They were among the second wave of groups to emerge from The Elephant 6 Recording Company and the group has a style that is typical of many Elephant 6 bands due to their interest in combining musical experimentation with the basic tenets of pop i.e. catchy melodies and sing-along choruses. The band’s style has been influenced by conventional indie pop, psychedelic music, vaudeville and music hall on their earlier releases and by afrobeat, funk, krautrock and reggae on their recent releases.
The band’s style has been known to change between albums. At first, the band embraced a more simple, quirky, lo-fi indie pop sound, which occasionally bordered on twee pop. The band was created by Kevin Barnes and named after a failed romance with a woman from Montreal, though the story changes in various interviews. Barnes was the only member of the “group” prior to his relocation to Athens, Georgia. There, he met Derek Almstead, later of Circulatory System, M Coast, Elf Power etc., and Bryan Poole, who also performs as The Late B.P. Helium.
Together, they recorded their first album, Cherry Peel, as well as The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower and The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy.
A number of singles and a re-release of The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower occurred before the release of the band’s third album, The Gay Parade in 1999. With contributions from several members of the Elephant Six collective at the time, it also featured artwork from Kevin’s brother David Barnes, who would continue to do artwork for future albums.
This album marked that the band had moved to a fuller sound, which is also found on its follow-up, Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse. These two albums contain more narrative lyrics, as opposed to the rather personal lyrical matter of those preceding it, and often imitating the style of old 1950s radio plays.
After production on The Gay Parade began in 1998, Poole left the band to focus on his duties with Elf Power, another Elephant Six band from Athens. Barnes also recruited Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander, who had been performing together as Lightning Bug vs. Firefly, to play various instruments. Derek moved from drums to bass. The band was joined soon after by Marshmallow Coast’s Andy Gonzales.
Following the release of The Gay Parade, the band signed with Kindercore Records, who would release a number of singles and compilations. It wasn’t until 2001 that Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse would be released as a new album with original material. The album again featured contributions from across the Elephant 6 spectrum.
In 2002, Aldhils Arboretum was released, with a slightly different sound than its predecessors, as the songs were more directly structured. This album marks the beginning of the change in of Montreal’s sound, with more danceable rhythms than ever before, especially on the album’s closer, “Death Dance Of The Omipapas and Sons For You”. A successful tour ensued, including of Montreal’s first trip to the UK, along with a tour-only EP.
Kindercore Records would fold shortly after the release of Arboretum, and of Montreal’s status was also threatened. Kevin got married, and Andy and Derek left the band. Barnes, being uncomfortable with the unrest, as well as some divisions within the band, took to writing and performing their 2004 album Satanic Panic in the Attic mostly by himself. Released by Polyvinyl Records, it became one of their more successful efforts to that point. The 2004 tour saw The Late B.P. Helium (Bryan Poole) rejoin the band, with some bass played by Kevin’s partner Nina Barnes. The album marked a shift to something more electronic with traditional structures, to be further advanced in later albums and new songs. In their most recent releases and concerts, the band has fully embraced a sort of techno-pop glam image, with little of their previous incarnations surfacing. This style is featured in singles such as Disconnect the Dots. The style would continue to evolve into 2005’s The Sunlandic Twins, which was even more a Barnes solo effort. Recorded in Athens, with the exception of one track recorded in Norway, it was a much more pronounced electronic album. The album became a success, mostly due to the singles “So Begins Our Alabee” and the MTV clip for “Wraith Pinned to the Mist (and Other Games)”.
The band released several collections of singles in early 2006. Barnes recorded most of the band’s 2007 release, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, by himself while living in Norway and Athens, Georgia. The switch to autobiographical themes of suicide, depression and isolation of the album was a direct product of his troubled personal life during that period.
of Montreal released Skeletal Lamping on October 21, 2008 followed by False Priest on September 14, 2010, Paralytic Stalks on February 7, 2012, and Lousy with Sylvianbriar on October 8, 2013. Aureate Gloom is scheduled for release by Polyvinyl Records on March 3, 2015.
Lyrically, their style has changed dramatically throughout the years. In the beginning, many songs were narratives of personal or humorous situations, such as “Tim, I Wish You Were Born A Girl”, from Cherry Peel. This style, however, changed with The Gay Parade, where many songs involve small narratives surrounding invented characters (in songs such as “Jacques Lamure”, “The Autobiographical Grandpa”, “Mimi Merlot” and “Rose Robert”). Others act as extracts from fictional conversations (“Advice From a Divorced Gentleman to His Bachelor Friend Considering Marriage” and “Good Morning Mr. Edminton” as examples). With Aldhils Arboretum came a slight return to the previous writing style, except following more poppy, classical lyrical structures (such as the use of choruses, which are generally absent in the Gay Parade/Coquelicot years). This style continued throughout Satanic Panic and The Sunlandic Twins to some extent. On the album Hissing Fauna: Are You The Destroyer? the lyrics are much more personal than previously used, with songs detailing emotions within the speaker.
Another unique quality of the band is the fusion of ostensibly gloomy lyrics with bouncy, upbeat melodies and hooks. On Aldhils Arboretum, for example, the lyrics for tracks like “Doing Nothing” and “Old People in the Cemetery” focus on apathy, loneliness or death while being contrasted with cheerful instrumentation. Another example of this tendency is shown in their choice of covers; for example, Yoko Ono’s “I Felt Like Smashing my Head Through a Clear Glass Window” from The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower.
True to the style of most Elephant 6 recording artists, of Montreal’s members have been in a variety of side projects and other bands:
The band itself has performed as the backing band for Marshmallow Coast on record and on tour.
My First Keyboard was the pseudonym used by Dottie Alexander to release the song “The You I Created” on the Kindercore singles club. of Montreal acted as her backing band.
Gallery Piece
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna make you cry
And sweep you off your feet
I wanna hurt your pride
I wanna slap your face
I wanna paint your nails
I wanna braid your hair
I wanna kiss your friends
I wanna make you laugh
I wanna dress the same
I wanna defend you
I wanna squeeze your thighs
I wanna kiss your eyelids
And corrupt your dreams
I wanna crash your car
I wanna scratch your cheeks
I wanna make you sick
I wanna sell you out
Want to expose your flaws
I wanna steal your things
I wanna show you off
I wanna tell you lies
I wanna write you books
I wanna turn you on
I wanna make you cum
Two-hundred times a day
I wanna dry tears
Every time your sad
I wanna be your what's happening
I wanna be your only friend
I only go all the way
This time I'm not pretending
I can't take the trash
Your trashy friends are spreading about us
They've got like fifty personalities
Oh girl, that's so messed up
You see that sculpture on the hill?
That's where she cleared me out
Forever
They're monitoring my sub-conscious massacres I know
Bringing it closer to the surface so it's easily pervertable
I want to be a beast
I want to make you proud
And play with your head
I want to take you out
Make you feel adored
And buy you everything
I want to hurt you bad
Make you paranoid
And say the sweetest things
I want to help you grow
And for eternity
I want to be your what's happening
What's happening?
The lyrics of the song Gallery Piece by of Montreal talk about the singer's intense desire to be in a toxic and controlling relationship. The song seems to be an ironic take on love songs that often portray love as a pure and positive emotion. The singer wants to do things that are not commonly associated with love such as hurting the other person's pride, slapping their face, and making them sick. The singer also wants to control every aspect of the other person's life, from painting their nails to kissing their friends. The lyrics also suggest that the singer wants to isolate the other person from their friends and family and expose their flaws.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be your love
I want to be your romantic partner
I wanna make you cry
I want to elicit emotional responses from you, even if they are tears
And sweep you off your feet
I want to make you feel so loved and admired that you lose your sense of balance
I wanna hurt your pride
I want to challenge your ego and self-esteem by embarrassing you or rejecting you
I wanna slap your face
I want to physically assault you and cause you pain
I wanna paint your nails
I want to perform a traditionally feminine act on you, possibly as a way of asserting my dominance
I wanna make you scream
I want to cause you physical or emotional pain that is so intense, you cannot help but cry out
I wanna braid your hair
I want to perform a traditionally feminine act on you, possibly as a way of showing affection
I wanna kiss your friends
I want to engage in romantic or sexual behavior with your friends, even though it may cause jealousy or resentment
I wanna make you laugh
I want to evoke joy and amusement from you
I wanna dress the same
I want to mimic your style of dress, possibly as a way of indicating that we are a couple
I wanna defend you
I want to protect you from harm or criticism, even if it means taking risks or confronting others
I wanna squeeze your thighs
I want to engage in physical intimacy with you, possibly in a way that is controlling or possessive
I wanna kiss your eyelids
I want to engage in physical intimacy with you in a way that is tender and affectionate
And corrupt your dreams
I want to have a negative influence on your subconscious mind, making your dreams dark or twisted
I wanna crash your car
I want to cause you financial or emotional trouble by damaging or destroying your vehicle
I wanna scratch your cheeks
I want to cause you physical pain or scars in a way that is visible
I wanna make you sick
I want to cause you physical or emotional distress that is so intense, it manifests as sickness or nausea
I wanna sell you out
I want to betray your trust by sharing your secrets or personal information with others
Want to expose your flaws
I want to criticize or mock your weaknesses or shortcomings, possibly as a way of feeling superior
I wanna steal your things
I want to take your possessions without your consent, possibly as a way of exerting control or ownership
I wanna show you off
I want to display you to others as a way of flaunting our relationship or your attractiveness
I wanna tell you lies
I want to deceive you or manipulate you with false information or promises
I wanna write you books
I want to express my affection or admiration for you in a grand, literary way
I wanna turn you on
I want to make you sexually aroused and interested in me
I wanna make you cum
I want to induce orgasm in you during sexual activity
Two-hundred times a day
I want to engage in sexual activity with you frequently and excessively
I wanna dry tears
I want to console and comfort you when you are sad or upset
Every time you're sad
I want to be there for you whenever you experience negative emotions
I wanna be your what's happening
I want to be the most important and exciting thing in your life, influencing your thoughts, feelings, and actions
I wanna be your only friend
I want to isolate you from other social relationships and make myself your sole companion and confidant
I only go all the way
I am committed to fully exploring my desires and fantasies with you, without holding back
This time I'm not pretending
I am serious about pursuing a relationship with you and demonstrating the full extent of my feelings
I can't take the trash
I cannot tolerate the negative opinions or gossip that others have about our relationship
Your trashy friends are spreading about us
Your friends are spreading unflattering or untrue rumors about our relationship
They've got like fifty personalities
Your friends seem to have multiple and contradictory attitudes and behaviors
Oh girl, that's so messed up
I find your friends' actions and attitudes disturbing and unsettling
You see that sculpture on the hill?
I am pointing out a visual or artistic object in the environment as a way of changing or intensifying the subject of our conversation
That's where she cleared me out
That sculpture has personal or emotional significance for me, perhaps related to a past romantic relationship
Forever
The emotional impact of that past event still haunts me or affects me in some way
They're monitoring my sub-conscious massacres I know
I feel paranoid or anxious that my private thoughts or feelings are being analyzed or judged by others
Bringing it closer to the surface so it's easily pervertable
This monitoring or analysis may expose my dark or taboo desires or thoughts, allowing others to judge me or exploit me
I want to be a beast
I want to embrace my animalistic, instinctual side, possibly in a way that is violent or aggressive
I want to make you proud
I want to demonstrate my accomplishments or achievements to win your admiration or approval
And play with your head
I want to manipulate your thoughts or emotions in a way that benefits me, even if it is deceptive or harmful
I want to take you out
I want to treat you to a social or romantic experience, possibly as a way of demonstrating my affluence or generosity
Make you feel adored
I want to express my love or admiration for you in a way that is intense and sincere
And buy you everything
I want to shower you with material possessions or luxury items, possibly as a way of demonstrating my wealth or power
I want to hurt you bad
I want to cause you serious physical or emotional pain, possibly as a way of exerting control or revenge
Make you paranoid
I want to induce anxiety or suspicion in you, possibly as a way of isolating you from others
And say the sweetest things
I want to express romantic or loving sentiments towards you in a way that is sincere or persuasive
I want to help you grow
I want to support and encourage your personal or professional development, possibly as a way of demonstrating my loyalty or love
And for eternity
I want to maintain this relationship and this level of devotion forever, or at least for a very long time
I wanna be your what's happening
I want to assert my importance and centrality in your life, possibly in a way that is possessive or obsessive
What's happening?
I want to know what is going on in your life and your mind, as a way of maintaining control or emotional intimacy
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nyaneon
You know what I find sad about this song? This reminds me of my first romantic relationship, he was 14 and I was 11-12. He groomed me like this, just not as extreme, after we broke up I was obsessed with him , no one had ever made me feel that kind of love, and I was in a really bad place while dating him
Glad I’m not anywhere near him anymore
@vintag3_l0ver
damn, me too dude he was 15 tho
@copywolf985
I'm so sorry that happent to you :( to me, someone groomed me When I was 8 and maked me do nsfw, he was 15 or 14,he did that to me when I was 8 until I was 10
@yourleftairpod8143
This is the most sadistic shit I've ever heard-
I love it
@cau907
It's me :D
@L0rl1
is it still the most sadistic shit youve ever heard?
@yep3595
I've been listening to it for almost a year, it doesn't get out of my head, the best song!
@boipussy444
Yes, the only song that can describe having feelings for someone so overwhelming that you become obsessed and 'hungry' for their love & attention ((shush, I know the true meaning behind the song))
@hdjxoep3634
I'm crying because I just finished a role-playing game today, and with a sad ending. And this is perfect for someone who first loved their boy with all their heart, and then killed their partner, and then shed tears on his corpse.
@acanthousbunnybunny7858
That's one hell of a rp