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.
It's the Sun
The Polyphonic Spree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take some time, get away
Sun
Suicide is a shame
Sun
Soon, you'll find your own way
Sun
Hope has come, you are safe
Because I'm on my way
On my way
On my way
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Sun
Soon, you'll be okay
Sun
Soon, you'll be okay
And it makes me smile
Because I'm on my way
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me smile all around
Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me smile all around
All around
(Ba dada ba ba)
Hey, now it's the sun, and it makes me smile
All around
Hey, now it's the sun, and it makes me smile
All around, all around
(Ba dada ba ba)
The Polyphonic Spree's "It's the Sun" expresses the idea of hope and the power of the sun to heal and comfort us. The lyrics invite us to stop and take a break from the chaos and challenges of life by "getting away" and seeking solace in the sun. The repeated lines "Suicide is a shame" and "Soon, you'll be okay" speak to the song's theme of hope, urging listeners to find their way out of their struggles and reminding them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The lines "And it makes me cry/because I'm on my way" convey a sense of overwhelming emotion and relief, implying that the singer has found a way to overcome their own struggles and are now on a path to healing. The chorus reiterates the theme of the sun's restorative powers, with the lines "Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine" and "Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me smile all around" emphasizing both the physical and emotional effects that the sun can have on our well-being.
Overall, "It's the Sun" is a hopeful and uplifting song that speaks to the power of nature to heal and comfort us. Its message is one of resilience and the importance of finding hope in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Sun
The sun, as a natural source of light, hope, and warmth represents something positive in life.
Take some time, get away
Take some time to relax and distance yourself from an issue you are dealing with.
Suicide is a shame
Suicide is tragic and should not be an option for anyone.
Soon, you'll find your own way
Things will get better and you'll find your way out of difficult situations.
Hope has come, you are safe
There is hope and you are no longer in danger.
And it makes me cry
The emotions and experiences expressed in the song are intense and move the listener to tears.
Because I'm on my way
The singer is optimistic about the future and believes things will get better.
Hey, it's the sun, and it makes me shine
The sun symbolizes a positive force that empowers and brings joy to the artist.
Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me smile
The sun represents a source of happiness that brings a smile to the artist's face.
Hey, now, it's the sun, and it makes me smile all around
The joy and happiness brought by the sun is contagious and reaches everyone around the artist.
Soon, you'll be okay
Things will improve and things will be okay in the end.
And it makes me smile
The optimism and hope expressed in the song brings a smile to the listener's face.
Ba dada ba ba
A musical interlude with no explicit meaning in the lyrics.
All around
Everyone around the singer is affected by the joy and happiness brought by the sun.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TIMOTHY NEWTON DE LAUGHTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Foster
This song has been doing something for my soul for years. Glad I happened upon it today
MainlyMelody
I just know that their music makes my heart happy. It can make my day tens time better just listening to it.
Jean-Michelle Laurent
I don't know but this song leaves me in tears, happy peaceful tears
Scott W.
Ditto.
Gregory Gonzales
I love this song!! my favorite song on this album I was looking for it all over and I finally have it now HAHAHA
turbulentbeauty
The sound of this song reminds me a bit of the dreamy harmonies the Beatles would do.
colton barber
turbulentbeauty u right tho from 9 years ago
dark cloud
😆
Breanda Davis
Oh yeah, I immediately thought of Here comes the sun and how this is probably heavily influenced by The Beatles
Amber
Saw this band at Bonaroo and realized I was obviously not high enough to witness them live. They are either super high on the happiest drug ever made or have found Jesus and it makes them super happy. They were ridiculously happy-go-lucky.