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
Drug Machine
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our plane blows up in the sky
We're workin' in an explosives factory
Cause we don't care if we die
Everything, everything, everything that I wish
Give us a 20th century Jesus guy
And he could make us rich
You've known me for a million years
And I've been chewed up by all your gears
I don't want to be no one else
I like it here, 'cause I like hell.
The lyrics to "Drug Machine in Heaven" by The Flaming Lips are a commentary on the dangers of drug use, the desire for material wealth, and the struggle to find individuality in a conformist society. The opening stanza sets the tone for the song as the singer talks about how every time they "fly together," their plane "blows up in the sky." This is a metaphor for how their drug use leads to self-destructive behavior.
The second stanza reflects the desire for instant gratification and the worship of money. The singer pleads for a "20th century Jesus guy" who could make them rich. This line speaks to the idea of religious and cultural figures being co-opted for commercial gain. The singer sees wealth as the ultimate goal and is willing to sacrifice their own well-being and morality to achieve it.
The final stanza touches on the theme of individuality in a conformist society. The singer acknowledges that they have been "chewed up by all your gears" but still desires to remain true to themselves. They see their life as akin to "hell" but find comfort in the familiarity of their struggle. The line "I don't want to be no one else" speaks to the desire for individuality, even in the face of external pressure to conform.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time that we fly together
Whenever we travel by plane at the same time
Our plane blows up in the sky
The plane we are on explodes while in the air
We're workin' in an explosives factory
We are employed in a factory that produces explosives
Cause we don't care if we die
We are not afraid of dying
Everything, everything, everything that I wish
I have many desires
Give us a 20th century Jesus guy
We want someone like Jesus, but someone who is more modern
And he could make us rich
If we had this person, we believe they could make us wealthy
You've known me for a million years
We have known each other for a very long time
And I've been chewed up by all your gears
Your actions or behavior have had a negative impact on me
I don't want to be no one else
I am content with who I am and don't want to be anyone else
I like it here, 'cause I like hell.
I enjoy the current situation, even if it is unpleasant or difficult
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, RICHARD ENGLISH, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind