Yellow Ostrich are an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The… Read Full Bio ↴Yellow Ostrich are an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band began in 2009 as the solo project of Alex Schaaf, who moved from Wisconsin to New York to pursue a career in music and recorded on a four-track recorder. His first release was a self-titled nine-track album in March 2009; followed by an EP, Carousels, in May of that same year. The second album under the Yellow Ostrich name, entitled Wild Comfort, was released in January of 2010. While pursuing his music degree at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI., Schaaf had the opportunity to open for Michael Tapper's then project Bishop Allen, for whom he played drums at the time. The two musicians made a connection, and when Schaaf moved to Brooklyn at the same time as Tapper in 2010, they decided to perform together officially under the Yellow Ostrich name.

The first release of Yellow Ostrich as a duo came with the third album under the moniker, 2011's The Mistress; which featured the single "Whale." The song picked up support from stations such as KEXP and NPR, attracting a new audience to the band. After the release of the album, the band enlisted multi-instrumentalist Jon Natchez to flesh out the song's layered production live on stage. Natchez provided bass, percussion and trumpet; and would become a permanent member of the band in 2012, following the release of the fourth Yellow Ostrich album, Strange Land. The album was released through Barsuk Records, an independent Seattle label; marking the first Yellow Ostrich album to be released through a label. A 6-track EP, Ghost, was also released in 2012.

January 2013 saw the band release a free live album, recorded at the Bowery Ballroom in New York in November 2012, via the band's Bandcamp page. That same month saw the band play for the first time as a four-piece, including new guitarist Jared Van Fleet (formerly of Voxtrot) and fill-in bassist Zach Rose. In June, Natchez announced his departure from Yellow Ostrich to pursue solo work and his continued touring with David Byrne & St. Vincent. Both Van Fleet and Rose were introduced as full-time members of the band. The only album to be released with this iteration of lineup, entitled Cosmos, was released in February 2014. It would also serve as the fifth and final Yellow Ostrich record.

On November 7, 2014 the band announced their final show would be December 8, 2014. In 2021, the band released a new album, "Soft".

Shades
Yellow Ostrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wanna sleep but I dream too much
I wanna think but I run too much
Is it true?
That little speck of blue?
I wanna scream but I know too much
I wanna cry but I've seen too much
is it true?
Is that for me and you?

Pull the shades down and never let go
You belong here so you don't need to know why
they're running headless now
Sit alone with the pictures that I drew
I can build any universe for you, see?

The stars are nice in a museum
but when you touch them you feel too much
is it true?
are they a part of you?

So pull the shades down and never let go
It worries me too but I will never show
See the way it bounces off
Sit alone with the pictures that I drew
I can build any universe for you, see?

I see you swimming in a sea of lava
My feet are tied to the shore
I see you flying in a burning missile
I see you flying in a burning missile, no!

So just try to close your eyes
All that shit, it never hits you
Just try to close your eyes
You don't walk, you never fall through
So just try to close your eyes

Pull the shades down and never let go
It worries me too but I will never show

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Shades" by Yellow Ostrich showcase the struggle to balance reality and the dream world. The first verse reveals the frustration of being unable to switch off from either reality or dreams, showcasing a desire to find a balance between the two. It is this struggle that leads to the question of whether the "little speck of blue" is a true representation of what is real or a part of someone's dream.

The second verse speaks of being overwhelmed by emotions that come with the realization and knowledge of certain things. There is a yearning to let go and express these feelings, but there is a fear that doing so could be too much to handle. The chorus repeatedly encourages pulling the shades down and letting go of the worries and fears that life brings. The singer expresses a willingness to build an entire universe for someone and promises to keep them safe within.

In the bridge, there is a stark contrast between the singer's position and that of the person they speak of. The singer sees the other person fearlessly swimming in a sea of lava, and flying in a burning missile, which suggests a boldness and disregard for the potentially harmful consequences. On the other hand, the singer's feet are firmly tied to the shore, unable to move towards those dangerous situations. This contrast emphasizes the need to find a balance between risk-taking and safety, the dream world and reality.

The overall message of the song "Shades" is that we have to find a balance between the dream world and reality, which can be a difficult task. However, the singer offers safety and comfort to the other person, promising to create a universe for them where they can be free and feel safe.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna sleep but I dream too much
I desire to sleep, but my dreams are too vivid and vividly detailed to disconnect from.

I wanna think but I run too much
I desire to take time to think, but my mind is always racing and never still.

Is it true?
I question the reality of something.

That little speck of blue?
Refers to something small yet visible in the distance. In this case, something visible and real far away from here.

I wanna scream but I know too much
I want to let out my emotions, but I'm too aware and knowledgeable of their consequence and impact on others and myself.

I wanna cry, but I've seen too much
I want to cry, but my eyes have seen too much sadness and emotional trauma to physically produce tears anymore.

Is it true?
I question the validity of something once again.

Is that for me and you?
Does the aforementioned thing concern the both of us?

Pull the shades down and never let go
Close the shades, blocking out the outside world and everything that comes with it, and hold onto that sense of comfort and safety indefinitely.

You belong here so you don't need to know why
You're here for a reason, and the extraneous details surrounding the purpose of your presence are irrelevant.

They're running headless now
They're acting recklessly and without direction, much like a chicken with its head cut off.

Sit alone with the pictures that I drew
Spend time alone and immerse yourself within these images I've visualized and created.

I can build any universe for you, see?
I have the ability and imagination to create any kind of world or environment for you to exist in.

The stars are nice in a museum
Stars seen from a safe, observation-based standpoint are pleasant to observe in a museum-like setting.

But when you touch them you feel too much
When you encounter or touch these stars firsthand, the emotional and physical sensations are overwhelming and intense.

Is it true?
Questioning another aspect of reality.

Are they a part of you?
Do these stars possess some sort of connection or belonging within oneself?

It worries me too but I will never show
Despite my own personal worries, I refuse to showcase or express them outwardly.

I see you swimming in a sea of lava
I envision you within an environment so dangerous and hazardous that swimming in a body of lava is the norm.

My feet are tied to the shore
I am unable to take part in the situation, forced to remain still and watch as you navigate through this hazardous environment.

I see you flying in a burning missile
I envision you aerially transporting yourself in a missile that is ablaze and dangerous.

No!
Expressing a strong sense of rejection toward this particular thought or image.

Just try to close your eyes
I urge you to close your eyes and try to ignore the outside world for now.

All that shit, it never hits you
All of the negative outside influences and external problems don't actually affect you in any tangible way.

You don't walk, you never fall through
You don't have to deal with the risks and pitfalls of physical movement, for you are safe and stationary.

Contributed by Lauren N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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