Phoenix: 1901

Another late day with my post and hopefully I can get back on schedule by the weekend. It is TV Thursdays and our feature song is “1901” by Phoenix. From their LP “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,” this song about Paris in 1901 and is one of those tunes that is not named for the primary hook lyric. In this example, “Falling” may have made sense for the title of the song.

Live on the David Letterman Show June 18, 2009

I was impressed that Phoenix could imitate the studio recording in a live setting; it is nearly mirror perfect. Unfortunately, the Shure SM58 microphone takes a beating at the end of the song.

Phoenix is a six piece alternative rock band from Versailles, France – which is nowhere near North Versailles, Pennsylvania – my hometown.

I selected “1901” for TV Thursdays as it has been used for nearly a year in a number of Cadillac commercials and it really makes a great music bed for ads. When you listen to the snippet in the commercial compared to the actual song, you really see what you are missing.

Caddy Ad

Their fourth LP, “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” has been nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for the best Alternative Music Album. We’ll just have to wait and see how they fare. While “1901” had a lackluster performance on Billboard’s Hot 100, it charted at #8 and #4 respectively on Billboard’s Rock and Alternative charts. It’s a great tune with a lot of energy, that I would have missed had it not been utilized by GM for their Cadillac commercials.

The Original Studio Mix

Acoustic Live Version

Lyrics

Counting all different ideas drifting away
Past and present -- they don't matter.
Now the future's sorted out
Watch, you're moving in elliptical pattern
Think it's not what you say
What you say is way too complicated
For a minute thought I couldn't tell how to fall out.

It's 20 seconds 'til the last call, going "hey hey hey hey hey hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "hey hey hey hey hey hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Falling, falling, falling, falling

Girlfriend, know your girlfriend's drifting away
Past and present, 1855-1901
Watch them build up a material tower
Think it's not gonna stay anyway
Think it's overrated
For a minute, thought I couldn't tell how to fall out

It's 20 seconds to the last call, going "hey hey hey hey hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy, like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "hey hey hey hey hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no, I wouldn't let you think so
Falling, falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling, falling