Yello was originally formed by Boris Blank and Carlos Perón in the late 1970s. Dieter Meier, a millionaire playboy with a very versatile career, was brought in when the two founders realised that they needed a singer. Meier and Blank joined forces in 1979 to release a single called I.T. Splash. The LP Solid Pleasure, featuring the hit dance single Bostich, was released the following year. It wasn't until 1983 that Yello received substantial media attention, with the release of I Love You and Lost Again. Peron left the band in 1983 to start a solo career.
Yello takes great pride in their original sound, which is mainly characterised by weird samples, a heavy reliance on rhythm and Dieter Meier's dark voice. Every track on a Yello album has been created by the band from scratch.
Sounds have been created using synths, samplers and effects by Boris Blank.
Yello rarely uses samples from previously released music; nearly every instrument has been sampled and engineered by Boris Blank, who over the years has built up an original sample library of over 100,000 named and categorized sounds.
The music is composed by Boris Blank, who considers himself a percussionist. When the tracks are mostly finished, Dieter Meier adds the vocal parts when fitting.
Solar Driftwood
Yello Lyrics
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The ultimate hero of low frequency.
The divine intergalactic bass drum, connecting
The tribes of our solar systems.
If we could communicate
From our tiny piece of solar driftwood
We can send out pictures, symbols,
Chemical formulas or language.
The magic of music is a sign of consciousness
That could be understood
On far-flung worlds millions of light years from our horizon.
Music is an interstellar language
From a highly insignificant planet,
One of nine in our system which sails
Through time and space till the next one,
The next inevitable Big Bang
The lyrics of Yello's "Solar Driftwood" are a contemplation of humanity's place in the vast universe and the power of music as a universal language that can connect us with other intelligent beings. The first verse declares "The Big Ban" (a play on "Big Bang") as the "ultimate hero of low frequency," referring to the booming sound that originated from the creation of the universe. This sound is metaphorically linked to a divine, intergalactic bass drum that unites all the tribes of different planets and solar systems.
The second verse is a reflection on communication with extraterrestrial life. The singer questions what we would say if we could communicate from our planet, which is just a tiny piece of "solar driftwood," into another galaxy. The possibilities of communication methods are listed, from pictures and symbols to chemical formulas and language. The third verse brings up the idea of music as a possible interstellar language. The delivery of the message might not be through words, but through the vibrations and rhythms of music that could be understood by other beings in far-off worlds. Music is presented as a powerful expression of consciousness that could transcend the boundaries of space and time. The song ends with the idea that our planet, one of nine in the solar system, will continue to sail through time and space until the next inevitable "Big Bang."
Overall, "Solar Driftwood" invites the listener to ponder our place in the grand scheme of the universe and the potential for connection beyond our planet. It suggests that music may be a more universal language than any other form of communication.
Line by Line Meaning
The ultimate hero of low frequency.
The Big Bang is the ultimate savior of the low pitched sound range.
The divine intergalactic bass drum, connecting The tribes of our solar systems.
The Big Bang is a spiritual and powerful rhythm that unites all the inhabitants of our solar system.
If we could communicate From our tiny piece of solar driftwood Into another galaxy what would we say?
If we could communicate from our small planet to another galaxy, what message would we want to convey?
We can send out pictures, symbols, Chemical formulas or language.
We have various ways to communicate with other galaxies such as pictures, symbols, chemical formulas or language.
The magic of music is a sign of consciousness That could be understood On far-flung worlds millions of light years from our horizon.
Music is a powerful symbol of awareness that can be appreciated by other beings on distant planets millions of light years away.
Music is an interstellar language From a highly insignificant planet,
Music is a language that can transcend the limits of our small planet and be appreciated throughout the universe.
One of nine in our system which sails Through time and space till the next one, The next inevitable Big Bang
Our planet is one of nine in our solar system that travels through time and space until the next Big Bang event which is inevitable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BORIS BLANK, DIETER MEIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind