In 2004, Elverum abandoned the "Microphones" name to begin recording as Mount Eerie, briefly returning in December 2007 when he began selling a new 7" single by the Microphones ("Don't Smoke" / "Get Off the Internet") on his website and at concerts.
In 2020, Elverum returned to the Microphones name once more to release the project's 14th album Microphones in 2020. Microphones members/collaborators include Karl Blau, Dennis Driscoll, Kyle Field aka Little Wings, Mirah, Khaela Maricich aka The Blow, Adrian Orange aka Thanksgiving, Adam Forkner and K Records' founder, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and the Halo Benders.
Oh Anna
The Microphones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Says ollie, "oh, we're all out of buns but, isn't this fun?"
They they they they were spread upon the lawn drinking lemonade and eating cheese
And later on, beneath the black sky the night erupted there for free
Oh anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you,
I know a few
Says anna "ollie, oh, I know a place where you can dive between my peaks into the blue.
It's sweet for you."
Oh ba ba black sheep have you any wool?
Yes dear yes dear you know the fridge is always full, for you
Oh anna, take me to your eerie heights above paint white letters I you love
Oh anna, drop me off a cliff
I fall
Says anna ollie oh, you know it's old, it's old, it's old it's true
Ollie, ollie, ollie take me far away, show me something new/and they do
Oh anna, take me in with water arms surround me/blow your breezy charms around me
Oh anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you/i know a few
Ollie ollie in come free, the doors are locked and you can come and stay with me
The Microphones' "Oh Anna" is a lyrically dense song that paints a vivid picture of two friends, Anna and Ollie, spending an idyllic summer day together. The opening lines describe the scene: the two friends are grilling vegetarian hot dogs, drinking lemonade, and lounging on the lawn. The singer, possibly Ollie, takes in the beauty of the moment and muses on Anna's allure. He is captivated by her and wants to be surrounded by her "water arms" and her "breezy charms." The lyrics also hint at Anna's complexity as a person, with her "many rooms" and the secrets buried within her.
As the day turns to night, the mood of the song shifts. The "black sky" represents the unknown and unknowable, and the singer seems to crave a deeper understanding of Anna. He asks to be taken to her "eerie heights" and wants to be dropped off a cliff. These lines showcase the darker, more obsessive side of the singer's feelings. Anna responds by inviting Ollie to stay with her, suggesting that there might be more to their friendship than meets the eye.
The song ends with the repeated phrase "Ollie, Ollie, in come free," which is the traditional call to end a game of hide-and-seek. This suggests that the singer and Anna's relationship is a game of sorts, one in which they are constantly seeking and hiding.
Line by Line Meaning
Anna and ollie they were roasting up a tofu pup the backyard
Anna and Ollie were grilling a vegan hot dog in the backyard
Says ollie, "oh, we're all out of buns but, isn't this fun?"
Ollie comments they don't have any hot dog buns, but he still enjoys the activity
They they they they were spread upon the lawn drinking lemonade and eating cheese
They were lounging on the grass, sipping lemonade and enjoying cheese as a snack
And later on, beneath the black sky the night erupted there for free
Later, under the starry sky, a spontaneous event occurred
Oh anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
The artist asks Anna for a comforting embrace to make them feel safe and happy
Oh anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you, I know a few
The singer recognizes Anna has many hidden parts to her personality and knows some of her secrets
Says anna "ollie, oh, I know a place where you can dive between my peaks into the blue. You take the red dot-dot-to-dot trail there. It's sweet for you."
Anna suggests a spot where Ollie can swim between her breasts, via a marked trail, and expresses it will be enjoyable for him
Oh ba ba black sheep have you any wool? Yes dear yes dear you know the fridge is always full, for you
The artist asks the classic nursery rhyme question and themselves respond that the fridge is always stocked for them
Oh anna, take me to your eerie heights above paint white letters I you love
The artist wants Anna to take them to a high place so they can write "I love you" with white chalk
Oh anna, drop me off a cliff I fall
The artist desires to be dropped from a cliff, presumably for the feeling of free fall
Says anna ollie oh, you know it's old, it's old, it's old it's true Ollie, ollie, ollie take me far away, show me something new/and they do
Anna and Ollie acknowledge that their routine is predictable but proceed to explore new places at the singer's request
Ollie ollie in come free, the doors are locked and you can come and stay with me
The artist invites someone, possibly Ollie, to come stay with them despite the locked doors
Contributed by Andrew V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alexander Mendoza
Me acuerdo de ti
Casi te mueres con las cosas que pasaste
Un par de veces tuvimos la esperanza de que salieras adelante
Te mantuviste vivo pero ahora nunca te veo
Cosas divertidas que hemos hecho
Conciertos al sol
Fotos (*?) por las calles
Playa con radio
Las cosas que tienes que lidiar
Te hicieron enojar, así que pruebas tus límites
Te mantuviste vivo, así que vendré a verte
Maxma1203
Anna and ollie they were roasting up a tofu pup the backyard
Says ollie, "Oh, we're all out of buns but, isn't this fun?"
They they they they were spread upon the lawn drinking lemonade and eating cheese
And later on, beneath the black sky the night erupted there for free
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you,
i know a few
Says Anna "Ollie, oh, I know a place where you can dive between my peaks into the blue.
You take the red dot-dot-to-dot trail there.
It's sweet for you."
Oh ba ba black sheep have you any wool?
Yes dear yes dear you know the fridge is always full, for you
Oh Anna, take me to your eerie heights above paint white letters I you love
Oh Anna, drop me off a cliff
I fall
Says Anna "Ollie oh, you know it's old, it's old, it's old it's true
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie take me far away, show me something new"
And they do
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you
I know a few
Ollie Ollie in come free,
The doors are locked and you can come and stay with me
Britton DeJong
when she says "I fall" I teared up a bit, what a perfect song and video, and who is singing this?
Victor Buck
Khaela Maricich of The Blow. Hope this helps you =)
dan
@Victor Buck THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMENT FROM 8 YEARS AGO THANK YOU SO MUCH!
wizzycat
@dan loll
nate brown
Spotify just put this song in my discover weekly and I am obsessed. This is my favorite Oh Anna video in all of youtube. 14 years after you posted, I find it and like it.
uplm
I love it every time she sings "says Anna, Ollie, Oh I know"
1:03
2:09
selfownership1
It's 2012, what now? The Microphones are timeless.
Szása H.
selfownership1 it's 2017, what now? The Microphones are timeless.
Shreddios
a cigarette It's 2018, what now? The Microphones are timeless.
Nathan C
Spagh_ 3ddy It's 2019, what now? The Microphones are timeless.