Osees (formerly 'Oh Sees') are a band from San Francisco, California, USA. … Read Full Bio ↴Osees (formerly 'Oh Sees') are a band from San Francisco, California, USA. The group began as an outlet for John Dwyer to release his instrumental, experimental home recordings, and over the course of several albums evolved into a full band. The band is noted for both its prolific album releases, energetic live shows, and their whimsical visual aesthetic that juxtaposes cartoon imagery and horror. The band has changed its name several times, being known as Orinoka Crash Suite, OCS, Orange County Sound, The Ohsees, Thee Oh Sees. Some say John Dwyer (of Coachwhips, Pink & Brown, OCS, Landed, Yikes, Burmese, The Hospitals, Sword & Sandals, Superpit, The Drums, The Trawgs, Zeigenbock Kopf and Dig That Body Up It's Alive!) is in Thee Oh Sees and he seems to be making this band the most serious project. He's done everything from noise to death metal to punk and now Thee Oh Sees.

Thee Oh Sees are no doubt the lightest of his excursions, but in contrast to the rest of his resume one could surmise that there are significant reasons for the change.

Thee Oh Sees have a lo-fi electric-acoustic sound that's usually soaked in reverb, making it as if you can hear and see the exact room they recorded in. It creates a very distinct mood that seems to fit their style, lyrics, and melodies.

What most people focus on is that Mr. Dwyer is in the band. While it's certainly a notable quality, the recent band members bring so much more to the table. The earliest recordings are Dwyer's solo recordings, mostly single instrument/vocal ditties that you can hear him working out. They're an intimate portrait of John, but without the recent material, the portrait would simply be incomplete.

Thee Oh Sees don't subscribe to any one style.

With the addition of Brigid Dawson, Petey Dammit, and a rotating cast of drummers, the sound has grown into the landscape that one man couldn't create alone. Brigid's soprano voice brings an almost hauntingly sensitive aspect to the lyrics and melodies, while Petey and Mike's pounding and insistent backline (and additional drums from Lars Finberg of The Intelligence on recent recordings) complete the frame in its entirety. Their energetic, sweat-laden shows coupled with their prolific recording schedule has garnered them a growing, dedicated fan base.

The catalog that this band has put together is growing and growing, albeit under several different monikers, and several different labels.

in 2017 it was announced that the band would change its name to simply 'Oh Sees'

in November of 2019, the band announced that they would be changing their name yet again to simply 'Osees'

Head of State
Thee Oh Sees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A head of the state is in my bed
Look into those coals and surely its dead
A dream about blood in jars
And flecked on the ceiling, like stars

Oh what a way to begin the day
Suffer all the bad news if I may
My dreams are all anchored in real life

And flecked on the ceiling, like stars

Overall Meaning

In the first stanza of the song Head of State by Thee Oh Sees, the singer describes an unusual scenario where a head of the state is in his bed. This line can be interpreted metaphorically and symbolically, suggesting that the singer has the power and control to rule over his life or even the world around him. The second line, "Look into those coals and surely its dead," suggests that the situation is bleak and lifeless. It could be that the singer feels trapped or overwhelmed by the responsibility that comes with such power.

The next two lines of the song, "A dream about blood in jars and flecked on the ceiling, like stars," adds to the metaphorical and symbolic imagery of the song. The image of blood in jars could represent the preservation of power and a desire to keep it intact. The flecked ceiling could represent the stars, indicating that the singer's thoughts and dreams are linked to his wild and untamed desires. The chorus seems to suggest that the singer is willing to suffer all the bad news if it means that he can hold on to his power, even if it is just a dream.

Overall, the song Head of State is a portrayal of the desire for power and control, and the willingness to go to any extent to maintain it.

Line by Line Meaning

A head of the state is in my bed
I feel like I have too much responsibility and stress on me, and it's affecting my sleep.

Look into those coals and surely its dead
I'm trying to find some kind of hope in a situation that seems completely hopeless.

A dream about blood in jars
I'm having disturbing dreams that seem to represent the chaos and violence of the world around me.

And flecked on the ceiling, like stars
These dreams are so vivid that they feel like they're bleeding into my waking life, and I can see their remnants everywhere I look.

Oh what a way to begin the day
This is not an auspicious start to my day, and I'm already feeling overwhelmed.

Suffer all the bad news if I may
I feel like I can't avoid the negative events and information that are constantly bombarding me.

My dreams are all anchored in real life
The things that are happening in the world are so intense and jarring that they seem to be infiltrating my subconscious.

And flecked on the ceiling, like stars
The remnants of these terrible dreams are haunting me wherever I go, and I can't escape them.

Contributed by Anthony B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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