Kuebler first surfaced as a member of the Baltimore indie crew Roads to Space Travel, which released a couple of records on the Amish label as well as a 7" through Washington, D.C.'s DeSoto. When the band dissolved, Kuebler began to assemble what would become the Oranges Band: ex-Wrong Button drummer Dave Voyles, guitarists Daniel Black and Virat Shukla, and bassist Tim Johnston, who had played guitar in Brickhead.
The Oranges Band debuted in April 2000 with The Five Dollars EP on Morphius, and almost immediately began touring. It was a conscious choice; idealistically, the band members believed in the immediacy and momentary grace of music, and felt that touring was the best way to access that.
A year later, another EP appeared on Morphius, Nine Hundred Miles of Fucking Hell. Around this point Kuebler fit in a collaboration and tour with Baltimore's punk combo The Thumbs. As the Oranges Band focused on writing and practicing new songs for an eventual full-length, Kuebler left again, this time as the touring bassist for the Austin, TX-based Spoon. The Oranges Band finally finished a round of demos in April 2002, which caught the ear of Lookout! Records, which quickly snapped them up. An introductory EP for Lookout! entitled On TV appeared in late 2002; the debut full-length All Around followed in April 2003, The World and Everything In It in 2005. Shortly after, Tim Johnston left the group and Faye Malarkey formerly of Sick Sick Birds stepped in on bass.
In 2008, with a new lineup that included Patrick Martin on bass and guest guitarist Doug Gillard, the band released their third full length The Oranges Band are Invisible.
Success
The Oranges Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"James," it was one of her favorite phrases
"I ain't going down so easy this time"
I returned, "I'm the greatest
And if it's a contest, well
Nothing succeeds like success"
To myself, "I ain't going down so easy this time"
And maybe it's true
That silver is you
And, yeah, maybe it's me
Focused on the sea
And not the fish in the sea
Or the birds and the leaves
But always the trees
Well, I don't know what you're about
But it's all right
Whether you're wrong or right
But then all night
I've been counting sheep, I got no sleep
I've been out all day, I've been all but gone
And it's all I need, and it's no fight
You only wanted change, well, you're all right
The Oranges Band's song "Success" is a reflection on fame and the pressures it can bring. The opening lines describe a famous person who tells the singer, James, that she is not going down easily this time. James responds by proclaiming himself the greatest and stating that nothing succeeds like success. Both lines imply a competitive nature between them, perhaps indicating that they are both striving for fame and success.
The chorus then turns inward, with the singer questioning his own priorities. He admits that he may be too focused on the goal rather than the journey, likening himself to someone who is only interested in the trees and not the birds and the leaves. This line could suggest that James is so fixated on the end result that he is missing out on the small things that make life worth living.
In the final verse, James acknowledges that he doesn't understand what the other person is about, but he believes it's all right whether they are right or wrong. He ends with a reflection on his own state of exhaustion, having been out all day and night, and acknowledging that change is necessary, but he's not sure what it will entail.
Overall, "Success" is an introspective song that explores the cost of chasing fame and success. It highlights the tendency to focus too much on the end result and miss out on the small things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
She's so famous that she said to me
He met a well-known person who shared one of her catchphrases with him
"James," it was one of her favorite phrases
The famous person addressed him by name and used a phrase they often say
"I ain't going down so easy this time"
The famous person is determined not to let adversity defeat them easily
I returned, "I'm the greatest
He confidently asserted that he is the best
And if it's a contest, well
If there's competition involved
Nothing succeeds like success"
Winning breeds further success
To myself, "I ain't going down so easy this time"
He is also determined not to give up easily
And maybe it's true
The following statements could be accurate
That silver is you
The person could be referring to themselves as "silver" because of their success
And, yeah, maybe it's me
They might also be talking about themselves
Focused on the sea
They're concentrating on their goals
And not the fish in the sea
They're not bothered by distractions
Or the birds and the leaves
They're not focusing on minor details
But always the trees
Instead, they are looking at the big picture
Well, I don't know what you're about
He is unsure what the other person is trying to communicate
But it's all right
However, he is fine with that
Whether you're wrong or right
It doesn't matter if the other person is correct or not
But then all night
He thinks about it all throughout the night
I've been counting sheep, I got no sleep
He's been trying to sleep without success
I've been out all day, I've been all but gone
He's been busy all day and feels exhausted
And it's all I need, and it's no fight
He only needs the feeling of success and it's worth the effort
You only wanted change, well, you're all right
The other person only wanted something different, but that's fine
Contributed by Sophie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MushrooMJer
Thank you for sharing! Been looking for a quality version of this song for years!!!
Alt90s
Glad to help. If anything, The Oranges Band have their own BandCamp with their entire catalog
https://theorangesband.bandcamp.com/