The Flaming Lips is an American neo-psychedelic band, formed in Oklahoma Ci… Read Full Bio ↴The Flaming Lips is an American neo-psychedelic band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States in 1983. Throughout their career, band members have come and gone, but currently The Flaming Lips consist of original members Wayne Coyne (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Michael Ivins (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), along with members Steven Drozd (drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Derek Brown (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). Former members include Mark Coyne (lead vocals), Richard English (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), Nathan Roberts (drums), Jonathan Donahue (guitar, backing vocals), who went on to form Mercury Rev, Ronald Jones (guitar, backing vocals), and Kliph Scurlock (drums).

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.

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If I Only I Had A Brain
The Flaming Lips Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I would while away the hours
Conferin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain
And my head I'd be scratchin'
While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain.

I'd unravel every riddle,

For every individle,
In trouble or in pain.
With the thoughts you could be thinkin',
You could be another lincoln,
If you only had a brain.

Oh I, could tell you why,
The ocean's near the shore.
I could think of things I never thought before,
Then I'd sit, and think some more.

I would not be just a nothin',
My head all full of stuffin',
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and by merry,
Life would be a dingle derry,
If I only had a brain.

Oh I could tell you why
The ocean's near the shore.
I could think of things I never thought before
And then I'd sit, and think some more.

I would not be just a nothin',
My head all full of stuffin',
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and by merry,

Life would be a dingle derry,
If I only had a brain.

Overall Meaning

The song "If I Only Had A Brain" by The Flaming Lips is a tribute to the beloved character Scarecrow from the famous movie "The Wizard of Oz." The lyrics delve into the dreams and yearning of Scarecrow, who longs for intellectual abilities and wisdom that he believes will make him a better person. The song expresses the Scarecrow's frustration with his inability to think, reason and solve problems like a normal person. He imagines a life where he can unravel every riddle, help others in trouble or in pain, and think of things he never thought before. Amidst all these musings, he can't help but marvel at the wonders of the world like the ocean, a sight that has always been captivating to him.

The song's melody is whimsical and playful, capturing the essence of Scarecrow's carefree spirit. The lyrics suggest that Scarecrow is more than just a decorative figure and that he too deserves a chance to have a brain like everyone else. The song uses Scarecrow's character as a vehicle for people to identify with a desire for knowledge and self-improvement.

Interestingly, the song was released in 1986 by The Flaming Lips, making it one of their earliest works. They have a cult following and are known for their experimental style and psychedelic sound. However, "If I Only Had A Brain" is a rare portrayal of their soft and charming side. The song has since been covered by other artists, including Harry Connick Jr. The song's enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless appeal and its ability to strike a chord with the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

I would while away the hours
I would spend my time leisurely

Conferin' with the flowers
I would talk to the flowers as if they were alive

Consultin' with the rain
I would seek guidance from nature

And my head I'd be scratchin'
I would be deep in thought

While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
I would be coming up with new ideas and plans

If I only had a brain.
If only I had more intelligence and clarity of thought

I'd unravel every riddle,
I would solve every mystery

For every individle,
For any person in need

In trouble or in pain.
Whether in distress or suffering

With the thoughts you could be thinkin',
With the intelligence and creativity you possess

You could be another lincoln,
You could achieve great things, like Abraham Lincoln