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
Mr. Ambulance Driver Explained
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hopin' that it doesn't come too late
Hearin' the sirens in the distance
Hold on help is on the way
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm not a real survivor
Wasn't gonna be here anymore
The one that wasn't here anymore
The one that wasn't here anymore
Oh we can't trade places
Our lives are strangely our own
Mister Ambulance Driver tell me
For everyone that dies, someone new is born
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm not a real survivor
'Cause I'm wishing that I was the one that
Wasn't gonna be here anymore
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm not a real survivor
'Cause I'm wishing that I was the one that
Wasn't gonna be here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The Flaming Lips’ song Mr. Ambulance Driver is a melancholic reflection on the fragility of life and the emotional turmoil that comes with facing death. The lyrics describe a scene of waiting for an ambulance, hoping that it arrives in time to save someone's life. The singer is by the side of a loved one, perhaps a partner or a family member, who is in distress and needs urgent medical attention. The sound of sirens in the distance brings a glimmer of hope, and the singer clings to the possibility of help arriving soon.
However, the central theme of the song is the wish for an alternate reality, where the singer himself would not survive. He expresses a feeling of guilt for wanting to trade places with his loved one and escape the pain of living with the uncertainty of their survival. He longs to be the one who is not there anymore, the one who is at peace and free from the burden of waiting and worrying. The repeated line "Mister Ambulance Driver, I'm not a real survivor," emphasizes the singer's sense of helplessness and the disconnect he feels from the role of a survivor, as if he does not belong to the world that continues on after death.
The song raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of life and death, the inevitability of loss, and the complexity of human emotions in a crisis. It is a poignant reminder that no matter how much we prepare or anticipate, when faced with the ultimate challenge of mortality, we are all vulnerable and afraid.
Line by Line Meaning
Waitin' for the ambulance to come
Waiting for help to arrive
Hopin' that it doesn't come too late
Hoping that help arrives in time
Hearin' the sirens in the distance
Hearing the sound of the ambulance approaching
Hold on help is on the way
Stay patient, help is coming
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm right here beside her
Addressing the ambulance driver and indicating that the singer is next to a person in need of medical help
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Despite the fact that the singer will survive, they are experiencing strong emotions
Mister Ambulance Driver I'm not a real survivor
The singer feels like they will not truly survive the experience
'Cause I'm wishing that I was the one that
The singer would rather it be them in need of medical attention
Wasn't gonna be here anymore
Not wanting to be alive anymore
Oh we can't trade places
Expressing the fact that people cannot simply switch places or roles in life
Our lives are strangely our own
Acknowledging the unique experiences and circumstances of each individual's life
Mister Ambulance Driver tell me
Asking for insight from the ambulance driver
For everyone that dies, someone new is born
Reflecting on the cycle of life and death
The one that isn't here anymore
Referring to the person who has passed away or is no longer present
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WAYNE COYNE, STEVEN DROZD, MICHAEL IVINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind