<… Read Full Bio ↴The Shins is an American indie rock band centered around James Mercer.
The band formed in 1997, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States as a side project of Mercer (previously of Blue Roof Dinner) and drummer Jesse Sandoval, who were both members of Flake Music. The band's original lineup was Mercer (vocals, guitar), Sandoval (drums), Marty Crandall (keyboards) and Dave Hernandez (bass). Neil Langford replaced Hernandez in 1998. Hernandez returned to the band in 2003, as Langford had left the band in 2001. Hernandez remained in the band until 2009. Fruit Bats keyboardist Eric Johnson joined the band in 2006.
Their debut album, Oh, Inverted World was issued in 2001 and contained the singles "New Slang" and "Caring is Creepy", which were both featured in the 2004 film "Garden State". The band's next album, Chutes Too Narrow was released in 2003 and featured the single "So Says I". The band's third album Wincing The Night Away, was released in 2007 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 charts, the highest charting album in Sub Pop history until Arcade Fire's"The Suburbs" debuted at #1. After a short hiatus, Mercer announced in 2009 that the band was to record a new album and that Marty Crandall, and Jesse Sandoval were no longer members of The Shins. The band's new lineup included James Mercer, Eric Johnson, Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer and Grand Archives keyboardist Ron Lewis.
Before the release of Port of Morrow, the band lineup changed once more with only Mercer and Plummer remaining from the previously announced lineup. The newly added members were announced as guitarist Jessica Dobson, bassist Yuuki Matthews (formerly of Crystal Skulls) and keyboardist Richard Swift.
The Simple Song Songfacts reports that "Simple Song." was the first single from the Port Of Morrow album, the band's debut release on James Mercer's Aural Apothecary record label. It was also the first offering to be heard from the band following the departure of Jesse Sandoval and Marty Crandall.
The current line-up for the live act is James Mercer (vocals, guitar), Jessica Dobson (guitar), Yuuki Matthews (bass), Richard Swift (keyboards) and Joe Plummer (drums).
2017 - Fifth Album & World Tour
The band released their 5th studio album, "Heartworms" on March 10, 2017 on the Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records, together with a supporting world tour. "Heartworms" features Mercer's most diverse lyrical palette to date: From fictional character sketches ('Fantasy Island', 'Rubber Ballz'), autobiographical accounts ('Mildenhall'), to first single 'Name For You', a resounding call for female empowerment inspired by Mercer’s three daughters.
More information:
*http://www.theshins.com
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shins
Eating Styes From Elephants' Eyes
The Shins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They want you batting a lash
They eat styes from elephants' eyes
They're in touch
With there inner crutch
They wont stab but they'll grab
And that's just like the other
And we drown it in booze
We take lives from elephants' eyes
They're in bed
With their kids eating lead
It wont stop if you shop
With the lovers of bloodshed
I went to school, and saw slides
Of where I'm meant to be
We read time
Like a kid eating limes
We're in town we bees are let out
We get laughs
From an orgasmic plant
We're attached to the past
Cause our future's a bleak one
I went to school and saw slides
Of where I'm meant to be
The Shins' song "Eating Styes From Elephants' Eyes" is a multifaceted commentary on societal corruption and ignorance. The first verse portrays a group of people (perhaps a representation of the general population) who desire trash and are content with their own inner flaws. The metaphor of eating styes from elephants' eyes suggests a willingness to consume something unclean and harmful without questioning its morality. These same individuals won't actively harm others, but they will take advantage of them when given the opportunity. The line "And that's just like the other" implies that this behavior is commonplace in our society.
The second verse is a scathing criticism of the media and its role in perpetuating violence. "We got news and we drown it in booze" suggests that we downplay important information and prioritize escapism over actual solutions. The line "We take lives from elephants' eyes" mirrors the previous verse's metaphor, emphasizing the harmful consequences of our actions. The next line, "They're in bed with their kids eating lead," portrays a disturbing image of familial consumption of toxic substances. The final line of the verse, "It won't stop if you shop with the lovers of bloodshed," implicates consumers in the cycle of violence perpetuated by the media.
The final verse of the song speaks to the concept of time and our relationship to it. The imagery of "a kid eating limes" emphasizes the tartness and transience of life. The line "We're in town we bees are let out" suggests that we are free to do as we please, but we ultimately lack direction. Laughing at "an orgasmic plant" represents our obsession with pleasure and our inability to detach from the past in order to move forward. The final two lines, "Cause our future's a bleak one / I went to school and saw slides of where I'm meant to be," speak to the lack of concrete progress in our world and the cyclical nature of history. The singer sees where he's "meant to be," but it's unclear if that's a positive or negative outcome.
Line by Line Meaning
They want trash
They have a desire for worthless things.
They want you batting a lash
They want you to be reactive and impulsive.
They eat styes from elephants' eyes
They indulge in strange, repulsive pleasures.
They're in touch
They are connected with their emotions and inner selves.
With there inner crutch
They rely on emotional support to get through difficult times.
They wont stab but they'll grab
They avoid physical violence but are opportunistic and manipulative.
And that's just like the other
This behavior is typical of others who share their mindset.
We got news
We have access to information.
And we drown it in booze
We cope with our problems through addiction and escapism.
We take lives from elephants' eyes
We exploit and destroy the things around us without thought of the consequences.
They're in bed
They are intimate.
With their kids eating lead
They expose themselves and their children to danger and toxicity.
It wont stop if you shop
The cycle of destruction and exploitation will continue if we continue to support these practices with our buying habits.
With the lovers of bloodshed
Those who engage in violent and harmful behaviors are the ones perpetuating this cycle.
We read time
We measure our lives by the passing of time.
Like a kid eating limes
We do so with a sour taste and discomfort.
We're in town we bees are let out
We are free to roam and explore the world around us.
We get laughs
We find humor in strange and unconventional things.
From an orgasmic plant
Our entertainment and pleasure is derived from unusual and possibly dangerous sources.
We're attached to the past
We hold onto memories and nostalgia of a time that has long passed.
Cause our future's a bleak one
We fear that our future is dark and hopeless.
I went to school and saw slides
I received an education and was exposed to different perspectives.
Of where I'm meant to be
I was taught what my path in life should be.
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cap'n Peanut B. Crunch
The Shins have so many awesome B-Sides, and this is no exception. I love how in a live show w/ Sam Beam in 2004 someone called out the song before he started it and James asked "How do you even know that song?" The dude shouted "B-SIDE!"
Leonardo Rodriguez
I love this song! Is so catchy! Am I the only one who keeps listening to her?
GreyMatter
Woah! I just realized this song rocks! :]
onward pilgrim
had to hear the chorus of those bold city girls this morning and this channel came through for me. this song makes me remember soulseek, and the days before chutes too narrow when there was an extremely finite amount of material available from this geoup
mr7clay
They say on strange nights when the fog rolls in and the coax buzzes with magic SoulSeek clients are still browsing lists of lowercased titles.
mr7clay
We're attached to the past 'cause our future's a bleak one. Damn.