On February 10, 2009 the Lonely Island's debut record "Incredibad" was released. It includes most of the SNL Digital Shorts as well as new songs featuring E-40, Julian Casablancas, Beck, Jack Black, and Norah Jones.
On their YouTube channel, The Lonely Island announced an upcoming album on October 28, 2010, which would be released in the spring of 2011. On December 18, 2010, the SNL Digital Short was the official music video of "I Just Had Sex" (featuring Akon), the first single off the album.
On January 29, 2011, the group debuted "The Creep" featuring Nicki Minaj and a cameo by filmmaker John Waters, on SNL and YouTube. On March 15, 2011, Direct Current Music reported that the album would be named Turtleneck & Chain and would be released on May 10, 2011. On April 1, 2011, The Lonely Island appeared as guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where they premiered the lead track, "We're Back!", as well as the new album cover. On April 19, 2011, the group released "Motherlover" featuring Justin Timberlake as the fourth single from the album. This song was last featured on season 34 of SNL.
The group held a fundraiser to promote their new album on April 16, 2011. This event was at Amoeba Music in Berkeley, California. There were only 250 tickets available, and the only way to obtain a ticket was to preorder their album. They hosted a Q&A session and an autograph session. Shortly after, "Motherlover" was released on iTunes. On May 7, they released a new track, "Jack Sparrow", featuring Michael Bolton. Turtleneck & Chain was both Emmy and Grammy nominated (for Best Comedy Album).
On January 26, 2013, the group released a new single on iTunes and Google Music, "YOLO" featuring Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar. They also released a music video on their YouTube channel which revealed a new album was coming in 2013. On May 4th they announced that their new album will be called The Wack Album, also releasing its cover art and confirming that it will include people they have worked with in the past such as Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga and some new collaborators like Billie Joe Armstrong and Adam Levine. They also stated that each week until the album comes out they will release a new song or video from the album on each Wednesday called "Wack Wednesdays." The album was released on June 11, 2013.
Incredible Thoughts
The Lonely Island Lyrics
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Incredible minds
I'm so overwhelmed
How did my brain conceive them?
A snow-white dove in the pitch-black night
A rain drop falls from tremendous heights
A wave crashes off of a cliff in Scotland
TV is free, but what is the cost?
We have GPS and yet, we're still lost
A carrot in the desert, a camel in the garden
A man with giant ears begging your pardon
What if a garbage man was actually smart?
A common misconception that we're tearing apart
And to a dog, dog food is just food
And to a sock, a mansion's just a big shoe
A Milk Dud, sitting in the acid rain
A housecat addicted to the cocaine
No teeth, unlimited floss
These are just a few of our incredible thoughts
Incredible thoughts, incredible minds
Too many great ideas inside
It's a miracle my head can contain them
My spectacular brain
For all humankind
Changing how we think about space and time
Now it's time to share them with the people
A ballerina waits for the bus
A number-one dad trophy covered in rust
An nun dunked in basketball living the impossible
A man breaks his leg inside a hospital
We just thought of that and it can change the world
World like a smart oyster full of pearls
Such as has an ultrasound of a new baby
With a Santa hat drawn on, yeah that's my kind of Christmas card
What if a butterfly was made out of butter?
These small thoughts could destroy Big Brother
The world's cutest kittens just hugging a dog
Just one of our incredible thoughts
What if one thought could cure the people?
What if one song could end all evil?
Imagine if a fish could play guitar
And also sing, it would sound bizarre like
"My name is Mr. Fish
These guys thoughts have granted my wish"
And that may have just changed the course of time
I swear my mind blows my mind, incredible
Incredible thoughts, incredible minds
Too many great ideas inside
It's a miracle my head can contain them
My spectacular brain
For all humankind
Changing how we think about space and time
Now it's time to share them with the people, my brain is a genius
Incredible thoughts
Incredible minds
I'm so overwhelmed
How did my brain conceive them?
The lyrics to The Lonely Island's Michael Bolton collaboration, "Incredible Thoughts," contemplate the vast potential of the human mind. The song opens with the lines, "Incredible thoughts, incredible minds. I'm so overwhelmed, how did my brain conceive them?" and the subsequent verses explore some of these curious and surprising ideas. The lyrics posit that a snow-white dove in a pitch-black night, a raindrop falling from tremendous heights, and a wave crashing off a cliff in Scotland are all incredible thoughts that only humans could conceive. Other lines suggest that a garbage man might secretly be a genius, that socks might see mansions as big shoes, and that a fish who can play guitar and sing would be "bizarre like" and change the course of time. The overall message of "Incredible Thoughts" is that the mind is capable of creating amazing things, and that by sharing our ideas, we can change the world.
The Lonely Island often uses humor as a way to comment on society, and "Incredible Thoughts" is no exception. By taking seemingly mundane or absurd thoughts and presenting them as incredible and inspiring ideas, the song invites the listener to consider what else might be possible with the power of the human imagination. The inclusion of Michael Bolton and his dramatic vocal delivery also adds to the humor of the song, as he seems to take the ludicrous ideas quite seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
A snow-white dove in the pitch-black night
The contrast of a pure, white dove against the darkness of the night is a striking image.
A rain drop falls from tremendous heights
The force of gravity pulling a tiny raindrop from the sky is a fascinating concept.
A wave crashes off of a cliff in Scotland
The power and beauty of the ocean crashing against a rocky cliff in Scotland is awe-inspiring.
A child bites an apple, but the core is rotten
The disappointment of biting into an apple that initially looks good, but ends up being rotten is a relatable experience.
TV is free, but what is the cost?
While television may not cost money to watch, there are other costs such as the time and attention it demands.
We have GPS and yet, we're still lost
Despite having access to advanced technology such as GPS, humans can still feel lost and directionless in life.
A carrot in the desert, a camel in the garden
The irony of a plant that requires water being found in a desert, and a creature that is adapted to the desert being found in a garden is amusing.
A man with giant ears begging your pardon
The image of a man with oversized ears who is apologetic about them is comical.
What if a garbage man was actually smart?
The stereotype of a garbage man being uneducated and dirty is challenged, presenting the idea that someone in this profession could be intelligent as well.
A common misconception that we're tearing apart
There are many widely-held beliefs or stereotypes that may not be true, and it's important to challenge and question these assumptions.
And to a dog, dog food is just food
To an animal that is used to eating the same thing every day, their food is just sustenance and not something they think about in the same way humans do.
And to a sock, a mansion's just a big shoe
Objects in the world may look very different depending on your perspective and the context in which they are viewed.
A Milk Dud, sitting in the acid rain
The contrast of the sweet, chewy candy with the acidic rain is an interesting juxtaposition of flavors and elements.
A housecat addicted to the cocaine
The idea that a pet cat could develop a drug addiction is absurd and humorous.
No teeth, unlimited floss
Without teeth, you wouldn't need to worry about cavities, but flossing would become even more important for oral hygiene.
These are just a few of our incredible thoughts
There are endless possibilities for imaginative and creative ideas that can be explored and shared.
Too many great ideas inside
The human mind is capable of generating countless creative ideas and thoughts.
It's a miracle my head can contain them
The sheer volume and complexity of thoughts that can be produced by the brain is astounding.
My spectacular brain
The amazing capabilities of the human brain are something to be celebrated and admired.
For all humankind
The advancements and ideas that humans generate can benefit all members of society.
Changing how we think about space and time
New scientific discoveries and theories can revolutionize our understanding of the universe and our place in it.
Now it's time to share them with people
Ideas and thoughts are meant to be shared and discussed among people to spark new perspectives and innovations.
What if one thought could cure the people?
Imagine the impact of a single idea or discovery that could heal or solve major issues facing humanity.
What if one song could end all evil?
Music has the power to unite and heal, and the idea of a single song having the ability to end all negativity is a hopeful and inspiring concept.
Imagine if a fish could play guitar
The image of sea creatures being able to rock out with human instruments is a whimsical and imaginative idea.
And also sing, it would sound bizarre like
The idea of a fish both playing an instrument and singing is odd and unexpected.
My name is Mr. Fish
The persona of a guitar-playing, singing fish named Mr. Fish is humorous and playful.
These guys thoughts have granted my wish
The inspiration and creative ideas generated by The Lonely Island and Michael Bolton have given voice to even the wildest of imaginings, such as a singing fish.
And that may have just changed the course of time
Small ideas and inspirations can have far-reaching consequences and impact on society and the world at large.
I swear my mind blows my mind, incredible
The act of creating new ideas and thoughts is a truly amazing and humbling experience that never gets old.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW D. SAMBERG, JEREMY DUSSOLLIET, TIMOTHY PAUL SOMMERS, AKIVA SCHAFFER, JORMA TACCONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind