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
A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They rescued everyone
They lifted up the sun
A spoonful weighs a ton
Giving more than they had
The process had begun
A million came from one
Being drunk on their plan
They lifted up the sun
Forcing it off with their hands
The trap door came undone
Above our heads it swung
The privilege had been won
Being drunk on their plan
They lifted up the sun
Yelling as hard as they can
The doubters all were stunned
Heard louder than a gun
The sound they made was love
The Flaming Lips’s song A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, seems to be a song about hope, perseverance, and the power of love. The lyrics “And though they were sad, they rescued everyone, they lifted up the sun, a spoonful weighs a ton” suggest that the people in the song have gone through tough times, they might have been sad, but they managed to rescue everyone, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles and helping others. The line “a spoonful weighs a ton” might symbolize the idea that a small action can make a significant and lasting difference.
The lyrics then go on to describe how the people gave more than they had, and “a million came from one,” which can be viewed as a reflection of the power of unity and how collective action can achieve great things. The line “the limits now were none” could refer to the fact that the people who were once held back were now free to pursue their dreams and achieve great things.
The rest of the song describes the people’s efforts to lift up the sun, representing their efforts to create a brighter future. The line “being drunk on their plan” might be interpreted as them being so energized and motivated by their goals that they become overcome with enthusiasm. Finally, the line “the sound they made was love” suggests that their collective efforts were driven by love, and that the power of love can create real change.
Overall, A Spoonful Weighs a Ton is a song about the power of collective action, hope, and love. It encourages the listener to embrace their dreams and persevere through challenges because small actions can make a big difference in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
And though they were sad
Despite their sadness
They rescued everyone
They helped everyone in need
They lifted up the sun
They accomplished a seemingly impossible task
A spoonful weighs a ton
Small things can have a huge impact
Giving more than they had
They went above and beyond
The process had begun
Their journey had just started
A million came from one
One action can spark a movement
The limits now were none
They broke through barriers and constraints
Being drunk on their plan
They were consumed by their vision
They lifted up the sun
They were able to achieve the impossible
Forcing it off with their hands
They overcame obstacles through their own efforts
The trap door came undone
They solved a problem that seemed unsolvable
Above our heads it swung
Their accomplishment was visible to all
The privilege had been won
They earned the right to do the impossible
Yelling as hard as they can
They expressed their joy and passion loudly
The doubters all were stunned
Those who doubted them were amazed by their success
Heard louder than a gun
Their positive impact was greater than any weapon
The sound they made was love
Their achievement was driven by love and compassion
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind