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
Sattelite Of You
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O companion the moon
It orbits so faithfully
It's a satellite true
If you'll be the Earth
I'll be your moon
As long as you want me to
It's obvious it's you
I keep in my view
It's a logical gravity
That pulls me to you
The sun was made to shine
All around you
If a little bit comes my way
It's the least I can do
'Cause you're the Earth
And I'm just the moon
It orbits so faithfully
A satellite true
It orbits so faithfully
A satellite of you
In "Satellite Of You," The Flaming Lips are making an analogy between the relationship of the Earth and the Moon with a romantic relationship of two people. Wayne Coyne, the lead singer, is singing to his love interest to tell her that he wants to be her companion and orbit around her like the Moon does around Earth. He uses the words "Hail to the Earth," which could signify adoration or respect for the planet, and "O companion the moon," to convey that he wants to be her companion. He further says that he'll be there for as long as she wants him to be, hence "If you'll be the Earth, I'll be your moon, as long as you want me to." He thinks of himself as the Moon and his love interest as the Earth.
The second verse of the song reinforces the analogy. Wayne Coyne admires the Moon for its consistent orbit around the Earth, which is what makes it a "satellite true." It's evident in the lyrics, "It orbits so faithfully, a satellite true, it's obvious it's you (the Earth)." The analogy becomes more intense as he states that he's pulled towards her with logical gravity. He also mentions how he perceives the Sun as something that radiates light but it's only meant for his love interest, the Earth.
Overall, the song portrays a deep and unconditional love by comparing it to the astronomical connection between the Earth and the Moon.
Line by Line Meaning
Hail to the Earth
Greetings to the planet Earth
O companion the moon
Addressing the moon as a companion of Earth
It orbits so faithfully
The moon orbits the Earth very consistently
It's a satellite true
The moon is a true satellite of Earth
If you'll be the Earth
If you take on the role of the Earth
I'll be your moon
I will take on the role of the moon in relation to you
As long as you want me to
I will continue to play this role for as long as you desire
It's obvious it's you
It's clear that I am referring to you, the Earth
I keep in my view
I keep you in my sight, always aware of you
It's a logical gravity
The force of gravity between Earth and the moon is logical and makes sense
That pulls me to you
This force of gravity is what connects me to you
The sun was made to shine
The purpose of the sun is to emit light and warmth
All around you
In the vicinity of the Earth and the moon, the sun illuminates everything
If a little bit comes my way
If I receive just a small portion of the sun's light
It's the least I can do
It's the least I can offer in comparison to what the sun provides
'Cause you're the Earth
Because the Earth is the dominant planet in the Earth-moon system
And I'm just the moon
And the moon is the lesser partner in this system
A satellite true
The moon is a trustworthy satellite of Earth
It orbits so faithfully
Once again emphasizing the consistent orbit of the moon around the Earth
A satellite of you
The moon is a satellite of the Earth, regarding the Earth as the relationally dominant partner
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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Primitive In The Extreme
Wonderful song. It seems straight out of the 70s. ✨💖✨
Nuno Ferraz
Incredible band.. do you want to escape earth every now and again? Flaming lips can help smuggle you out.
CyborgMenace3k21
My favorite love song of all time, the creativity and melody truly speak for themselves.
LOHOLLYWOOD1F
I really want this song to be etched into a gold vinyl and sent to space.
Ig Virojpan
I cried so hard because of the lyrics are so beautiful, and they go together with its old-timey music, and everything else in this song is too perfect I couldn't stop listening to it. Thank you for making such a wonderful song. This bittersweet melody got me so emotional 🥺✨
Andie
As always, magnifico! 🦄
Jessarae
That drum sound!!
Drew Ciccotelli
I saw you live twice and I have never come back down from such an extraordinary high
Nicolas Fazio Bairach
temazo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kosmic93
Aaaand this made my day. Beautiful bittersweet tune.