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'
Robber Barons
Thee Oh Sees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hint
Burnt family.
Robber barons
High up they see.
They crush and kill
Most certainly
A toad
Homes and cities
Wait
A plan
So simple, see
We turn our back
On kings and queens
The land
The sea
Majestically
They are yours
You are free.
The song "Robber Barons" by Thee Oh Sees is a commentary on the power and greed of the wealthy elite who exploit and destroy the lives of everyday people. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a society in which the rich and powerful call the shots and the rest are left to suffer the consequences. The opening lines, "Whiff, a hint, burnt family," suggest a sense of foreboding and tragedy, as if something terrible has already happened or is about to happen. The phrase "robber barons" refers to the industrialists and financiers of the late 19th century who amassed enormous fortunes by exploiting workers and natural resources. The line "high up they see" suggests their detached perspective from the suffering of those below them.
The following lines describe the brutality of the robber barons, who "crush and kill most certainly." The toad and road imagery may represent the destruction of natural habitats and infrastructure caused by their greed. However, the song then presents a glimmer of hope with the lines "wait, a plan, so simple, see. We turn our back on kings and queens." This suggests that the people can overcome the power of the elite by rejecting traditional hierarchies and banding together. The final lines, "the land, the sea, majestically, they are yours, you are free," suggest that through collective action, the people can reclaim their natural resources and their freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Whiff
A faint scent
A hint
A suggestion of something
Burnt family.
A family destroyed by fires or metaphorically by greedy individuals
Robber barons
Wealthy, powerful people who exploit the working class
High up they see.
They have a privileged perspective on the world that allows them to exert their influence
They crush and kill
The robber barons use their power to exploit and harm others with impunity
Most certainly
Without question, undoubtedly
A toad
An ugly and undesirable creature
A road
A path to travel on
Homes and cities
Places where people live and work
Wait
Be patient, hold on
A plan
A strategy to address a problem
So simple, see
Easy to understand and implement
We turn our back
We reject the notion of monarchs and elites having power over us
On kings and queens
The monarchy and nobility
The land
Natural resources and territory
The sea
The ocean, maritime resources and trade
Majestically
In a grand and impressive manner
They are yours
These resources and assets belong to everyone, not just the wealthy elites
You are free.
With freedom comes the responsibility to create a fair society and prevent exploitation by the powerful
Contributed by Miles P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.