Thievery Corporation is on the Eighteenth Street Lounge record label named after the DC club owned by Eric Hilton, but several of their singles and EP's appear on the 4AD and !K7 labels.
Formed in the summer of 1995 at D.C.’s Eighteenth Street Lounge. Rob Garza and Lounge co-owner Eric Hilton bonded over club life, dub, bossa nova and jazz records, then decided to see what would come of mixing all these in a recording studio. From this, the duo was born and their self started label Eighteenth Street Lounge Music began to emerge on an international level.
The duo caught the ears of underground DJ’s with their first two 12" offerings, Shaolin Satellite and 2001: a Spliff Odyssey. Their 1997 debut LP, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi began to both define a new genre of electronic music and connect with an international community of like-minded souls. Though the terminology has varied (downtempo, chill out, left field and a myriad of other permutations), they have maintained their unique musical standards for the duration of their popularity.
In 2002, they released The Richest Man in Babylon on their ESL label. This fifteen track album is similar in sound and timbre to their earlier 2000 release, The Mirror Conspiracy, and features performances by vocalists Emiliana Torrini, Pam Bricker, and Loulou.
In 2005 they released The Cosmic Game, which has a darker, more psychedelic sound than The Richest Man in Babylon. The album also featured more high-profile guest singers on it, including Perry Farrell, David Byrne, and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips.
In 2006, the group released Versions, a selection of remixes done by Thievery Corporation for other artists and toured the United States, playing at Lollapalooza.
The group released their fifth studio album, Radio Retaliation, on 23 September 2008.
The language of the group's lyrics are as diverse as English, Spanish, French, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian and Hindi. This reflects the group's global feel and collaborative structure.
They were the opening act on August 1, 2009 for Sir Paul McCartney at FedExField in Landover, Maryland.
On July 27, 2010, Babylon Central, the cinematic directorial debut of founding member Eric Hilton, was released. Set (and shot) in Washington, D.C., the film follows tripwire events in the interconnected lives of its characters, each influencing power brokers' schemes to manipulate international currencies.
In June 2011, Thievery Corporation released their sixth album, Culture of Fear.
In January 2012, Thievery Corporation launched a remixes contest in conjunction with Dubspot.
Polyesterday
Thievery Corporation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above the skyscraper.
They tried to rape her,
She couldn't reach higher.
I am the paper
Above the skyscraper.
They tried to rape her,
Polly yesterday,
Found another way.
Polyesterday,
Synthetic one way or the other.
In public, public,
They said she was sick
In Buick, Buick.
Driving naked for an hour.
Stark naked!
Polly yesterday,
Found another way.
Polly said today
She'd find another way,
Tomorrow.
Her people didn't know,
Her family didn't know.
The lyrics of Thievery Corporation's "Polyesterday" are evocative and enigmatic, painting a complex portrait of a woman trying to escape from her limitations and find her own way in the world. The repeated lines of "I am the paper above the skyscraper, they tried to rape her, she couldn't reach higher" speak to the struggles of women in a male-dominated society, constantly pushing against barriers and restrictions that are imposed upon them. The metaphor of the paper being above the skyscraper could represent a woman who has managed to break through the glass ceiling and achieve success, but is still at risk of being attacked or undermined by those who seek to control her. The repeated refrain of "Polly yesterday, found another way" suggests that the singer is resourceful and driven, constantly seeking out new paths forward even when they seem impossible.
The second half of the song delves deeper into Polly's struggles, as she is accused of being sick and goes on a wild, naked drive through the city. These actions may be seen as a way for her to rebel against the strict societal norms that would try to constrain her, or perhaps they are indicative of mental health struggles that she is grappling with. Regardless of the interpretation, the lyrics are deeply emotive and resonate with anyone who has felt trapped or isolated in a world that seeks to limit their potential.
Overall, "Polyesterday" is a haunting and complex piece of songwriting that vividly evokes the struggles of women and marginalized individuals in our society. By using rich metaphors and repeating key phrases, Thievery Corporation is able to paint a vivid portrait of a woman struggling to break free and find her own path forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the paper
I represent something that can be used for different purposes
Above the skyscraper.
I am placed in a high position
They tried to rape her,
Someone attempted to use me in a harmful way
She couldn't reach higher.
I could not be used for something beyond my potential
Polly yesterday,
A person named Polly in the past
Found another way.
She discovered an alternative method or solution
Polyesterday,
An artificial version of something from the past
Synthetic one way or the other.
In some way or another, it is fake or man-made
In public, public,
In front of others for everyone to witness
They said she was sick
They believed she had mental issues
In Buick, Buick.
Someone was driving a Buick car
Driving naked for an hour.
The individual was driving without wearing any clothes for an extended time period
Stark naked!
Completely naked
Polly yesterday,
The same person named Polly from earlier
Found another way.
She found a different approach
Polly said today
Polly mentioned today
She'd find another way,
She intended to discover an additional solution
Tomorrow.
In the future
Her people didn't know,
Her community was not informed
Her family didn't know.
Her relatives were not aware
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BALDUR STEFANSSON, BIRGIR THORARINSSON, DANIEL AGUST HARALDSSON, HAFDIS HULD THRASTARDOTTIR, MAGNUS GUDMUNDSSON, MAGNUS THOR JONSSON, SIGURDUR KJARTANSSON, STEFAN ARNI THORGEIRSSON, STEPHAN STEPHENSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind