THE PONYS' debut LP, Laced With Romance, was recorded with Jim Diamond in Detroit and released in February 2004 to great acclaim, NME calling it "a dirty-sounding mess of post-punk choppiness, ear-searing Farfisa organ and timeless teenage snarling."
After months of constant touring, they slipped into Chicago's Electrical Studios with Steve Albini for Celebration Castle, released in May 2005. Even more varied than their debut, Celebration Castle seemed to accentuate the band's physical power and precise dynamics. Rolling Stone said, "While other indie bands fuss themselves into a lather straining to redefine the templates of 'garage rock' or 'post-punk,' The Ponys just get it the hell done."
Just before the release of Celebration Castle, however, Ian decided that touring life was not for him, and he was replaced by guitarist and local charmer Brian Case. His addition reinvigorated the band and led them towards a more ballsy sound; indeed, some of the artier forays that Ian brought to past records have been replaced on Turn The Lights Out by pure sonic density.
Matador finally got their hands on THE PONYS and, dragging them off the road for a while, got them in Electrical Studios and Brooklyn's Headgear Studios in September 2006 with John Agnello (http://www.johnagnello.com) to record Turn The Lights Out. With their most brilliant batch of songs to date, plus the luxury of being able to take their time in the studio, THE PONYS turned in an ambitious, but wholly addictive, record. Sexy and exuberant, this is a sound which references so many of the great twin-guitar bands of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, but resists definition.
Ferocious
The Ponys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now everybody's doing their hair on the town
And you'll taste the pain and a reason for them to talk
Because I know
You heard everyone talking to me
About the times we used to have
Don't bet on it now
I feel ferocious
Sitting right in the back
I'm gonna feel your love
Holding me tight
But you know it's my night
And when you look at me
I see the war in your eyes
And now everyone's taking their turns
To get hurt out on the street
And then the gift is and the reason that seems to bleed
Because I know I heard everyone telling their moms
About the job they took and all my thoughts go out
And I ain't never gonna live that way
I feel ferocious
Sitting right in the back
I'm gonna feel your love
Holding me tight while we have some fun
But you know it's my night and I'm
When we start to kiss
But the reasons I have
Because I know
I've seen everything I need to survive
Every night on my TV, don't bet on it now
Because it's never going to be the same
I feel ferocious
Standing right in the back
I wanna feel your love
Holding me tight
But you know it's my night and I'm
In "Ferocious," The Ponys describe a whirlwind of emotions and conflicted feelings. The song is about the pain of lost love and the difficulties of accepting that a relationship is over. The lyrics are visceral and raw, conveying the anger and frustration of the singer as they struggle to move on.
The opening line, "Destroy all my love with the clench of a fist," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is devastated by their lover's departure, and they feel as though their love has been obliterated. Later in the song, the lyrics, "And you'll taste the pain and a reason for them to talk," suggest that the singer isn't the only one suffering from the breakup. The pain is visible to others, and it fuels the gossip surrounding the failed relationship.
Throughout the rest of the song, The Ponys describe the singer's attempt to cope with their emotions. They feel "ferocious" and want to hold onto the love they once had, but they know that it's never going to be the same. The lyrics are honest and relatable, perfectly capturing the intense emotions that come with a painful breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
Destroy all my love with the clench of a fist
Someone has hurt the singer's feelings badly and shattered their love.
And now everybody's doing their hair on the town
People are out having fun and not noticing the singer's pain.
And you'll taste the pain and a reason for them to talk
The person who hurt the singer will feel the consequences and people will gossip about it.
Because I know
The artist is aware of what's going on.
You heard everyone talking to me
The artist's acquaintances have been discussing their past together.
About the times we used to have
They reminisce on the fun moments they had shared before.
Don't bet on it now
The singer doesn't believe they can have fun together again.
Because it's never gonna be the same
Things have changed and can never go back to the way they used to be.
I feel ferocious
The artist feels strong and determined.
Sitting right in the back
The artist is biding their time and staying out of the spotlight.
I'm gonna feel your love
The singer wants to experience love once again.
Holding me tight
The artist desires to feel safe and secure.
But you know it's my night
The singer's determined to enjoy themselves tonight.
And when you look at me
The person who hurt the singer is observing them closely.
I see the war in your eyes
The person who hurt the singer is struggling internally.
And now everyone's taking their turns
Other people are experiencing pain and heartbreak.
To get hurt out on the street
People are risking getting hurt to find love and affection.
And then the gift is and the reason that seems to bleed
There's a hidden motive behind someone's actions that's causing harm.
Because I know I heard everyone telling their moms
The singer hears gossip from others and their parents.
About the job they took and all my thoughts go out
Other people are sharing their lives while the artist's thoughts are elsewhere.
And I ain't never gonna live that way
The artist doesn't want to live a superficial life like others seem to be doing.
Standing right in the back
The artist is still staying out of the spotlight.
When we start to kiss
The singer wants to share an intimate moment with someone.
But the reasons I have
The artist has their own motivations for wanting to kiss.
I've seen everything I need to survive
The singer has gone through hardships and can handle anything that comes their way.
Every night on my TV, don't bet on it now
The singer isn't fooled by the idealized love stories shown on TV.
Because it's never going to be the same
The singer is resigned to the fact that things have changed permanently.
I feel ferocious
The artist is confident in their own strength.
I wanna feel your love
The artist desires to experience love once again.
Holding me tight
The singer desires to feel safe and secure.
But you know it's my night
The singer is determined to enjoy themselves tonight.
Contributed by Nolan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matt Tull
This band was absolutely perfect.
GonsalvoDeCordova
Always buy all The Ponys stuff everywhere. :^)
Paul Burke
GREAT TUNE.
Stephen Mitchell
Why not a national anthem? Somewhere. Anywhere.
John Bradley
woah. first comment.. hmm this never really happened to me before.. well i just discover "the ponys" and i think they're sick... PEACE! OCCUPY!