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
There Should Be Unicorns
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ones with the purple eyes
It should be loud as fuck
Hope the swans don't die
There should be burning sun
And naked slaves
And if the police show up
We'll give them so much money it will make them cry
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be day glow strippers
Ones from the Amazon
Some edible butterflies
We put ketchup on
Some motorcycle stunts
That always crash
And if the police show up
We'll bribe them into helping us steal the light of love
From the rainbow sluts that live next door
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
At first there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes, not the ones with green eyes
Whatever they give them, they shit everywhere
And it would be great if the moon was almost down
Like in a very red/orange state
Let's leave it like that for at least three hours,
Hovering just above the horizon
And if the police show up,
We will give them so much money that they can retire from their shitty,
Violent jobs and live the greatest life they've ever lived
And we will be high and the love generator will be turned up to its maximum
And we'll get higher, when at last,
The sun comes up in the morning and we will collapse under the weight of the ancient earth
And it will be inside me and it will be inside you
And it will be the end of the world and the beginning of a new love
The lyrics to The Flaming Lips' song "There Should Be Unicorns" depict a fantastical and hedonistic utopia where vibrant and magical beings exist. The mention of unicorns with purple eyes suggests a sense of enchantment and mysticism, contrasting with the green-eyed ones. The song yearns for a world filled with extravagant sensory experiences, depicted through vivid imagery. The desire for loud music, burning sun, and naked slaves reflects an indulgent and uninhibited existence.
The lyrics also touch on power dynamics and corruption, as the idea of bribing the police is mentioned. This suggests a society where money holds significant influence and people can buy their way out of trouble. The concept of stealing the "light of love" from the neighboring rainbow sluts reveals a subversive desire to challenge societal norms and possess something rare and cherished.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, there should be unicorns
There should be fantastical and extraordinary beings in our world
The ones with the purple eyes
These unicorns should possess rare and captivating qualities
It should be loud as fuck
The atmosphere should be filled with overwhelming noise and energy
Hope the swans don't die
We desire to maintain the beauty and harmony of nature
There should be burning sun
The sun should radiate intense heat and brilliance
And naked slaves
There should be a lack of inhibition and freedom of expression
And if the police show up
In the presence of authority figures
We'll give them so much money it will make them cry
We will generously compensate them to elicit an emotional response
And forgive us
We hope they will pardon our unconventional actions
Yeah, there should be day glow strippers
We envision vibrant and illuminating performers
Ones from the Amazon
Originating from exotic and remote locations
Some edible butterflies
We desire unusual and whimsical experiences
We put ketchup on
We add unexpected and unconventional elements to these experiences
Some motorcycle stunts
Thrilling and risky performances
That always crash
Even though they result in failure or mishaps
And if the police show up
In the presence of authority figures
We'll bribe them into helping us steal the light of love
We will persuade them to assist us in capturing and embracing the essence of love
From the rainbow sluts that live next door
Extracting love from those who are carefree and unconventional
At first there should be unicorns
Initially, we desire the presence of extraordinary beings
The ones with the purple eyes, not the ones with green eyes
We specifically desire unicorns with captivating qualities, distinguishing them from others
Whatever they give them, they shit everywhere
Regardless of what they consume, they leave behind a mess
And it would be great if the moon was almost down
We find it desirable for the moon to be low on the horizon
Like in a very red/orange state
Emitting a warm and intense color
Let's leave it like that for at least three hours
We wish for this particular state to persist for an extended period
Hovering just above the horizon
Suspended slightly above the Earth's edge
And if the police show up
In the presence of authority figures
We will give them so much money that they can retire from their shitty, violent jobs
We will offer them a significant amount of wealth to leave behind their burdened and aggressive occupations
And live the greatest life they've ever lived
To experience the fullest and most fulfilling existence
And we will be high
Our state of mind will be altered, likely through drug-induced euphoria
And the love generator will be turned up to its maximum
Our ability to generate and experience love will be intensified to the highest level
And we'll get higher
Our heightened state of consciousness and emotions will escalate even further
When at last, the sun comes up in the morning
With the sunrise, symbolizing new beginnings and hope
And we will collapse under the weight of the ancient earth
We will succumb to the profound connection and significance of our existence
And it will be inside me and it will be inside you
The profound impact of this experience will be deeply ingrained within us
And it will be the end of the world and the beginning of a new love
This transformative event will mark the conclusion of our current reality and the commencement of a profound love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dogstar 74
[Wayne Coyne:]
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
It should be loud as fuck
Hope the swans don't die
There should be burning sun
And naked slaves
And if the police show up
We'll give them so much money it will make them cry
And forgive us
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be day glow strippers
Ones from the Amazon
Some edible butterflies
We put ketchup on
Some motorcycle stunts
That always crash
And if the police show up
We'll bribe them into helping us steal the light of love
From the rainbow sluts that live next door
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
Yeah, there should be unicorns
The ones with the purple eyes
Not the green eyes
[Reggie Watts:]
At first there should be unicorns. The ones with the purple eyes, not the ones with green eyes. Whatever they give them, they shit everywhere. And it would be great if the moon was almost down. Like in a very red/orange state. Let's leave it like that for at least three hours, hovering just above the horizon. And if the police show up we will give them so much money that they can retire from their shitty, violent jobs and live the greatest life they've ever lived. And we will be high and the love generator will be turned up to its maximum. And we'll get higher when, at last, the sun comes up in the morning and we will collapse under the weight of the ancient earth. And it will be inside me and it will be inside you. And it will be the end of the world and the beginning of a new love
lleon79
I love this band.
Sheila Perry
https://lowkey.gg/v/40ffb3e1-f86a-4362-907f-2a530cdc6e36
Anderson Roberto dos Santos
Too much love involved
jetfa9
meh...this record is not very good. its like at war with the mystics...
Mick Jones
Love the band, but the guys in green wigs are cheesy. haven't liked them since they came around.
Hypnoswede
It's all about love and balling man... Jackie Rogers JR.
Dethmobile
Another brilliant tune from a brilliant album. Peace and love <3
Cameron Melville
Fanatic since '95, saw them live for the first time last night in Saskatoon Canada... A M A Z I N G ! ! ! Love love love love.
remember the alamo!!!
I have loved them since the beginning! I'm loving this song! It's fun watching them evolve
remember the alamo!!!
Rad, I'm afraid the only one in danger of being gay is you, my friend