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
I'm Working at NASA on Acid
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm walking here and as I crush the ants below me I'm full of fear
Oh, can we ever find out? I'll ask the mountain, oh, can he tell me?
I'll ask the sky, does it know why? Why?
Why, why, why, why, why... Why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why... (One, two, three, four...)
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Why, why, why, why, why, why... (One, two, three, four...)
I man the controls and I'm trying to control
Oh, something that can never be controlled, oh
Oh, why is anything here
I'll ask the insect how does he fly, I'll ask the insect again
Oh, does he feel pain when he dies, when he dies
When he dies, when he dies, when he dies, when he dies
When he dies, when he dies
The lyrics of “I’m Working At Nasa On Acid” by The Flaming Lips Lightning Bolt capture the confusion and anxiety that comes with the responsibility of controlling something powerful and unpredictable. The singer is working at NASA, controlling something that can never be fully controlled, and as he presses the wrong button, he fears the consequences of his mistakes. This is juxtaposed with his crushing of ants, something that he does without thinking, and yet, it fills him with fear. The singer is aware of his own insignificance and questions the meaning of his existence. He wants to know if there is a purpose to everything in the universe, and if he can find out from the mountain or the sky. He also wonders if insects feel pain when they die, highlighting his sympathy for even the smallest and most insignificant things in the universe.
The repetition of "why" throughout the song also captures the existential crisis that the singer is facing. It highlights his confusion and desperation for answers. The use of the countdown in the background of the song adds to the tension and sense of urgency in the singer's quest for answers.
Overall, the lyrics of “I’m Working At Nasa On Acid” convey a sense of helplessness and anxiety in the face of something greater than ourselves. They also capture the singer’s empathy for all living things and his desire to find answers to the existential questions that plague us all.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm working here and as I press the wrong button they'll disappear
I am working at my job, but I have a fear that I might make a mistake that will cause something or someone to disappear.
I'm walking here and as I crush the ants below me I'm full of fear
While walking, I am conscious of the ants underfoot and feel afraid of accidentally hurting or killing them.
Oh, can we ever find out? I'll ask the mountain, oh, can he tell me?
I have a deep existential question for which I seek an answer. I am considering asking the mountain for insight.
I'll ask the sky, does it know why? Why? Why, why, why, why, why...
I will also inquire with the sky to see if there is an answer to my question. I ask repeatedly, feeling frustrated and still without answers.
I man the controls and I'm trying to control
I am in charge of operating the controls and am attempting to manipulate something as best as I can.
Oh, something that can never be controlled, oh
However, I am aware that some things are beyond anyone's control and cannot be tamed or regulated.
Oh, why is anything here
The metaphysical question of why anything exists weighs on my thoughts.
I'll ask the insect how does he fly, I'll ask the insect again
I am curious about how insects fly and will try to learn from them.
Oh, does he feel pain when he dies, when he dies
I also wonder about the possibility of insect pain at the time of their death.
When he dies, when he dies, when he dies, when he dies, when he dies, when he dies
Repetition is used to emphasize my curiosity and questioning about insect death.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN CHIPPENDALE, BRIAN GIBSON, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind