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
Monochrome
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's going on, when you're gone
Fall asleep when you're near
What's going on, when you're here
And sometimes I think if I stand by the phone it may ring
And sometimes I worry and fear what tomorrow may bring
And you sing
Breathe with your sigh
Makes me high, don't know why
Touching your skin
Wishing you were within
Your eyes are like saucers but mine are just clouded in gray
I've so much to tell but I can't and you just go away
Anyway
Won't you stay
Wake with the sun
What's going on, when you're gone
And when I lost control
I was cold, and I felt old
The ground is beneath me but slowly it's falling away
You say we're like children so why won't you come out and play?
And sometimes I think if I look at the phone it may ring
And sometimes I worry and fear what tomorrow may bring
When you sing
When you sing
In the song Monochrome, The Flaming Lips' lead singer, Wayne Coyne, sings about the conflicting emotions that come with being in a relationship. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and desperation for the presence of the other person. He talks about waking up and falling asleep thinking about them and wondering what is going on when they're not together. The chorus, "And sometimes I think if I stand by the phone it may ring, And sometimes I worry and fear what tomorrow may bring, And you sing, And you sing" shows that he is hoping for a call from the other person to put his fears to rest.
Coyne also talks about how being with this person makes him feel alive, and the mere touch of their skin makes him feel high. He wishes that they were closer and expresses regret at not being able to share his thoughts and emotions with them. He contrasts his clouded and dull eyes with the other person's bright and saucer-like eyes. Coyne also talks about feeling out-of-control and cold, and how he wishes the other person would join him in feeling like a child and playing together.
Overall, the song Monochrome is about the agony and ecstasy of being in love, and the conflicting emotions one feels when caught in a relationship. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia, longing, and desperation for the other person's presence.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake with the sun
I wake up early in the morning
What's going on, when you're gone
I feel lost and confused when you're not around
Fall asleep when you're near
I feel comfortable and secure when you're close to me
What's going on, when you're here
I am happy and content when we are together
And sometimes I think if I stand by the phone it may ring
I am constantly waiting for your call or message
And sometimes I worry and fear what tomorrow may bring
I am anxious about the future and what it holds for us
And you sing
Your singing makes me feel better and brings joy to my life
Breathe with your sigh
I am in sync with your breathing and your emotions
Makes me high, don't know why
Your touch and presence make me feel elated and happy for no reason
Touching your skin
The physical connection with you is electrifying and intense
Wishing you were within
I want to be closer to you and feel your love even more
Your eyes are like saucers but mine are just clouded in gray
You are full of life and energy, but I am lost in my own concerns and worries
I've so much to tell but I can't and you just go away
I have a lot on my mind, but I can't express myself and you're leaving me alone
Anyway
Despite my troubles, I still want to be with you
Won't you stay
I want you to stay with me and not leave me alone
And when I lost control
I am struggling to hold it together and maintain my composure
I was cold, and I felt old
I am emotionally drained and exhausted
The ground is beneath me but slowly it's falling away
I feel like I am losing my footing and becoming ungrounded
You say we're like children so why won't you come out and play?
You compare our relationship to that of children, but you're not willing to have fun and enjoy it
When you sing
Your singing makes everything better and brings color to my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Emma Victoria Jane Anderson, EMMA ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind