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
is the black at the end good
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It′s cold and dark ahead
That's just me being optimistic
I know, I know
Suffering defeats us
My spirit tries and tries
But it′s hard
Pain is this burdening power
It punishes the soul
It's stars all around us
I know, I know
Everything changes
Everything does, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
So you see
How many live without it
'Cause everywhere the love is
That′s where I will be
So you see
How many live without it
′Cause everywhere the love is
That's where I will be
′Cause everywhere that love is
That's where I will be
The sun is right behind us
Though it′s cold and dark ahead
But that's just me being optimistic
I know, I know
So you see
How many live without it
′Cause everywhere the love is
That's where I will be
So you see
How many live without it
'Cause everywhere the love is
That′s where I will be
So you see
How many live without it
′Cause everywhere the love is
That's where I will be
So you see
How many live without it
′Cause everywhere the love is
The lyrics of the flaming lips's song "Is the Black at the End Good" talk about optimism in the face of struggle and pain. The juxtaposition of the sun behind them and the darkness ahead speaks to the idea that although things may seem bleak, there is always hope. The line "pain is this burdening power, it punishes the soul" emphasizes the weight of suffering, but the repetition of "I know" throughout the song suggests an unwavering belief in the power of love and positivity to overcome it.
The chorus repeats the line "everywhere the love is, that's where I will be," reinforcing the theme of seeking out positivity and connection even in the face of difficult times. The song suggests that love is not just an emotion, but a force that can help us persevere and find joy even in the darkest of moments.
Overall, the lyrics of "Is the Black at the End Good" are an example of the power of music to provide comfort and reassurance in difficult times, and the importance of holding onto hope and optimism even in the face of pain and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is right behind us
We have hope because the sun is still shining behind us.
It's cold and dark ahead
The future is unknown and uncertain, and it feels ominous and dark.
That's just me being optimistic
In spite of the uncertainty and fear, I'm choosing to be hopeful and positive.
I know, I know
I understand the challenges and struggles that lie ahead, but I'm still holding on to hope.
Suffering defeats us
We are often overwhelmed by pain and hardship, and it can feel like it's too much to bear.
My spirit tries and tries
Despite the odds, we keep pushing forward and trying to overcome the obstacles we face.
But it's hard
The struggle is real and it's not easy to keep going.
Pain is this burdening power
Pain can be all-consuming and weigh us down to the point where it takes over our very being.
It punishes the soul
Pain can be so intense that it feels like our soul is being punished and tortured.
It's stars all around us
Even in the midst of pain and darkness, there is still beauty and wonder all around us.
Everything changes
Nothing stays the same forever and everything will eventually change.
Everything does, I know
Change is inevitable, and we must learn to adapt and adjust.
So you see
I'm trying to make you understand.
How many live without it
There are countless people who live without love and hope, and it's a sad reality.
'Cause everywhere the love is
Love is all around us, and it's the one thing that can sustain us through hardship.
That's where I will be
I will actively seek out love and hope because it's the only way to survive and thrive.
Writer(s): Wayne Michael Coyne, Steven Drozd
Contributed by Stella I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.