The band self-released their debut album Unicorns Are People Too in March 2003 through their own record label Caterpillars of the Community, with a limited press run of 500 copies.
In October of the same year they went back into the studio, recording several new songs as well as reworking a number of songs from their debut. The resulting second album, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?, was released in November 2003 on the label Alien8 Recordings, and was a notable departure for a label that has traditionally released albums by avantgarde and highly experimental artists such as Acid Mothers Temple and noise pioneer Merzbow.
The album received glowing reviews from The Village Voice, NME, online magazine Pitchfork and numerous other publications around the world, and it quickly earned the band a fanatical following on the indie-rock circuit. The band toured constantly for 13 months following its release, initially supporting fellow Canadian band Hot Hot Heat across North America before proceeding to play to sell-out crowds in Australia, Europe and the UK, as well as touring several more times across the US and Canada.
The band's hectic touring schedule took its toll, however, and by the time of their Australian tour in December 2004 they were showing signs of exhaustion, playing reportedly lukewarm shows and verbally clashing with audience members. On December 28, 2004, a short message appeared on the Unicorns' website reading "THE UNICORNS ARE DEAD, (R.I.P.)," leading fans to speculate as to whether they had broken up. In early February of 2005 pitchforkmedia.com reported that The Unicorns had split. Also the website solidpr.com issued a press statement on the band's behalf confirming the claims of break-up.
Thorburn and Thompson continue to collaborate together as Th' Corn Gangg (a pop/hip-hop project) and Islands (a pop project).
Penner released a 7" on the Melbourne-based Art School Dropout label. The a-side, "The Ghost Of Creaky Crater", was recorded in Melbourne on December 19, 2004 while The Unicorns were touring the country. The release was limited to 100 copies. Penner now performs under the name Dub Intefadah.
From Wikipedia
I Was Born
The Unicorns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was born a unicorn
I missed the ark but I could've sworn you'd wait for me
GINGER
I was born a unicorn
I could of sworn you believed in me.
Then how come all the other Unicorns are dead?
DIAMONDS
Put your crystal's under my pillow
GINGER
Send your epistle to my bedfellows
DIAMONDS
If I stop believing in you
GINGER
If you stop believing in me
DIAMONDS
If I stop believing in you
GINGER
If you stop believing in me
We're the Unicorns,
We're more than horses,
We're the unicorns,
And we're people too!
The lyrics of The Unicorns's song "I Was Born a Unicorn" are rich in metaphor and imagery, and open to interpretation. The song speaks to a sense of loneliness, of not fitting in, of being misunderstood. The singer asserts their identity as a mythical creature, a unicorn, which sets them apart from others. They express a sense of disillusionment, having missed the "ark," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for a place of safety or belonging, or for a future that they feel they were excluded from.
The lyrics suggest a yearning for recognition and belief from others, and a fear of being alone. The lines "I missed the ark but I could've sworn you'd wait for me" and "I could have sworn you believed in me" hint at a sense of betrayal or abandonment by someone the singer trusted or loved. The reference to the other unicorns being dead could suggest that the singer feels like an outsider, that they are the last of their kind, or that their identity as a unicorn makes them vulnerable to attack from others.
The repeated lines "If I stop believing in you/If you stop believing in me" suggest a reciprocity in relationships, a need for mutual trust and support. They could also suggest that the singer feels like their sense of self is intertwined with the belief and recognition of others, that they need others to acknowledge them in order to exist.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Was Born a Unicorn" are evocative and open to multiple interpretations. They speak to universal themes of identity, belonging, and the search for meaning and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born a unicorn
I am unique and special, just like a mythical creature
I missed the ark but I could've sworn you'd wait for me
I feel left behind by the world, but I thought there was someone who would be patient with me
I could of sworn you believed in me.
I thought you had faith in me and my abilities
Then how come all the other unicorns are dead?
If there were others like me, why are they no longer around? Am I next?
Put your crystal's under my pillow
Give me your lucky charms to help me feel safe and protected
Send your epistle to my bedfellows
Write me a letter and send it to my closest friends and confidants
If I stop believing in you
If I lose faith in your support and encouragement
If you stop believing in me
If you no longer hold confidence in my abilities and worth
We're more than horses
We are not just ordinary animals, we are special and unique
We're the unicorns
We are a rare and mythical breed, full of magic and wonder
And we're people too!
We may look different, but we have feelings and deserve respect like any other person
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@matthewhoobin5730
I was born a unicorn
I missed the ark but I could've sworn you'd wait for me
I was born a unicorn
I could've sworn you believed in me
Then how come all the other unicorns are dead?
We're never gonna stop
(I think I wanna stop)
We want one "us"
(Okay, I'll do push-ups)
I write the song
(I write the songs!)
You say I'm doing it wrong
(You are doing it wrong!)
P-P-Put your crystal's under my pillow
Send your epistle to my bedfellows
It also says, it also says, it also says
When dreaming beasts are dying down, on out, they're there.
If we agree they're there, they're there; alive and shorn.
If I stop believing in you
(If you stop believing in me)
If I stop believing in you
(If you stop believing in me)
We're the Unicorns
We're more than horses
We're the Unicorns
And we're people too!
@jeffreyorcutt2876
For some reason this song popped back into my head after like a decade. What a classic. Still slaps.
@Xanthopathy
nice
@matthewJay88
Same here. I couldn’t remember what it was at first.
@simplyelegant16
Still slaps sooo hard haven't heard it for over 11 years
@kinonico
Same here, :) Just right now, and I’m listening to the whole album now... Emotional!
@dashbustour3647
Same.
@jacklitterst
this song has been periodically stuck in my head for like 10 years...
I love the unicorns 😍
@alexferris5519
Found this record on sale new for $7 at my local record store, liked the album cover so much and I'm a big indie rock fan so I figured "why not?" and bought it on impulse. Instantly fell in love. Great band.
@Mc_Qwasa
Yes yes it is
@movementstherouge
Needle in a haystack. Great album from start to finish.