The band's distinct sound is a mixture of Doss and Hart's experimental tendencies. This chemistry is evident in their albums given that some tracks are 2-3 minute pop songs, while others are electro-acoustic collages ranging in length from 2 seconds to 10 minutes, and differing in content from vibrant horns to near silence. Furthermore, the band released a record of experimental electro-acoustic music, The Late Music, Volume One, under the name The Black Swan Network, in 1997. Another Black Swan Network release, a 7" EP on the Happy Happy Birthday to Me label, appeared in 2000, though it did not feature Bill Doss. In October 1997, a "collaborative" LP between The Olivia Tremor Control and The Black Swan Network was released, originally as a tour-only item, and later put out as a CD by Flydaddy, which gave the record the title, The Olivia Tremor Control Vs. The Black Swan Network,' though the band had never wanted the record to be named as such. The band was influenced by the odd quality inherent in dreams and asked their listeners to send in tapes describing their own, examples of which can be heard in the final track of Black Foliage and the OTC-BSN collaborative LP.
The members of The Olivia Tremor Control embarked on a variety of different projects before and after the band broke up. Eric Harris released a record under the name Frosted Ambassador and later two CD-R releases under his own name on Cloud Recordings, the label founded by Fernandes and Hart in the wake of OTC's demise. Pete Erchick released two records, Individualized Shirts and Special Fanfare For Anything, under the name Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't. Bill Doss followed OTC by putting out records as The Sunshine Fix, a name he had used years before. The Sunshine Fix has evolved from a recording project to a formal working band. Hart's post-OTC project, Circulatory System, has taken a similar route. The self-titled 2001 LP continued the melding together of pop and experimental traditions the OTC had worked on and won high accolades from the press. While the follow-up is still in the works, the band continues to play live shows in Athens and occasionally elsewhere.
In 2005, the Olivia Tremor Control temporarily reunited, solely for live shows, at the behest of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival. They appeared at a UK version of the festival, preceded by warm-up shows in Athens and London; that summer, they again played Athens, at the Orange Twin Conservation Community, as well as gigs in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and L.A.
In May 2009, Will Hart said in an interview that the band had recently re-entered the recording studio: "We've got two songs for the next Olivia record, in my opinion. They're on Bill's hard drive."
In March 2011, Elf Power drummer Derek Almstead confirmed that he was engineering and playing percussion on the new record and that new material would be debuted at All Tomorrows' Parties later in the year. In addition to this, they have released a song titled "North Term Reality" under Olivia Tremor Control for AUX Vol. 2.
On August 30, 2011, the band premiered a new song, "The Game You Play is In Your Head Parts 1, 2 &3" and announced they planned to have a new album out later in 2011. Tour dates for Winter 2011 were also announced.
The death of Bill Doss was announced on July 31, 2012.
I Don't Know
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know about this...
This doesn't fit...ya know?
Let's get on with this tomorrow.
Alright, bye.
[Verse 1:]
I'm comin' home, can't see you there
You said you're here, I can't find you
Now you're gone, please, mind you
You wanted love, and love I gave
I guess I won't take you into my grave
And when I die, you will die soon
You'll live until the next full moon
I don't want this, the life you want
And you're the person's dreams I haunt
Capture me into your soul
I hope you die in a black hole
You thought about it, but you decided not to
I wanted you, but you had someone else to
Hold you tight, be your lady
When you told me, I went so damn crazy
[Chorus:]
I don't know if anyone can replace you
With you gone, there's nothing I can do
No one else in the world is like you
He's not like you, no one's compared to
I look around, find you right there
I thought you did, I thought you cared
I didn't seem to find you here
Inside my heart, I was left in fear
When you die, I'll kick your ass
When you go, I'll go right past
I don't want to be part of you
I thought you wanted to be part of me, too
Guess you had someone else in your life
Wish you would, I wish you'd die
No one understands me, clear
I hear your voice, you're realy near
You thought about it, but you decided not to
I wanted you, but you had someone else to
Hold you tight, be your lady
When you told me, I went so damn crazy
[Chorus:]
Now, nothing seem right when I'm in my room
Everything's so strange, I'm near to my doom
I don't understand why you had thought
She was better, I had tried and fought
To get her away, kill her straight
But all was gone, I lost my fate
You won't think to bring me to your grave
I won't do the same, I had things you gave
[Chorus: x4]
The Olivia Tremor Control's song I Don't Know tells a story of heartbreak and frustration. The singer is coming home, hoping to see their loved one, but instead finds someone else there. The lyrics show that the singer is desperately in love with this person but feels betrayed by them. They gave this person all their love but never got it back in return. The line "I don't want to be part of you, I thought you wanted to be part of me, too" encapsulates the singer's feelings of betrayal and confusion. The chorus repeats the theme of heartbreak and loneliness, emphasizing that the singer feels there is no one else like their love interest.
The lyrics also contain elements of revenge and a desire for control. The line "when you die, I'll kick your ass" shows anger and frustration towards the other person, while "I thought you did, I thought you cared" expresses disappointment and confusion. The singer is grappling with their emotions and trying to make sense of a situation that has left them feeling alone and abandoned. Ultimately, the lyrics convey a sense of desperation and helplessness in the face of a failed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm comin' home, can't see you there
I returned home but couldn't find you there.
You said you're here, I can't find you
You claimed to be here but I can't locate you.
Now you're gone, please, mind you
You disappeared, just keep that in mind.
You wanted love, and love I gave
You hoped for love and I gave it to you.
I guess I won't take you into my grave
I won't be taking you with me when I die.
And when I die, you will die soon
When I pass away, you'll follow shortly after.
You'll live until the next full moon
You'll only live until the next full moon.
I don't want this, the life you want
I don't desire the life you desire.
And you're the person's dreams I haunt
I continue to appear in another person's dreams.
Capture me into your soul
Take hold of me and keep me with you forever.
I hope you die in a black hole
I wish for you to perish in a black hole.
I don't know if anyone can replace you
I'm uncertain if anyone can take your place.
With you gone, there's nothing I can do
Now that you're gone, there's nothing I can do to bring you back.
No one else in the world is like you
There's no one else in the world that compares to you.
When you die, I'll kick your ass
When you pass away, I'll make you pay.
I don't want to be part of you
I don't wish to be associated with you anymore.
Guess you had someone else in your life
I assume you had another person in your life.
Wish you would, I wish you'd die
I hope you die.
No one understands me, clear
Nobody truly comprehends me.
Now, nothing seem right when I'm in my room
Everything feels wrong when I'm alone in my room.
Everything's so strange, I'm near to my doom
This unfamiliarity makes me feel like my impending doom is near.
I don't understand why you had thought
I cannot comprehend why you thought that way.
She was better, I had tried and fought
You believed she was better than me, despite my efforts and struggles.
To get her away, kill her straight
I attempted to remove her, even if it meant killing her.
But all was gone, I lost my fate
But it all fell apart, and I lost control of my destiny.
Contributed by Ruby H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pedro Erick
Underapreciated