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Broken Bells — Your Head Is On Fire
Album: Broken Bells
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1490









Released: 0
Length: 2:59
Plays (last 30 days): 3
(Look behind
Your head is on fire
Whirling masses
Rolling ashes
Keep on yawning
Career dawning
Life is tasteless
Forty paces

Run and hide
Your head's on fire
Whirling masses
Rolling ashes
Dream of morning
Queen of dawning
Life is tasteless
Forty paces)

To turn away from the night
Allowing the light alone
Is surely fooling yourself
Leaving half on the shelf

You'll never know
How low an angry heart can go
How long a sitting hand's return meant

(Look behind
Your head is on fire
Whirling masses
Rolling ashes
Dream of morning
Career dawning
Life in stasis
Forty paces)

Does anybody else here feel that fear
That none of all these good things had to be
Or is it just me
Comments (83)add comment
 ednazarko wrote:

These guys should send the Moody Blues a thank you note.

And Beach Boys for vocals.

 ashjonesie wrote:

One of the most amazing songs I have ever heard. Amazing.




It is very catchy...
First time I heard this, I got dyslexic. I thought the artist was Broken Balls!  LOL!   
When this comes on, I feel a need to pressurize the cabin, and then, things make A LOT more sense, for This is highly TRIPPY atmosphere here, Captain...
Beach Boys much?
Nice segue even if I thought it was the Beach Boys. 
Can recognize Mercer's voice instantly.  Love the Shins, like this pretty well too.
Pet Sounds all the way!
 rate 7 
 ednazarko wrote:
These guys should send the Moody Blues a thank you note.
 
Right after the one they write to David Bowie for "Always Crashing in the Same Car."
These guys should send the Moody Blues a thank you note.
When this thing catches you at Standard Orbit or above, it can really take you by surprise; like the best that The Shins can do, & more!
My take is Mercer and DangerMouse should have gotten album of the year. 
Seems likes great production, musicality, structure etc takes a backseat to forgettable pop rubbish.
I can listen to this album over and over and always love hearing it . . .  
Brilliant album! {#Mrgreen}
I liked it then, I don't it now
 rdo wrote:

You have left 2 enigmatic posts for this song.  The ending is straight from the CD, no edits.  What was the b-day comment about?  That sounded rude, without any apparent justification.

 
He rated the song a 7... I don't think it was meant as a negative comment... just well... probably enjoying too much of that recently legalized substance to be behind the keys. Just a thought... {#Foot-in-mouth}
 CWKeeney wrote:
This is great. I immediately thought of Pet Sounds or Smiley Smile.
 
Was thinking these guys had listened a lot to Brian Wilson.
An abrupt ending, which would've been appreciated somewhat earlier.
broken cerebrum is what you get when your head is on fire.....{#Beat}
Digging this...Moody Blues-ish. +9
I hear a bit of Bach here, St. Matthews Passion/Mass in B Minor (maybe, who knows?).  It's that ethereal chorus that's just wonderful.
 lemmoth wrote:
love this album -

This song starts like an outtake from Smile or Pet Sounds

I'm thinking Mr. Mercer was listening to some of Mr. Wilson.
"Feel Flows" off of 1971's Surfs Up for example.

Following Bill Withers' "Use Me" - that's odd.   {#Stupid}
like it.. More like tommy James and the shondels
 CWKeeney wrote:
This is great. I immediately thought of Pet Sounds or Smiley Smile.
 
TOTALLY agree. Also - to cite a more recent example, Animal Collective.
 cohifi wrote:

this is exactly the kind of thing that gets my goat....{#Roflol}..RP is quite good at this Radio Thing
 
You have left 2 enigmatic posts for this song.  The ending is straight from the CD, no edits.  What was the b-day comment about?  That sounded rude, without any apparent justification.
 cohifi wrote:

This is why you post your birthday WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR RP!   nice
 
um, because i said i love broken bells? i don't get it.
 lily34 wrote:
love broken bells.
 
This is why you post your birthday WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR RP!   nice
love broken bells.
This is great. I immediately thought of Pet Sounds or Smiley Smile.
Not being "judge-mental" at all, i'd say this is a great listen!
Judging from the opening, I'd say that Danger Mouse was listening to a lot of 'Pet Sounds' around the time they made this record.
 TerryS wrote:
Abrupt ending. A really brupt ending.
 
this is exactly the kind of thing that gets my goat....{#Roflol}..RP is quite good at this Radio Thing


Abrupt ending. A really brupt ending.
Brilliant album, perfection {#Mrgreen}
If you like this song, I would highly recommend buying this CD. It flows extremely well and is filled with tuneful, well-crafted songs.
Sounds to me like some lateish Beatles (White Album-) in absolute amazing recording quality.

Like this CD. Just got a copy from a friend.
Very tasteful wah in this - nice.
Weird.
My favorite cd of last year.Love, love, love it!
Ah, now I see, they're called Broken Bells.

 ashjonesie wrote:
One of the most amazing songs I have ever heard. Amazing.
 

Broken Bells and Andrew Bird,  a maa maiii in heean.......{#Ass}
yaaa, i wooo luu thaaa s0000nnn ebbbbbbbennnnnnbettuuuhhhhh iifffff annnne  iiiii  whhaaaaaa heeeeee woooeee sllaaayayinnnnn boouuut,,..
(Kitchen Towel in Mouth School of Voice Technique, see:  Andrew Bird)

slloooonnngggg fooooossss....haabbbbbb phooonnnee in liiif

annneeeee effinnnnnn  foochiiinnnnnn 5 for lyrics beyond comprehension.

and if you understood them, hhahahahaha, you peeked at the CD cover.


 DeemerDave wrote:
Which is worse?

Your Head is on Fire or your sex is on fire.{#Stupid}
 
Which is worse?

Broken Bells or Howling Bells?

 DeemerDave wrote:
Which is worse?

Your Head is on Fire or your sex is on fire.{#Stupid}
 
If I had to choose, I'd 'sex is on fire' is worse in the literal sense.  Also, 'sex is on fire' is worse in the musical sense.  Or at least overplayed more.  Or overplayed sooner.  I don't know.  I like this song, and this album.

Is there nothing the great Danger Mouse cannot do?{#Clap}
Which is worse?

Your Head is on Fire or your sex is on fire.{#Stupid}
One of the most amazing songs I have ever heard. Amazing.
love this album -

This song starts like an outtake from Smile or Pet Sounds

This has to be the most original song of the year.  What a dreamy chorus.





 
flatpicker wrote:
I have been listening to this album a lot lately.
Really good stuff!

 
Really GREAT stuff!


I have been listening to this album a lot lately.
Really good stuff!

 scruffystevie wrote:
{#Tongue} Going to see them tomorrow night!  Can't wait - bring on the bells!
 

What the Bell...when are they coming to the Bloody US of A?  ;)
broken bell
This is trippy... RadioParadise has stolen my mind, and somehow, work tomorrow seems like a rather laughable concept. I might just call in fat and stay home with my computer.
sweet
I almost had an out-of-body experience listening to this song while gazing down from an airplane window at towering summer cumulus passing by like cotton mountains rising from a sea of indigo shadows. 

No chemical refreshment, either!
{#Tongue} Going to see them tomorrow night!  Can't wait - bring on the bells!
{#Daisy}
{#Clap}
I don't think it's boring but I'll give you that it's hard to explain why it's appealing. It just is.
Sorry. This is just dead boring. What's the appeal?
 mandolin wrote:


{#Fire} Don't you hate it when that happens!

 



This is a great song and the album as well, must buy.
being a huge DM fan, i wanted to like this more than i did.  will have to give it a few more listens.
I like this {#Music}
Yea, I dig it! That Danger Mouse is everywhere lately, is there anybody he didn't do a collabaration with or produce in the last few years?{#Lol}
 miahfost wrote:
So this _isn't_ the lead singer of the Shins singing?
 

No. It is the Shins dude. James Mercer. This is a collaboration between him & Danger Mouse.
So this _isn't_ the lead singer of the Shins singing?
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
Flaming Lips, anyone?
 
Dangerous Flaming Mouse Shins

catchy... that's the new name for my band!


this whole album is amazing
still bitter that i didn't get to see these guys at SXSW this year.
crossing my fingers hoping they will be a late addition to the bonnaroo lineup

Nice.  Not quite the same level of attraction to this cut as with "The High Road" but still nice. 

Flaming Lips, anyone?
 adroc wrote:
This is really the first instance of a Broken Bells track played on RP!? The album is solid overall, but not spectacular, IMO.
 
I hear what you're saying, but it's really interesting and ear-catching stuff.

Ahh, I was just about to say how these guys sound eerily similar to the Shins!
great choice Bill !  This album does pack a few excellent tracks!
Glad to finally hear Broken Bells on RP. I hope The High Road gets added in rotation soon. 
This is really the first instance of a Broken Bells track played on RP!? The album is solid overall, but not spectacular, IMO.
I'm digging this album... good to hear it on RP!