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
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 2
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Working for the city - she has to discipline her body -
Cause she knows that it's demanding to defeat these
Evil machines - I know she can beat them -
Oh Yoshimi
They don't believe me
But you won't let those
Robots defeat me
Oh Yoshimi
They don't believe me
But you won't let those
Robots eat me
Those evil natured robots - they're programmed to
Destroy us - She's gotta be strong to fight them -
So she's taking lots of vitamins - cause she knows that
It'd be tragic if those evil robots win - I know
She can beat them
The Flaming Lips's song Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 2 is a tribute to a fictional character named Yoshimi who is a black belt in karate and works for the city. She is faced with the task of defeating evil machines that are programmed to destroy humanity. The lyrics express admiration for Yoshimi's strength and determination. Even though others doubt her ability to defeat the robots, the singer believes in her and trusts that she won't let the robots defeat or eat him.
The song is reflective of the band's fascination with the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles and challenges. It's also a commentary on the dangers of technology and artificial intelligence. The song reminds us that while machines can be powerful, they lack the depth of human emotion and resilience. Yoshimi's success in battle is a reminder that humans must strive to maintain their sense of humanity and emotional depth in the face of advancing technology.
Line by Line Meaning
Her name is Yoshimi - she's a black belt in karate
Yoshimi is a skilled fighter in martial practices.
Working for the city - she has to discipline her body
Her employment demands consistent physical training to keep her body fit and disciplined.
Cause she knows that it's demanding to defeat these Evil machines
She is aware of the challenges she faces in fighting these wicked machines.
I know she can beat them - Oh Yoshimi
I firmly believe that she has what it takes to defeat these machines, Oh Yoshimi.
They don't believe me - But you won't let those Robots defeat me
I sense disbelief from others, but I trust that she will not allow these robots to defeat me.
Those evil natured robots - they're programmed to Destroy us - She's gotta be strong to fight them
These malevolent machines are programmed to annihilate humanity, and thus require incredible strength to stop them.
So she's taking lots of vitamins - cause she knows that It'd be tragic if those evil robots win - I know She can beat them
She is consuming many health supplements to stay healthy; the thought of the machines winning is traumatic. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that she can defeat them.
Writer(s): Wayne Coyne, Dave Fridmann, Michael Ivins, Steven Drozd Copyright: Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Lovely Sorts Of Death Music
Contributed by Eliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@callakracker
Arguably the most genius track on the album despite being considered the worst.
The song is supposed to be an instrumental envisioning of Yoshimi fighting all the robots. All the effects and sounds are just a musical translation to what is going on in the story. Part 1 was the preparation for the fight through lyrical detail, and Part 2 is the battle underway told through a rough instrumental/effect-heavy jam.
Very well played, Lips. Very well played.
@lostonesstillweeping4445
yeah
@audenbrown2
this. fuck
@surferbeto2
You can certainly argue that. I'm not buying the argument though. This guy wrote a lot of very pretty pop songs, then layers them baroquely with way too much synthesized sonic sludge that mostly detracts from the original vision and in some.cases (as here) renders songs almost unlistenable. Try playing some.of these as some acoustic songs and they sound really nice. I may need to start a bluegrass Flaming Lips cover band.
@josephscott6388
RobotYoshimis this is considered worst on the slbum?!?
I officially hate society.
@heggy_69
I thought this was the best on the album lol
@ha-ato
I love the screaming because it makes the song feel relatable.
@jdloom1468
lol
@DoGlowy
idk what everyone is talking about, this song is fucking excellent & everything I love about the Flaming Lips
@DoGlowy
Gregory Heinz most great music is technically quite simple