The Flaming Lips are known for their lush, multi-layered arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which typically feature animal suits, puppets, streamers, video projections and complex stage light configurations.
In 2002, Q magazine named The Flaming Lips one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". In 2006, Oklahoma City named a street Flaming Lips Alley in their honor.
The group recorded several albums and EPs for Restless Records in the 1980s and early 1990s. After signing to Warner Brothers, they scored a #9 hit on the Billboard Alternative charts (and #55 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart) in 1994 with "She Don't Use Jelly". Although it would be their only hit single, the band has maintained critical respect and, to a lesser extent, commercial viability with sonically majestic albums such as 1995's Clouds Taste Metallic, 1999's The Soft Bulletin, 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and 2006's At War with the Mystics. The Flaming Lips' 12th studio album, Embryonic, was released in October of 2009. A complete cover of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was released in May 2010. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, their collaborative album which features artists like Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Nick Cave and Erykah Badu, was released on Record Store Day, April 2012.
Their next studio album, tentatively titled The Terror, will be released in January 2013.
Their song "Do You Realize??" is the official State Rock Song of Oklahoma.
www.flaminglips.com
35000 Feet of Despair
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Riding to work in 2025 (your invisible now)
Thirty-five thousand feet of despair
A machine in India
The train runs over the camel but is derailed by the gnat
How will we know? (futuristic crashendos)
March of the rotten vegetables
The big ol' bug is the new baby now
The Flaming Lips' song "35000 Feet of Despair" is a dystopian commentary on the state of the world in the year 2025. The song opens with the admission that the singer doesn't really understand what's happening, which sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which are disjointed and often nonsensical. The line "riding to work in 2025" suggests a bleak image of daily life, in which commuting to work is still a necessary but depressing habit. The phrase "your invisible now" is a subtle nod to the growing obsession with technology, which increasingly allows us to experience the world virtually instead of physically.
As the song continues, it becomes clear that the world is in a state of chaos. The repeated refrain of "35,000 feet of despair" suggests that even flying, typically a symbol of freedom and escape, has become a miserable experience. The line "a machine in India" introduces the idea of globalism and the impact that other countries may have on our lives. The mention of a train running over a camel and being derailed by a gnat adds to the sense of confusion and disorder. The question "how will we know?" is repeated several times, highlighting the uncertainty and fear that come with an unstable world.
The next line, "futuristic crashendos," serves as a transition into the final section of the song, which features a series of bizarre images. "March of the rotten vegetables" conjures up a grotesque parade, while "the big ol' bug is the new baby now" suggests a world in which even the most repulsive creatures have taken on new significance. Overall, the lyrics to "35000 Feet of Despair" paint a vivid picture of a world gone mad, where even the most mundane aspects of life are fraught with despair and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Okay I'll admit that I really don't understand
Confession of a lack of understanding of the present and future circumstances.
Riding to work in 2025 (your invisible now)
Travelling to work in a time where anonymity and invisibility are the norm.
Thirty-five thousand feet of despair
A reference to the hopelessness and despair that characterizes modern society.
A machine in India
A depiction of the industrialization and globalization of manufacturing industries.
The train runs over the camel but is derailed by the gnat
The trivial events that cause significant disruptions in the modern world.
How will we know? (futuristic crashendos)
A reflection on the uncertainty surrounding the future and the possibility of catastrophic events.
March of the rotten vegetables
A metaphor for the decay and deterioration of society.
The big ol' bug is the new baby now
A commentary on the changing values and priorities of society.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nambochimbanskeyold
One of the most powerful songs I've ever heard
@sstaners1234
I owned this album but, lost it in the move. This was one of the best tracks from it.
@PrimitiveInTheExtreme
Wonderful opening.
@captainwin6333
Bought this album and it's epic.
@nishbrown
2nd best track on Zaireeka