<… 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
Girl on the Wing
The Shins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lays flat my whole take on us
You're the girl on the wing of a barnstormer
The tidal rabbit who came of age before her time
Could have been so good-natured
If I'd relented when you insisted
But we've been backed against
You felt abandoned by me
I recall the sunshine as you were melting
And though the comedy softens the fall
They still hear us with their ears to the wall
I sold all my evil motives
No icicles stuck in my hide
I'm through with riddles, I know we're little
Just help me feel warm inside
Before we take this ride and let it slide
Into the cracks where fall and winter collide
I surrender all my gall in a song of modern love
Remember you're the one who summoned me above any other kind
Any other kind
Could have been so good-natured
If you'd relented when I insisted
We take a week off, let the garden grow by itself
And let the gluttons fill themselves with all the worst of the gory nineties
And though the comedy softens the fall, we still fall short
Before we take this ride and let it slide
Into the cracks where fall and winter collide
I surrender all my gall in a song of modern love
Remember you're the one who summoned me above any other kind
Any other kind
The lyrics of "Girl on the Wing" by The Shins are open to interpretation, but at its core, the song seems to be about a relationship that is struggling under the weight of external and internal pressures. The singer, who may be James Mercer himself, is trying to save the relationship by abandoning his ego and being vulnerable. He acknowledges that he could have saved the relationship if he had been more yielding when his partner insisted on things, but he's now realizing that they are both stuck in a rut. The belief that they are compatible with each other but not with the world around them seems to be a driving force behind the song. The lines "I'm through with riddles, I know we're little" could be a reference to how insignificant they feel in the grand scheme of things, but it's comforting to know that they have each other.
The titular "girl on the wing" is a metaphor for someone who is daring and adventurous. She's on the fringes of society, living on the edge, and taking risks. She's also a dreamer who's come of age before her time, which might reflect the singer's perception of his partner. Overall, the song is a lament for a relationship that is struggling to survive, but there is still hope that they can overcome their problems if they work together.
Line by Line Meaning
One wound up punch of intuition
An intense feeling hit me, affecting my thoughts and perceptions.
Lays flat my whole take on us
It completely changes my understanding of our relationship.
You're the girl on the wing of a barnstormer
You're daring and adventurous, living life on the edge.
The tidal rabbit who came of age before her time
You matured quickly, dealing with adult situations and responsibilities earlier than expected.
Could have been so good-natured
We could have had a positive and friendly relationship.
If I'd relented when you insisted
If I had given in when you asked me to.
But we've been backed against
We've been pushed up against.
All nature's walls for too long
We've been struggling for a while and can't seem to find a way out.
You felt abandoned by me
You thought I had left you alone.
I recall the sunshine as you were melting
I remember a time when you were happy and carefree, but then something caused you to break down emotionally.
And though the comedy softens the fall
Even though we can try to laugh off our problems and mistakes.
They still hear us with their ears to the wall
People can still hear us and our arguments, even when we try to keep them private.
I sold all my evil motives
I got rid of any selfish or harmful intentions I had.
No icicles stuck in my hide
I'm not holding onto any grudges or painful memories.
I'm through with riddles, I know we're little
I'm done with playing games and being cryptic, I acknowledge that we're both flawed human beings.
Just help me feel warm inside
Please make me feel loved and comfortable.
Before we take this ride and let it slide
Before we continue on this journey and potentially let things fall apart.
Into the cracks where fall and winter collide
Into the difficult and uncomfortable moments that arise during this time of year.
I surrender all my gall in a song of modern love
I'm giving up all my bitterness and anger in order to express my love in a contemporary way.
Remember you're the one who summoned me above any other kind
Don't forget that you called me to be with you, choosing me over anyone else.
We take a week off, let the garden grow by itself
Let's take a break from our relationship and let things develop on their own without any effort from us.
And let the gluttons fill themselves with all the worst of the gory nineties
Let the people who want to indulge in the negative aspects of the past decade do so without us joining in.
And though the comedy softens the fall, we still fall short
Even though we try to make light of our issues, we still struggle to overcome them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind