The Parlotones’ three studio albums —2005’s Radiocontrolledrobot, 2007’s A World Next Door To Yours, and 2009’s Stardust Galaxies, have racked up numerous platinum and gold certifications and South African Music Awards, while their three live CD/DVD packages (culminating in 2010’s Live Design) have cemented their reputation as a fiery force to be reckoned with onstage. Confronted with the sight of powerfully expressive frontman Kahn Morbee leading the band — which also includes guitarist Paul Hodgson, bassist Glen Hodgson, and drummer Neil Pauw — to soaring emotional heights during their Fall 2011 club tour of the U.S., the Boston Herald predicted that “The Parlotones could become huge here. Killers huge, Muse huge, Coldplay huge.” Filter magazine reckoned that “their earnestness, work ethic, and charm may be their biggest weapons.”
Those qualities will serve The Parlotones well in 2012 as they prepare to expand their loyal fanbase beyond South Africa and Europe (where they also have a devoted following) to the United States with the release of their new album Journey Through the Shadows, via their own Sovereign Entertainment label, on May 8th. “America dictates trends around the world,” Morbee says. “If you’re big there, the rest of the world listens. It has a ripple effect. We would be very proud to achieve success in the U.S. because very few artists from our country have managed it. I think for a long time, South Africans have had an inferiority complex in terms of our place in the world and our relative insignificance compared to the super powers. It would be nice to have a success story, especially in a nation that needs uplifting, and instill in folks back home that ‘can do’ belief.”
To achieve their goal, The Parlotones have crafted the kind of melody-minded arena-filling songs that transcend language and culture barriers on Journey Through The Shadows. First single “Save Your Best Bits,” with its theme of not allowing negative things from the past to affect the good parts of your soul, and the celebratory “I Am Alive” are about catharsis. They chase those moments of universal human experience when everyone in the room is uplifted by a shared emotion. “My goal is to connect with people across the world, and I think the human condition is very similar regardless of where you are,” Morbee says. “I think the theme of these songs is hope and that life is worth living regardless of its ups and downs.”
That theme informs the album’s title, Journey Through The Shadows, which, Morbee explains, is a metaphor for the human experience. “You’re not given a guidebook or map at birth that guarantees the smoothest path,” he says. “Ultimately, we all walk through with a candle that only allows us to see so far in front of ourselves. You never know what’s around the corner, so it’s an analogy for life.”
In keeping with The Parlotones’ big themes are big ideals. Ever since these four school friends formed the band in the Johannesburg suburb of Roodepoort in the late ’90s they have always aspired not only to have fun making music, but also to give back to their community. Over the years, they have raised funds and awareness for a variety of social and environmental organizations, lending their high profile to initiatives such as Live Earth, Earth Hour, The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Carbon Free campaign, Nelson Mandela’s 46664, and Live Earth’s Run for Water, among others. They are also ambassadors for the anti-poaching organization Rhino Force, United Against Malaria, and several other non-profits that combat problems that acutely affect South Africa. In March 2012, they will join with Africa Unites for a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise global awareness about ending violence against women and girls in Africa. The band sees the music and the activism, as well as their other creative business endeavors (the band has its own boutique wine label, which has released three highly successful blends) as one and the same: methods of expression, communication, and connection.
“People in the public eye have the ability to spread a message very quickly and effectively,” Morbee says. “So we try to do so when it concerns issues we feel strongly about. But we never want to come across as a band that's preaching. All we're really doing is drawing attention to causes that we support. South Africa is our home and home to our families and our friends. We certainly want to make sure they have a bright future. If we can get involved and encourage people to get involved, it can only have positive effects.”
The Parlotones are excited to be representing their homeland and shining a spotlight on it in the process. “Every band dreams of making a living, touring, and having a large fan base around the world,” Morbee says. “Those were our aspirations from the beginning, but because the music market in South Africa wasn’t developed, they were very difficult to achieve. We had to pave our own way. For me the success is not in what we may eventually achieve but in actually taking the journey. Yes there's a lot of risk associated, but we’ve soaked up such a wealth of experiences that it makes it all worthwhile.”
Rock Paper Scissors
The Parlotones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a big fat smile coz I'm in denial
Skip skip heart attack
Oh my god look at that she's found
Another lair
A cigarette burns
Now it's romance turn
No one gave me warning that this love thing hurts
My shirt
Woah
Yeah
I no longer wish
To fall in love
I can tell you
I like you very much
And I no longer wish to get married
I can tell you
Beside you I'll be buried
Flashy fancy face and a big bank balance
Sip my blood through his golden chalice
Chase Chase Chase to erase your face now it's tick
Tock
Boom
A boom boom room realigned my zoom
Hope she thinks that I look well groomed
Rock Paper Scissors to the cut cut cut
Cut it out
Of my life
Woah
Yeah
I no longer wish
To fall in love
I can tell you
I like you very much
And I no longer wish to get married
I can tell you
Beside you I'll be buried
This is the saddest
Saddest song you'll ever hear
This is the saddest
Saddest song you'll ever hear
Thank you very much
I've got a plan how to get her back
Astrology, ching-chong-cha, I smell a rat
Rock paper scissors scissors cut cut cut
Bang
I shoulda known
Woah
Yeah
I no longer wish
To fall in love
I can tell you
I like you very much
And I no longer wish to get married
But how I'd love
I'd love to see you buried
This is the saddest
Saddest song you'll ever hear
This is the saddest
Saddest song you'll ever hear
Thank you very much
The lyrics of The Parlotones's song "Rock Paper Scissors" depict a story of a person who has been hurt multiple times in love but is still in denial about it. The song begins with the person bidding goodbye to their lover with a cheeky "Later alligator - in a while crocodile", but soon the realization that the lover has found someone else hits them. They are in denial and try to shift their thoughts by thinking about other things, hoping that love won't hurt so badly next time. The lines "No one gave me warning that this love thing hurts" show the vulnerability that comes with loving someone and not being sure if they will love you back.
The next section of the song talks about the person's desire for someone with a wealthy background, who would take care of their future. They still try to move on from their previous lover but fail miserably. The line "This is the saddest, saddest song you'll ever hear" is an acknowledgement that the person has yet again failed in love.
In the end, they come up with a plan to win back their previous lover, but the line "I shoulda known" hints that it will most likely not work out. The song ends with the person accepting that they no longer wish to fall in love or get married but secretly wishing to see their lover buried, showing that they are still holding on to their past hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
Later alligator - in a while crocodile
Goodbye for now, we'll see each other again
With a big fat smile coz I'm in denial
I'm pretending that everything is okay when it's not
Skip skip heart attack
My heart is racing with excitement or fear
Oh my god look at that she's found
She has discovered something new or interesting
Another lair
She has found a new place to be or someone to be with
A cigarette burns
She is smoking a cigarette
Now it's romance turn
Now it's time for romance or love
No one gave me warning that this love thing hurts
I wasn't prepared for the pain that love can bring
Shock shock horror horror spill spill red wine down
I am surprised and upset about spilling red wine on myself
My shirt
My shirt is now stained with red wine
I no longer wish
I have changed my mind
To fall in love
I don't want to experience love anymore
I can tell you
I want you to know
I like you very much
I have positive feelings towards you
And I no longer wish to get married
I don't want to get married anymore
Beside you I'll be buried
I want to be buried next to you
Flashy fancy face and a big bank balance
He has an impressive appearance and a lot of money
Sip my blood through his golden chalice
He is using me for his own benefit
Chase Chase Chase to erase your face now it's tick
I am trying to forget about you
Tock
Time is passing
Boom
Something unexpected has happened
A boom boom room realigned my zoom
I am in a new environment that has changed my perspective
Hope she thinks that I look well groomed
I want her to think that I look good
Rock Paper Scissors to the cut cut cut
A game to decide something by choosing rock, paper or scissors
Cut it out
Stop doing something
Of my life
I want to remove something from my life
This is the saddest
This is the most depressing
Saddest song you'll ever hear
This song is very sad
Thank you very much
A polite way to end something
I've got a plan how to get her back
I have come up with a strategy to win her over again
Astrology, ching-chong-cha, I smell a rat
I am using different methods to try and win her back
Scissors cut cut cut
Scissors are used to cut things
Bang
Something has happened suddenly
I shoulda known
I should have realized or predicted something
But how I'd love
But I really want
I'd love to see you buried
I want to be with you forever
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind