Bay Area jangle pop band the Umbrellas call on the same spirit of wistful r… Read Full Bio ↴Bay Area jangle pop band the Umbrellas call on the same spirit of wistful reflection and earnest songcraft that defined twee movements of the past. The band's upbeat melodic pop takes cues from various points in indie pop history, recalling the work of artists from K Records, Sarah Records, and Slumberland's '90s rosters while putting a personalized spin on the sound. After releasing a home-recorded EP, the Umbrellas released their self-titled LP in 2021.

The Umbrellas were formed in 2019 by Bay Area musicians Matt Ferrara, Keith Frerichs, Nick Oka, and Morgan Stanley. They took inspiration from a long line of twee and indie pop bands and paisley underground artists and channeled those influences into their first self-recorded tracks. Their four-song Maritime EP was recorded using a drum machine in winter of 2019, and the next year the songs were reissued on a limited run 7" that quickly sold out. The band signed with indie pop institution Slumberland Records for the release of their self-titled debut LP and reconfigured their arrangements to include live drums and expanded production. The album was released in August of 2021.

Biography by Fred Thomas

THINKING OF YOU
The Umbrellas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't sleep at night, I'm thinking of you
And when you're away, I'm so blue
I'm thinking of you

I'll laugh my eyes out, I'll feel the rhythm
I'll pretend you're the reason
To make anything and everything that is scented blossom
I'll run my fingers through your hair until your eyes blink out

All night long I laid in the grass
And listened with headphones to the saddest songs
It was a spiral of a night
You were spread out across the sky
The way you skinned your knees chasing cars
They're taking you away

I'll laugh my eyes out, I'll feel the rhythm
I'll pretend you're the reason
To make anything and everything that is scented blossom

I'll run my fingers through your hair
Until your eyes blink out

Overall Meaning

The Umbrellas’ song, “Thinking of You,” is a melancholic track that delves into the emotions of the singer as they think about someone they are deeply missing. The opening lines of the song reveal that the singer cannot sleep at night because they are consumed with thoughts of the person they are missing. This inability to sleep suggests that the singer is in considerable emotional distress, and this is further compounded by the line, “And when you're away, I'm so blue” which reveals that the person they are missing is not physically present.

The subsequent lines, “I'll laugh my eyes out, I'll feel the rhythm” and “I'll pretend you're the reason” reveal that the singer is trying to find ways to cope with their emotional distress, perhaps by finding solace in music and dancing. The line, “To make anything and everything that is scented blossom” suggests that they are trying to use their senses to create a sensory experience that reminds them of the person they are missing. The final line, “I'll run my fingers through your hair until your eyes blink out,” is particularly poignant as it suggests the singers deep longing to be with the person they are missing.

The middle section of the song paints a vivid picture of the singer spending a sleepless night lying in the grass, listening to sad songs on headphones. The way the sky is described as having the person they are missing “spread out across the sky” reinforces the idea that this person is constantly on their mind, even when they are not physically present. The imagery of “skinned knees” suggests that the person they are missing is perhaps carefree or adventurous, but this is contrasted with the melancholic line, “They're taking you away,” which again reinforces their absence.

Overall, The Umbrellas’ “Thinking of You” is a beautifully written song that captures the pain and longing that comes with missing someone. The use of poetic language and vivid imagery paints a poignant picture of the singer’s emotional state, while the music creates a melancholic atmosphere that perfectly complements the sentiment of the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't sleep at night, I'm thinking of you
I am unable to fall asleep as I constantly ruminate on you in my mind

And when you're away, I'm so blue
Whenever you are not in my presence, it causes me sadness and a sense of melancholy

I'll laugh my eyes out, I'll feel the rhythm
I will burst into uncontrollable laughter and fully embrace the beat of the moment

I'll pretend you're the reason
I will fabricate a scenario where you are the cause of everything that feels good or positive around me

To make anything and everything that is scented blossom
I will imbue all things fragrant or sweet with the idea of you and feel uplifted and happy as a result

I'll run my fingers through your hair until your eyes blink out
I'll stroke your hair until you become tired and close your eyes in revelry

All night long I laid in the grass
For the entire evening, I stayed lying in the field

And listened with headphones to the saddest songs
I put on my headphones and played the most melancholic and lachrymose music I could find

It was a spiral of a night
The night was a maelstrom of turbulent emotions and twists and turns

You were spread out across the sky
Your presence, though not physical, was still omnipresent throughout the expanse of the sky

The way you skinned your knees chasing cars
I recall the time you scraped your knees while pursuing automobiles

They're taking you away
I feel as though you are being taken from me in some way, shape, or form

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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