
i remember hitting the the I<< button on my CD Player over and over on this whole album
Johnny Brown
oh my gosh,
every day
vice versus was great
so was oh gravity
Alan Huntington
I remember requesting this song and getting it played as the encore at the Ashland University concert in '02. (I'm 36). Glad Jon and the boys and now girl are still making music!
hellokrazys
such a great song!