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
The Gash
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really why you have stopped?
'Cause I've noticed all the others
Though they're gashed, they're still going
'Cause I feel like the real reason
That you're quitting
And admitting that you've lost
All the will to battle on
Will the fight for our sanity
Be the fight of our lives?
Now that we've lost all the reasons
That we thought that we had
Still the battle that we're in
Rages on till the end
With explosions, wounds are open
Sights and smells, eyes and noses
But the thought that went unspoken
Was understanding
That you're broken, still the last
Volunteer battles on
Battles on
Battles on
Battles on
The Flaming Lips's song The Gash is a melancholic and introspective piece of music that reflects on the nature of life in a seemingly endless battle. The opening lines of the song ask whether the injury on the singer's leg is the reason why they've stopped fighting, implying that there's more to the story than meets the eye. The song slowly unravels, as the lyrics reveal that the singer has lost the will to battle on despite the injuries they've sustained. The song then goes on to ask whether the fight for sanity is the fight of our lives and whether the reasons we thought we had for fighting were worth it. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer acknowledges their brokenness but still fights on as a volunteer.
The lyrics of The Gash are open to interpretation, but it can be seen as a commentary on the challenges of life and how it can impact our mental health. The use of the word "gash" can be seen as a symbol for the wounds we all carry, both physical and emotional. The singer's struggle to continue fighting despite their wounds and the loss of motivation can be seen as a reflection of the daily battles we all face. The song also reflects on the concept of sanity and how it can be a constant struggle to maintain amidst the chaos of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Is that gash in your leg
Are you really giving up because of that injury?
Really why you have stopped?
I'm confused as to why you're giving up now.
'Cause I've noticed all the others
I see that even though others are also injured, they're still fighting.
Though they're gashed, they're still going
Despite their injuries, they continue to move forward.
'Cause I feel like the real reason
I believe the true reason for your surrender is...
That you're quitting
You're giving up.
And admitting that you've lost
You're acknowledging defeat.
All the will to battle on
You've lost the drive to keep fighting.
Will the fight for our sanity
The struggle to maintain our mental health...
Be the fight of our lives?
...is it the biggest battle we'll ever face?
Now that we've lost all the reasons
Since we've lost all the motivating factors...
That we thought that we had
...that we thought we had to keep going.
Still the battle that we're in
However, we're still in the midst of this fight.
Rages on till the end
It continues until its natural conclusion.
With explosions, wounds are open
It's a fight with emotional and physical injuries.
Sights and smells, eyes and noses
It's a fight that assaults all the senses.
But the thought that went unspoken
The underlying concern that wasn't voiced...
Was understanding
...was understanding why you've given up.
That you're broken, still the last
That you're emotionally shattered, but you're the only one left...
Volunteer battles on
...and you choose to keep fighting anyway.
Battles on
Continuing the fight.
Battles on
Pressing forward despite the odds.
Battles on
The struggle continues indefinitely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind