This is a paper for media report on the Polyphonic Spree, but more specificallly TIm Delaughter. The paper is focused on the history on the Spree and their possible effects on youth, so keep the setting in mind. Enjoy the weirdness...
Reaching for Something More: A Review of The Polyphonic Spree
For many today, music is something that allows one to leave where we are, to realize hope and individual potential, to forget about everything that has been piling up in life and world, and to give one inspiration to fight on in planet full of despair. Tim Delaughter, lead singer and founder of the Polyphonic Spree, is an individual who can relate to these attributes of music. For the last ten years, Delaughter has had a dream of creating a sound like none other. A sound that now has culminated in the form of a 24-member band that produces an uncannily happy and bright tone in their songs. One would think that getting 24 people together on a small stage or recording studio would mean emotional disaster and breakdown for both the audience and members, however as one observer from Graphic Magazine puts it, “(The Polyphonic Spree) has been giving rock’s equivalent of a Pentecostal sermon.” Explosions of color, a cacophony of music and sound, and highly energetic members most definitely make the Polyphonic Spree the best show on the market today.
In Tim Delaughter’s eyes, the past few years of his band’s success has been a dream unexpectedly come true. After ten years in the music industry, the exuberant front man started to put his dream into action after the death of a close friend and fellow musician. The death put Delaughter on a hiatus from music and a time of searching for understanding. When he felt like getting back into making music, the idea of a harmonious and unique pop sound was where he started. “I'm the one that's concentrating on creating the sound that I'm wanting to hear. It's a pretty self-indulgent idea. But after getting going, and playing with these people as human beings interacting, it started to become a lot more emotional and dramatic than what I was thinking about”, says Delaughter in an interview with Gail Fountain of Earslash Music Sight. Emotion and drama are shown both in Delaughter’s inspirational lyrics and in the talent and communication seen in the band that is able to put an amazing arrangement together in just a period of hours. (Swiderski)
When you view the Polyphonic Spree, you see something different behind the music and the people, you see someone’s hope and joy in life being portrayed through the medium. For Delaughter, this observation could not be more accurate. Most of the lyrical content in the songs of the Polyphonic Spree revolve around the celestial sun. This is more evident in the first album, The Beginning Stages of…, but it continues into their new and second album, Together We’re Heavy. Lyrics such as “Follow the day and reach for the Sun”, “It’s the Sun and it makes me Smile”, or “If you don’t see me flying to the red one more you’re nuts” are some of the more well known snippets from popular songs. When asked about his lyrical fascination with the sun, Delaughter acknowledged: “I seem to flourish as a human when the sun's out…I think I get kind of a buzz from it and whenever I even think about it, I like it 'cause it makes me feel good.” (Fountain) When Delaughter sings “on my way” in some of his pieces, he is referring of going back to the place in the daylight where he feels so energized and full by the sunlight and day, the environment in which he writes his songs.
The sun is not the only thing that drives Delaughter’s creativity and inspiration. The front man also has a hopeful and positive outlook on the human drama and life. He believes that although many horrible and dark things exist in this world, behind the shadows is just as equal an opportunity for wonderful and beautiful things to happen. Tim uses an allegory of a small patch of grass growing up through the asphalt as an example of how he views religion and life. The grass is fighting against all of the factors around it and is in the worst environment to grow; yet it still finds a way to prosper. This example can be related to who we are and the spirit inside of us. There are so many things pressing down on us, but as Delaughter sees things there is hope within one’s self when it is embraced, hope for something beautiful and new. (Fountain) Delaugther comments on the grass allegory in saying, “I relate to that. You can work through anything; I mean anything, when I see stuff like that. I'm going, "That's what that's for. That's a reminder to let me know that any kind of an obstacle is not that big of a deal”. This philosophy embraces the fact that if one only lets it flower out of him and grow towards a new and happy life, wonderful things can be done. It seems to him that we just need to love and stand up against the evils in order to find the life that will truly make sense and allow us to prosper as humans, to let the goodness and joy flow from within who we are. The Polyphonic Spree themselves are a testament to Tim’s beliefs due to their formation and success despite many critics and abnormalities in the industry.
Theology and religion in Delaughter’s life have been influenced by outside factors at a very young age. When only a child, his mom encouraged him tenaciously to go up to the front during an altar call at a Baptist revival. After reaching the front, Tim was immediately shuffled to a back room with other children. All of them were told to let God’s spirit flow and to speak in tongues. Terrified, Tim started to make things up, while an older man translated for him. Once this encounter was over, so was Tim’s belief in Christianity and religion. He saw the whole system as fake and it tore him apart watching people give money week after week a cause that he thought people just made up. (BBC) The newly shaped views on religion put Delaughter on a path to finding his own happiness and hope in viewing nature, growth, and weather. Although he does not worship these items as a religion, he enjoys them because they symbolize a progression of beauty, life, and growth that according to Delaughter can be found in one’s self. Delaughter was once heard to say in regards to his band, “It’s a celebration, we just don’t know what the hell we’re celebrating!” This shows the emphasis that Delaughter has on the indefinable yet unmistakable and strong ability within us to reach new heights and overcome strife and malevolence in the world.
When looking at the Polyphonic Spree through the eyes of an uninformed observer, one sees 24 people in robes, dancing on stage, an assortment of color, music, and lyrics that revolve around the sun. This has led many to believe that in fact the Polyphonic Spree comprise a cult, however according to Delaughter’s statement this is proved false, but only in a way. Robes worn for detracting of street clothes on stage, and happy music are not things that one necessarily needs to worry about when looking possible impacts that the Polyphonic Spree may have on youth. However, the motivations behind the lyrics and the beliefs of front man Tim Delaughter can prove to be somewhat dangerous depending on the situation and the individual.
One critique of Christian culture today could be made against how they view music. Music is something beautiful, multifaceted, expressive, and enjoyable. The Polyphonic Spree supports these claims amazingly well, having a large amount of very talented musicians and most likely the best live show that is out there today. When describing the Spree, one fan stated, “It just blows you away right from the beginning. They set the mood, and then color, light, dancing, it’s just so different and great.” With such a great show and such professional and unique sounding songs, one has to wonder if the spree would be negative for teenagers to listen to. However, one has to take into account the lyrics, and the possibility that it could affect certain people.
Although Tim Delaughter’s philosophy and mindset can be questioned when looking at it from a Christian school of thought, or from many other school’s of thought for that reason, it does not change that the fact that the Polyphonic Spree have incredibly good music. However, there is no doubting that Tim Delaughter’s views can be somewhat dangerous despite the focus on joy and hope in the human spirit. To look inside oneself and others around them to together overcome in this world just by their values and efforts is one of the themes in the Spree’s music that can have an ill effect. “It’s (Humanism of Delaughter) just sad, to see him think that we can overcome with “the human spirit”, because we can’t,” one fan stated after watching a performance in Dallas. Tim Delaughter would not believe in the “can’t” and firmly believes that for every bad, there is potential for just as much good and growth. Despite what Tim Delaughter thinks, most of the people in the group that witnessed the Dallas show laughed at what he said. The show was on 9/11, and he used the tragedy in New York four years ago to back up his point that we need to overcome with the human spirit. It is these almost comical appearances that provide reason for the Polyphonic Spree being somewhat harmless. Most people who attend the show feel really excited and happy, and it is very hard not to. The atmosphere is so special, and very invigorating on top of that. However, even though people have fun, none of them are off to join up in a religion or to start thinking that the human spirit is just what they need in their lives. Although it cannot be said for everyone, most people do not take life-changing truths with him or her from a guy on stage in a robe with 23 other musicians, one being a drunken harpist.
As for the lyrical content, there are some explicit depictions of Tim Delaughter’s philosophy in life. For instance, in his favorite song, When a Fool Becomes a King, there are remarks such as: “Love your strife with youth” and
“Step right up and sound off again…the way to the new world has once begun. We tried to find ourselves within the light which made demands that much longer. We move much closer than they have before to strike our ways and go forth.
The time is now, we move once again. We reach for dreams we've never known. Stranger to the sun you’ve seen the light.”
The first quote backs Delaughter’s theory of victory over strife, saying we should love what we come across in life in order to see and move more closely to the fullness of the human spirit. The second highlights a movement to a new religion, to come away from the shadows, and to embrace new dreams and life within us. All in all, Delaughter’s lyrics are very hopeful and inspiring. He does not specify an exact methodology or set of beliefs, just that goodness and strength to overcome we find in ourselves. Philosophies like this can be very attractive to some because of the individuality and creativity along with a sense of accomplishment and hope despite what situations arise in life. It is indeed possible for some teens, under certain circumstances, to jump on this philosophy and thus follow a set of fairly humanistic beliefs.
Another area of attraction of the Polyphonic Spree lyrics is a sense of love and happiness. A general theme, highlighted by the title of the second album Together We’re Heavy, shows a community and togetherness around the values put forth by Delaughter’s lyrics. Love is highlighted as a key focus in many of the songs, and often is a side effect of finding one’s new religion. This new religion is referred to a couple times in the songs and refers to a switch in one’s mindset to find the real way things are done. Lyrics such as: “Don’t ever think you’re the only one when times are tough in your new age” or “Still a man, it seems the time has gone away but all at once you knew your mission well…The thought became the mission of your life” are just some examples that underline the human spirit theory that drives Delaughter, and the exaltation of its acceptance.
Glorifying a life changing experience that involves the flowing and outpouring of the human spirit and love can be attractive to teens today. Even though it may not be the best or most logical theory on the market, there is such passion and hope in the message of the Polyphonic Spree that their influence could reach greater heights than anticipated. This is not to say that an adolescent is going to learn to play the clarinet and join the tour, but it at least could produce some tough mindsets and concerns. The human spirit inside of us is much more easily grasped than God on many levels for a youth, and the Spree can affect teens’ thinking depending on the individual. However, to have questions about faith and Christianity and the human spirit is not entirely a bad thing. The more they struggle, doubt, and wish to confront God, the more the truth will stand when under guidance. Therefore, if we are ready and willing to interact with our youths when they have questions (as we should be), the Polyphonic Spree do not pose much of a threat to teenagers; that is if they have support. However, it is doubtful that without research one would read much into the Spree’s lyrics more than thinking, “The sun thing is a little weird, and their really, really happy, but the music is great.” Often times in today’s culture it boils down to whether or not the music has something special or unique to it rather than what the lead singer thinks about the sun. In the end, one cannot avoid the fact that there are 24 amazing musicians in the Polyphonic Spree who know how to make music into something breathtaking and new in today’s pop scene. When just listening to the Polyphonic Spree, their lyrics seem to be happy and a bit weird yet contains nothing that will shatter one’s faith in God. In fact much of the lyrics are a bit veiled or hard to decipher, even after a research into the life of Tim Delaughter. It seems that many of the effects of the Polyphonic Spree will in the end be positive. They expose us to a new breed of music, display teamwork, and it also gives us a chance to explain to our youths truths about God and life if the interest in the Spree goes beyond just the music. However, with the cynicism and pain in today’s society, it will be hard for teens to turn totally into a Spree mindset, because in the end even good music and a hopeful attitude will not remove hurts deep within. Thus, it would be permitted for teens to listen to the Spree when at a certain maturity level based on the individual and his or her past.
Wow, you actually read through? There must be some serious homework you're avoiding.
Reaching for Something More: A Review of The Polyphonic Spree
For many today, music is something that allows one to leave where we are, to realize hope and individual potential, to forget about everything that has been piling up in life and world, and to give one inspiration to fight on in planet full of despair. Tim Delaughter, lead singer and founder of the Polyphonic Spree, is an individual who can relate to these attributes of music. For the last ten years, Delaughter has had a dream of creating a sound like none other. A sound that now has culminated in the form of a 24-member band that produces an uncannily happy and bright tone in their songs. One would think that getting 24 people together on a small stage or recording studio would mean emotional disaster and breakdown for both the audience and members, however as one observer from Graphic Magazine puts it, “(The Polyphonic Spree) has been giving rock’s equivalent of a Pentecostal sermon.” Explosions of color, a cacophony of music and sound, and highly energetic members most definitely make the Polyphonic Spree the best show on the market today.
In Tim Delaughter’s eyes, the past few years of his band’s success has been a dream unexpectedly come true. After ten years in the music industry, the exuberant front man started to put his dream into action after the death of a close friend and fellow musician. The death put Delaughter on a hiatus from music and a time of searching for understanding. When he felt like getting back into making music, the idea of a harmonious and unique pop sound was where he started. “I'm the one that's concentrating on creating the sound that I'm wanting to hear. It's a pretty self-indulgent idea. But after getting going, and playing with these people as human beings interacting, it started to become a lot more emotional and dramatic than what I was thinking about”, says Delaughter in an interview with Gail Fountain of Earslash Music Sight. Emotion and drama are shown both in Delaughter’s inspirational lyrics and in the talent and communication seen in the band that is able to put an amazing arrangement together in just a period of hours. (Swiderski)
When you view the Polyphonic Spree, you see something different behind the music and the people, you see someone’s hope and joy in life being portrayed through the medium. For Delaughter, this observation could not be more accurate. Most of the lyrical content in the songs of the Polyphonic Spree revolve around the celestial sun. This is more evident in the first album, The Beginning Stages of…, but it continues into their new and second album, Together We’re Heavy. Lyrics such as “Follow the day and reach for the Sun”, “It’s the Sun and it makes me Smile”, or “If you don’t see me flying to the red one more you’re nuts” are some of the more well known snippets from popular songs. When asked about his lyrical fascination with the sun, Delaughter acknowledged: “I seem to flourish as a human when the sun's out…I think I get kind of a buzz from it and whenever I even think about it, I like it 'cause it makes me feel good.” (Fountain) When Delaughter sings “on my way” in some of his pieces, he is referring of going back to the place in the daylight where he feels so energized and full by the sunlight and day, the environment in which he writes his songs.
The sun is not the only thing that drives Delaughter’s creativity and inspiration. The front man also has a hopeful and positive outlook on the human drama and life. He believes that although many horrible and dark things exist in this world, behind the shadows is just as equal an opportunity for wonderful and beautiful things to happen. Tim uses an allegory of a small patch of grass growing up through the asphalt as an example of how he views religion and life. The grass is fighting against all of the factors around it and is in the worst environment to grow; yet it still finds a way to prosper. This example can be related to who we are and the spirit inside of us. There are so many things pressing down on us, but as Delaughter sees things there is hope within one’s self when it is embraced, hope for something beautiful and new. (Fountain) Delaugther comments on the grass allegory in saying, “I relate to that. You can work through anything; I mean anything, when I see stuff like that. I'm going, "That's what that's for. That's a reminder to let me know that any kind of an obstacle is not that big of a deal”. This philosophy embraces the fact that if one only lets it flower out of him and grow towards a new and happy life, wonderful things can be done. It seems to him that we just need to love and stand up against the evils in order to find the life that will truly make sense and allow us to prosper as humans, to let the goodness and joy flow from within who we are. The Polyphonic Spree themselves are a testament to Tim’s beliefs due to their formation and success despite many critics and abnormalities in the industry.
Theology and religion in Delaughter’s life have been influenced by outside factors at a very young age. When only a child, his mom encouraged him tenaciously to go up to the front during an altar call at a Baptist revival. After reaching the front, Tim was immediately shuffled to a back room with other children. All of them were told to let God’s spirit flow and to speak in tongues. Terrified, Tim started to make things up, while an older man translated for him. Once this encounter was over, so was Tim’s belief in Christianity and religion. He saw the whole system as fake and it tore him apart watching people give money week after week a cause that he thought people just made up. (BBC) The newly shaped views on religion put Delaughter on a path to finding his own happiness and hope in viewing nature, growth, and weather. Although he does not worship these items as a religion, he enjoys them because they symbolize a progression of beauty, life, and growth that according to Delaughter can be found in one’s self. Delaughter was once heard to say in regards to his band, “It’s a celebration, we just don’t know what the hell we’re celebrating!” This shows the emphasis that Delaughter has on the indefinable yet unmistakable and strong ability within us to reach new heights and overcome strife and malevolence in the world.
When looking at the Polyphonic Spree through the eyes of an uninformed observer, one sees 24 people in robes, dancing on stage, an assortment of color, music, and lyrics that revolve around the sun. This has led many to believe that in fact the Polyphonic Spree comprise a cult, however according to Delaughter’s statement this is proved false, but only in a way. Robes worn for detracting of street clothes on stage, and happy music are not things that one necessarily needs to worry about when looking possible impacts that the Polyphonic Spree may have on youth. However, the motivations behind the lyrics and the beliefs of front man Tim Delaughter can prove to be somewhat dangerous depending on the situation and the individual.
One critique of Christian culture today could be made against how they view music. Music is something beautiful, multifaceted, expressive, and enjoyable. The Polyphonic Spree supports these claims amazingly well, having a large amount of very talented musicians and most likely the best live show that is out there today. When describing the Spree, one fan stated, “It just blows you away right from the beginning. They set the mood, and then color, light, dancing, it’s just so different and great.” With such a great show and such professional and unique sounding songs, one has to wonder if the spree would be negative for teenagers to listen to. However, one has to take into account the lyrics, and the possibility that it could affect certain people.
Although Tim Delaughter’s philosophy and mindset can be questioned when looking at it from a Christian school of thought, or from many other school’s of thought for that reason, it does not change that the fact that the Polyphonic Spree have incredibly good music. However, there is no doubting that Tim Delaughter’s views can be somewhat dangerous despite the focus on joy and hope in the human spirit. To look inside oneself and others around them to together overcome in this world just by their values and efforts is one of the themes in the Spree’s music that can have an ill effect. “It’s (Humanism of Delaughter) just sad, to see him think that we can overcome with “the human spirit”, because we can’t,” one fan stated after watching a performance in Dallas. Tim Delaughter would not believe in the “can’t” and firmly believes that for every bad, there is potential for just as much good and growth. Despite what Tim Delaughter thinks, most of the people in the group that witnessed the Dallas show laughed at what he said. The show was on 9/11, and he used the tragedy in New York four years ago to back up his point that we need to overcome with the human spirit. It is these almost comical appearances that provide reason for the Polyphonic Spree being somewhat harmless. Most people who attend the show feel really excited and happy, and it is very hard not to. The atmosphere is so special, and very invigorating on top of that. However, even though people have fun, none of them are off to join up in a religion or to start thinking that the human spirit is just what they need in their lives. Although it cannot be said for everyone, most people do not take life-changing truths with him or her from a guy on stage in a robe with 23 other musicians, one being a drunken harpist.
As for the lyrical content, there are some explicit depictions of Tim Delaughter’s philosophy in life. For instance, in his favorite song, When a Fool Becomes a King, there are remarks such as: “Love your strife with youth” and
“Step right up and sound off again…the way to the new world has once begun. We tried to find ourselves within the light which made demands that much longer. We move much closer than they have before to strike our ways and go forth.
The time is now, we move once again. We reach for dreams we've never known. Stranger to the sun you’ve seen the light.”
The first quote backs Delaughter’s theory of victory over strife, saying we should love what we come across in life in order to see and move more closely to the fullness of the human spirit. The second highlights a movement to a new religion, to come away from the shadows, and to embrace new dreams and life within us. All in all, Delaughter’s lyrics are very hopeful and inspiring. He does not specify an exact methodology or set of beliefs, just that goodness and strength to overcome we find in ourselves. Philosophies like this can be very attractive to some because of the individuality and creativity along with a sense of accomplishment and hope despite what situations arise in life. It is indeed possible for some teens, under certain circumstances, to jump on this philosophy and thus follow a set of fairly humanistic beliefs.
Another area of attraction of the Polyphonic Spree lyrics is a sense of love and happiness. A general theme, highlighted by the title of the second album Together We’re Heavy, shows a community and togetherness around the values put forth by Delaughter’s lyrics. Love is highlighted as a key focus in many of the songs, and often is a side effect of finding one’s new religion. This new religion is referred to a couple times in the songs and refers to a switch in one’s mindset to find the real way things are done. Lyrics such as: “Don’t ever think you’re the only one when times are tough in your new age” or “Still a man, it seems the time has gone away but all at once you knew your mission well…The thought became the mission of your life” are just some examples that underline the human spirit theory that drives Delaughter, and the exaltation of its acceptance.
Glorifying a life changing experience that involves the flowing and outpouring of the human spirit and love can be attractive to teens today. Even though it may not be the best or most logical theory on the market, there is such passion and hope in the message of the Polyphonic Spree that their influence could reach greater heights than anticipated. This is not to say that an adolescent is going to learn to play the clarinet and join the tour, but it at least could produce some tough mindsets and concerns. The human spirit inside of us is much more easily grasped than God on many levels for a youth, and the Spree can affect teens’ thinking depending on the individual. However, to have questions about faith and Christianity and the human spirit is not entirely a bad thing. The more they struggle, doubt, and wish to confront God, the more the truth will stand when under guidance. Therefore, if we are ready and willing to interact with our youths when they have questions (as we should be), the Polyphonic Spree do not pose much of a threat to teenagers; that is if they have support. However, it is doubtful that without research one would read much into the Spree’s lyrics more than thinking, “The sun thing is a little weird, and their really, really happy, but the music is great.” Often times in today’s culture it boils down to whether or not the music has something special or unique to it rather than what the lead singer thinks about the sun. In the end, one cannot avoid the fact that there are 24 amazing musicians in the Polyphonic Spree who know how to make music into something breathtaking and new in today’s pop scene. When just listening to the Polyphonic Spree, their lyrics seem to be happy and a bit weird yet contains nothing that will shatter one’s faith in God. In fact much of the lyrics are a bit veiled or hard to decipher, even after a research into the life of Tim Delaughter. It seems that many of the effects of the Polyphonic Spree will in the end be positive. They expose us to a new breed of music, display teamwork, and it also gives us a chance to explain to our youths truths about God and life if the interest in the Spree goes beyond just the music. However, with the cynicism and pain in today’s society, it will be hard for teens to turn totally into a Spree mindset, because in the end even good music and a hopeful attitude will not remove hurts deep within. Thus, it would be permitted for teens to listen to the Spree when at a certain maturity level based on the individual and his or her past.
Wow, you actually read through? There must be some serious homework you're avoiding.
So, I take on the optimism and happiness of the 'Spree. What happens when pain and cynicism come my way and I have nothing to back up my joy in life except a tenuous confidence in the conquering power of the human spirit? Dosing up on the Polyphonic Worldview and Reality will not cancel each other out, but sets you up for a higher fall when you come off the Spree.
yeah, that's why it's good not to base your life theories set forth by a weird guy in a robe....but I'm sure you knew that...I hope
Wow, you actually read through? There must be some serious homework you're avoiding.
Nice read, and yeah, that homework stuff...
p.s. This paper reads like a military threat assessment, is all of youth ministry really like that? ;)
Haha, yeah it really does. But you never know when they'll just up and take over the world!
I was avoiding journals ;-)
It was a fun read though, haha.
i haven't read this yet, but i will. its just so long! you are too wordy and need to write with less words. i still think that there is something funny about the spree.
Yeah, it had to be at least 5 pages, they like you to be wordy I guess, and you're right, there is something funny about them...but I already had their punch, so I think I'm hosed. ;-)
Well I finally actually read the whole post. It was interesting. But I still think that it is all a cult. jk
They are a really talented band. It is fun to go to their concerts. (As long as the other bands are not stupid)