The Posies began as a set of informal home recordings by Stringfellow and Auer, but soon became a full-fledged band. Those early demos were released as the album Failure (1988). Mike Musburger and Rick Roberts joined soon after, allowing the band to play its first live shows in Seattle and Bellingham. The four then moved into a house in Seattle's University District. The band's first full album was their major-label début Dear 23 (1990). It was produced by John Leckie and features lush orchestrations for the songwriters' literate, clever, melodic pop with occasional hard-hitting guitars.
The Posies' guitars hit even harder on their third and fourth albums, 1993's Frosting On The Beater and 1996's Amazing Disgrace. These two albums are the band's most succesful and are still widely regarded as classics in indie rock and 'power pop'.
The band's rhythm section underwent many changes over the years. During the recording of 'Frosting', Roberts left and was replaced by Dave Fox. During the 1994 European tour, Musberger left (new bassist: Joe Howard a.k.a. Joe Skyward), whole Brian Young took over on drums
The 'Amazing Disgrace line-up' also recorded album #5, Success (1998), which failed commercially. The Posies went on hiatus while the members concentrated on outside projects, including solo albums (Stringfellow, Auer) and projects such as Lucky Me, Skyward and Chariot, while Brian Young played drums in Fountains of Wayne. From 1997 to 2001, there was only sporadic Posies activity, although two live albums saw the light of day: an 'electric' one (Alive Before The Iceberg, 1999) and an 'acoustic' one (In Case You Didn't Feel Like Plugging In, 2000).
After a satisfying tour as a duo, Auer and Stringfellow brought the band back to active service, now with Darius Minwalla on drums and Matt Harris on bass. The new line-up recorded and released the studio albums Every Kind Of Light (2005) and the particularly well-received Blood/Candy (2010).
From 1993 onwards, Auer and Stringfellow also joined Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens as band members of 'power pop' legends Big Star, playing on many tours as well as the Big Star studio album, In Space (2005).
The years 2010-2016 were a particularly dark time for The Posies. Ayer and Stringfellow's association with Big Star came to an abrupt end when Alex Chilton died in 2010. The Posies' 2014 incarnation included Darius Minwalla on drums and Joe Skyward on bass, but disaster would strike: on May 21, 2015, Darius Minwalla died suddenly in his home in Vancouver, from unknown causes. On March 26th 2016, Joe Skyward passed away after a battle with cancer.
The Posies, however, re-emerged with a new album (their 8th), Solid States, set for an April 2016 release.
Lights Out
The Posies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lights out
Goodnight, shuteye
That's a good guy
Soothing seething, brooding
Are you breathing?
Are you sleeping?
New day
New day
Endless chasm barking blue grey
Are we living in a tombstone smiling?
Driving
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Trickle
Trickle
Father fickle loves to tickle
Sister caffeine fill my inside churning
Turning
Talking
Tripping through the traffic blocking
I'm collapsing, won't you turn the lights out?
Lights out
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Lights out
The lyrics of The Posies's song "Lights Out" are filled with a sense of restlessness and apprehension. The song opens with the repetition of the phrase "lights out," creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere. As the song progresses, the lyrics delve into the anxieties of life. The lines "Soothing seething, brooding / Are you breathing?" capture the idea of feeling overwhelmed by life's ups and downs.
The second verse evokes a sense of uncertainty and confusion. The repetition of "new day" emphasizes the idea of time passing by, yet the feeling of being stuck remains. The lyrics "Are we living in a tombstone smiling?" suggest the idea of feeling trapped in a life that appears to be comfortable on the outside, but ultimately feels empty. The line "Driving / Are we there yet? / Are we there yet?" speaks to the idea of feeling like life is a journey with no end in sight.
The final verse of the song brings in themes of family and relationships. The reference to a "father fickle loves to tickle" creates an image of a playful father figure, but also suggests a sense of unpredictability. The line "Sister caffeine fill my inside churning / Turning" evokes the idea of depending on something external to keep going. The song ends on the same note it began; "lights out" is repeated, leaving the listener with a sense of finality and stillness.
Line by Line Meaning
Lights out
The singer is requesting for the lights to be turned off.
Lights out
Repeating the first line to emphasize the request for the lights to be turned off.
Goodnight, shuteye
The singer is wishing for a good night's sleep.
That's a good guy
The artist is talking to someone and acknowledging them as a good person.
Soothing seething, brooding
The artist is describing their emotions, which are a mix of calm, anger, and deep thoughtfulness.
Are you breathing?
The singer is concerned about someone's wellbeing and asking if they're breathing okay.
Are you sleeping?
The singer is asking if someone is sleeping well.
New day
The artist is acknowledging the start of a new day.
New day
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the start of a new day.
Endless chasm barking blue grey
The artist is describing something that seems infinite and vast, possibly the sky or the sea.
Are we living in a tombstone smiling?
The singer is questioning if we're really alive or just merely existing, and if we're happy about it.
Driving
The artist is either discussing physical driving or moving towards a goal or destination.
Are we there yet?
The singer is asking if they have reached their goal or destination.
Are we there yet?
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the question if they have reached their goal or destination.
Trickle
The singer is describing something flowing slowly and steadily, like a stream or a leak.
Trickle
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the slow, steady flow of something.
Father fickle loves to tickle
The artist is relating an experience with their father who is unpredictable but loves to make them laugh.
Sister caffeine fill my inside churning
The singer is describing feeling anxious or energized after consuming caffeine, possibly having a conversation with their sister.
Turning
The singer is describing something changing or shifting, possibly referring to their emotional state.
Talking
The artist is conversing with someone.
Tripping through the traffic blocking
The artist is describing moving slowly through a crowded or obstructed area, possibly a street or a marketplace.
I'm collapsing, won't you turn the lights out?
The artist is feeling overwhelmed or exhausted and is asking for the lights to be turned off to rest or sleep.
Lights out
Repeating the first line to emphasize the request for the lights to be turned off.
Are we there yet?
The artist is asking if they have reached their goal or destination.
Are we there yet?
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the question if they have reached their goal or destination.
Lights out
The singer is requesting for the lights to be turned off for the final time.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JONATHAN PAUL AUER, KEN STRINGFELLOW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind