The Polyphonic Spree are a psychedelic pop group which formed in 2000 in Da… Read Full Bio ↴The Polyphonic Spree are a psychedelic pop group which formed in 2000 in Dallas, Texas, United States. The band's core members are Tim DeLaughter (lead vocals, guitar), Mark Pirro (bass) and Bryan Wakeland (drums), all former members of the alternative rock band Tripping Daisy. The band also contains 5 backing vocalists and 12 musicians. The band's lineup has generally been stable since their formation.

The two dozen members often take to the stage costumed in flowing robes or military style uniforms, an appropriate backdrop for their happy and uplifting musical message that's a mix of catchy pop minimally laced with gospel. Fans have compared them to both the Flaming Lips and the Beach Boys, with a smidgen of lively Godspeed-like attitude thrown into the mix.

The Polyphonic Spree was founded by Tim DeLaughter, who led Dallas, Texas based alternative rock band Tripping Daisy (best known for their 1996 minor hit "I Got A Girl") until 1999, when Wes Berggren(founding member and guitarist) died of a drug overdose. Tripping Daisy posthumously released a self-titled record on Sugar Fix records and called it quits.

DeLaughter and other surviving members of Tripping Daisy regrouped as the Polyphonic Spree in 2000, adding about 20 more members. They put together a demo titled The Beginning Stages of...The Polyphonic Spree and distributed it to fans during performances. The album was subsequently released on DeLaughter's own imprint, Good Records and picked up by 679 Recordings.

The fluctuating group boasts a choir, a pair of keyboard players, as well as a percussionist, bassist, guitarist, flautist, trumpeter, trombonist, violinist, a French horn player, a theremin player, and an electronic effects wizard. DeLaughter holds the post of musical director and contributes lead vocals.

Tours require more than a dozen full-sized vans, but the band's spectacular shows in intimate clubs and gigs as big as 2003's Reading Festival generate the feeling of a gospel revival meeting. Single "Light and Day" was featured in Volkswagen commercials, an episode of Scrubs and on the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack, earning the Polyphonic Spree even more exposure. Their proper first album Together We're Heavy was released jointly by Good Records and Hollywood Records in summer 2004. New music was released in the form of the soundtrack for the film 'Thumbsucker' in 2005.

In the autumn of 2006, The Polyphonic Spree released the Wait EP, which features covers of Nirvana's "Lithium" and "Sonic Bloom" by DeLaughter's former band, Tripping Daisy. For the band's last album, The Fragile Army, (released June 2007) the entire band swapped their trademark robes for dark coloured military-style uniforms.

The return of The Polyphonic Spree was announced with the release of the 'Bullseye' App, an interactive music video which is a collaboration between The Polyphonic Spree and Moonbot Studios.

Happy Xmas
The Polyphonic Spree Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And so this is Xmas
And what have you done?
Another year older
A new one just begun

And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones

The old and the young

A merry, Merry Xmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fears

And so this is Xmas
For weak and for strong
The rich and the poor ones
The road is so long

So Happy Xmas
For black and for white
The yellow and red ones
And stop all the fights

A merry, Merry Xmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fears

And so this is Xmas
And what have we done?
Another year older
A new one just begun

So Happy Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A merry, Merry Xmas
And a Happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fears

So this is Xmas
And what have we done?
Another year older
A new one just begun

And so Happy Xmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A merry, Merry Xmas
And a Happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fears

Overall Meaning

The Polyphonic Spree's song "Happy Xmas" is a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's iconic Christmas song "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." The song begins by acknowledging the passing of another year and the start of a new one. The lyrics ask listeners to reflect on the past year and what they have accomplished, while also looking forward to the future with joy and hope for the possibilities of the upcoming year. The song emphasizes the inclusion of all people regardless of their race, nationality or economic status. The lyrics encourage listeners to put aside any differences and unify under a common goal of peace and happiness for all.

As the song progresses, The Polyphonic Spree urges listeners to embrace festivities and have fun. The song emphasizes the importance of spending time with loved ones, regardless of their age, and cherishing those memories. The song concludes with a reiteration of the message of hope and peace, urging listeners to work towards a future without fear.

Overall, the lyrics speak to the universal human experience of coming together and celebrating life, regardless of the challenges faced.

Line by Line Meaning

And so this is Xmas
We have arrived at another Christmas

And what have you done?
What accomplishments did you achieve this year?

Another year older
We have lived through another year of our lives

A new one just begun
A new year has just started

I hope you have fun
I wish you a joyful time

The near and the dear ones
Our loved ones who are close to us

The old and the young
People of all ages

And a Happy New Year
We wish you a happy upcoming year

Let's hope it's a good one
Let's hope it will be a year of success and happiness

Without any fears
Without anxiety, apprehension, or worry