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.
La La
The Polyphonic Spree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you walk out and face up the day
Somehow, the look seems to fall off your face
Wonder who's finding all this a game
Bet they're slipping down in decay
La-la la-la la la-la-la
Somehow, you fall down and pick up the ground
Keep all the message and make it your sound
Why not, why not, slip into ice
If you want more, take some advice
La-la la-la la la-la-la
La-la la-la la la-la-la
The Polyphonic Spree's song "La La" has an intriguing set of lyrics that suggest a deeper meaning behind the catchy tune. The opening lyrics, "If you walk out and face up the day, Somehow, the look seems to fall off your face," are likely meant to convey the idea of confronting reality and feeling like you are losing your composure or confidence. The line "Wonder who's finding all this a game, Bet they're slipping down in decay" could be interpreted as the realization that others may not take life as seriously as you do, and the consequences of such a careless approach.
Further along, the line "Somehow, you fall down and pick up the ground" may suggest the idea of picking yourself up after a setback or failure. The lyrics "Keep all the message and make it your sound, Why not, why not, slip into ice" might hint at the idea of taking ownership of your experiences and finding a way to turn them into something positive, even if it seems difficult or cold.
Overall, the song "La La" seems to be about the struggle to find purpose and meaning in life, and how that struggle can be a shared experience. The repetition of the "la-la" refrain at the end suggests a feeling of unity and strength that can be found in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
If you walk out and face up the day
Taking on the challenges of the day.
Somehow, the look seems to fall off your face
How the daily struggles can wear you down.
Wonder who's finding all this a game
Questioning those who take life not seriously.
Bet they're slipping down in decay
Thinking that those who don't take life seriously are decaying.
Somehow, you fall down and pick up the ground
When life knocks you down, get back up.
Keep all the message and make it your sound
Take the message of your struggles and turn it into your voice.
Why not, why not, slip into ice
Why not take a risk and challenge yourself.
If you want more, take some advice
If you want to improve, seek advice from others.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: TIMOTHY NEWTON DE LAUGHTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind