In 2002 I walked into where? The WHEREHOUSE and saw "Oh, Inverted World" by The Shins on the shelf. Without listening to it, I made the purchase. Popped it into my car CD player. Really liked the first song ("Caring Is Creepy"), scanned the next few songs. Then I heard the intro to "New Slang". I sat in the car and played that song 3 times in a row. Life stood still.
Kind off subject... Mate of mine was such a big fan of mgmt that when they played in Dublin he got so drunk he had to go back to the flat about 2 songs into the concert to sleep it off on the couch. The rest of the lads stayed watched the concert and waited for the band outside their tour bus at the end. When the band came out the lads shouted where's the after party? The lead singer said there was no after party.. So The lads said come with us and they took the guys from the band to a karaoke bar. After the karaoke they all went back to the flat where the die hard mgmt fan was passed out on the couch... Long story short... The guy who was a massive mgmt fan woke up the next morning to see the lead singer of his favourite band sitting on the couch beside him playing Fifa😂😂
That's how you know the song is so great. It's just a few chords but it's so catchy and the strumming makes it more than it would be considering the few chords. Great stuff.
One of the greatest songs ever written. I was fortunate to see The Shins at the Hollywood Palladium a few years ago. It was magical. The entire audience was nothing short of nice, kind hearted people. I felt at home for once.
YES!! I was lucky enough to see them a few times down here in the South Pacific (New Zealand) many years ago. Can also confirm that the crowd was cool here... It's almost as though indie pop/rock fans aren't total dicks...
You know what sucks, If these guys were more "marketable" they would be huge.. I love that James is 42 as his music reflects his maturity. So creative, So original and plays with joy for the love of music. Much respect.
I'd love it if this were more popular.. But I think music is really at a weird time.. A lot of blatantly stolen simplistic melodies with a dance beat. (not slagging off the artists, though) I think there's just a real demand from producers and executives to have the artists album sell so you see a lot of repetitive material and a lot of repetitive new artists that sell more because of their behavior.
Haha, I don't think you actually know how many people listen to The Shins. They're super marketable, especially to high school and college students. Even my dad, who's a trucker has heard this song, and likes it. They're a pretty big band. Their albums definitely sell. A lot.
Marc w yeah thats definitely surprising to hear. They've been like everywhere here for a long time. And I mean ALLLLLLLLLL over the place. From every college dorm and ipod/car commercial to the radio.
BananaSquid that was exactly the same since the dawn of time. yeah we had the beatles in the 60sd but a lot of the chart stuff we had was dross. Most people don't really like music, they just want something repetitive to go with shopping, sex etc.
+Marcus Avelar Dude, you again! Hahaha... we had an argument on one of The Strokes videos -- The Modern Age, I believe. About Jules Casablancas not being the _same_ anymore... well, at least you have excellent taste in music! BTW, It's a crying shame that Mercer decided to part ways with his old band mates. I haven't bothered to check him out with his new band members yet after all these years...
... My life would be a much different one if it weren't for the lyrics of James Mercer and The Shins. About 14-15 years ago I first heard their music and I can't begin to express how grateful I am. Without complaining, dealt with some hard things back then and this song[/album] was the one that muted the world, gave me perspective, and pulled me through it. The only musician that if I were to see in person I'd start crying and hug.
"Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth. Only, i don't know how they got out, dear. Turn me back into the pet i was when we met. I was happier then with no mind-set. And if you'd 'a took to me like A gull takes to the wind. Well, i'd 'a jumped from my tree And i'd a danced like the king of the eyesores And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well. New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries. Hope it's right when you die, old and bony. Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall, never should've called. But my head's to the wall and I'm lonely. And if you'd 'a took to me like A gull takes to the wind. Well, I'd 'a jumped from my tree And I'd a danced like the king of the eyesores And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well. God speed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs, And bleed into their buns 'till they melt away. I'm looking in on the good life i might be doomed never to find. Without a trust or flaming fields am i too dumb to refine? And if you'd 'a took to me like Well i'd a danced like the queen of the eyesores And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well." Beautiful lyrics.
Mercer said that "'New Slang' is about that Saturn Returns part of my life." What does he mean? same interview, Mercer explained "It's about that time of my life, about getting out of Albuquerque and leaving everything behind I was in this place that I felt depressed about.felt like I couldn't relate to the people I had been hanging out with. I had become a hermit making a record and recording and lost interest in the bingeing and partying I would indulge in things but it wouldn't be much fun.
youtube should really install 2 comment sections, one for people to talk about what is actually happening in the video and for people to actually make positive comments, and another for people who feel the need to argue and dispute the most ridiculous and redundant things they can think of with each other over youtube
Maybe, but than again i've been listening to this song religiously since I saw garden state on vhs in grade 5, that was 8 years ago and I'm still diggin it :)
I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts about what "the stripes" refer to in the line "New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries." Military stripes? (I think James Mercer grew up in a military family.)
When you are a kid, you drop fries on the ground, you pick the fries up off the ground and eat them anyway. But when you get older, you notice the dirt and the stripes-as in prison stripes that we all wear, enslaved in whatever life we are leading. (Sort of like in William Wordsworth’s “Immortality Ode”: “Shades of the prison-house begin to close / Upon the growing Boy…”) Also he’s literally starting to see this town as a prison, hence ‘stripes’.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It's a young adults fictional book. Personally, I think it's really well written. You should try it whenever you can. :)
This song was released in 2001 on the album "Oh, Inverted World." I highly doubt it's about TFiOS, unless Mr. Mercer predicted the future of literature.
I imagine he is rolling his eyes singing it. This song built an incredible experience for me however. I was a painter. Oil paint doesn’t freeze. I built 28 paintings in a barn in 2002 in South Dakota. Some cat found me and hung out with me while I painted. The day before I finished my show that was headed to Portland Oregon, my cat died, but he stood on my shoulder with a headphone in his ear and watched the sunrise with this song in his ear. We each had a headphone in our ear. I buried that cat the next day. We saw our last sunrise to this song. Fuck them if a song came through them and they don’t appreciate it. Me and little grey kitten we had this song. So fuck You band
![The Shins - New Slang [OFFICIAL VIDEO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zYwCmcB0XMw/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Shins - New Slang [OFFICIAL VIDEO]](/img/tr.png)
This song is so good that I hardly noticed the banner behind him reads "ass"
🤣 wouldn't have even noticed
LMFAOOOOOOO
🤣
thank you. the funniest post i've read all year. you win.
Der Kamera-Mann hat es so gewählt ... shit happens.. ? Or is a .. ?
Not many artists perform their songs live, pitch perfectly like this.
Beach House for example
In 2002 I walked into where? The WHEREHOUSE and saw "Oh, Inverted World" by The Shins on the shelf. Without listening to it, I made the purchase. Popped it into my car CD player. Really liked the first song ("Caring Is Creepy"), scanned the next few songs. Then I heard the intro to "New Slang". I sat in the car and played that song 3 times in a row. Life stood still.
I remember that place lol
Sounds like you were "in it" right then
I love this story. ❤
"This song will change your life"
It did
I haven't been the same since. Nearly 12 years later, I still listen to The Shins and James Mercer on a daily basis.
he is quoting the movie Garden State, folks.
Yes I do.
In my opinion, it is one of the greatest fillms in our time. "garden state"
Kind off subject... Mate of mine was such a big fan of mgmt that when they played in Dublin he got so drunk he had to go back to the flat about 2 songs into the concert to sleep it off on the couch. The rest of the lads stayed watched the concert and waited for the band outside their tour bus at the end. When the band came out the lads shouted where's the after party? The lead singer said there was no after party.. So The lads said come with us and they took the guys from the band to a karaoke bar. After the karaoke they all went back to the flat where the die hard mgmt fan was passed out on the couch... Long story short... The guy who was a massive mgmt fan woke up the next morning to see the lead singer of his favourite band sitting on the couch beside him playing Fifa😂😂
fun story for sure..really ironic
for simple chords the progression is brilliant and surprisingly hard to get down
That's how you know the song is so great. It's just a few chords but it's so catchy and the strumming makes it more than it would be considering the few chords. Great stuff.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. It sounds so simple yet it's deceptively difficult.
Agree. I struggled with it for ages. Love this song though!
The toughest part for me is the chords during the two lead guitar solos (3:10). Simple chords (G, C, F) but lots of quick changes between them!
Sam Hulick thanks for that!
One of the greatest songs ever written. I was fortunate to see The Shins at the Hollywood Palladium a few years ago. It was magical. The entire audience was nothing short of nice, kind hearted people. I felt at home for once.
That sounds nice, would have loved to have been there :)
YES!!
I was lucky enough to see them a few times down here in the South Pacific (New Zealand) many years ago.
Can also confirm that the crowd was cool here...
It's almost as though indie pop/rock fans aren't total dicks...
A nice crowd is a novel idea. Glad you were able to experience it.
Hello friend 👋
You know what sucks, If these guys were more "marketable" they would be huge.. I love that James is 42 as his music reflects his maturity. So creative, So original and plays with joy for the love of music. Much respect.
I'd love it if this were more popular.. But I think music is really at a weird time.. A lot of blatantly stolen simplistic melodies with a dance beat. (not slagging off the artists, though) I think there's just a real demand from producers and executives to have the artists album sell so you see a lot of repetitive material and a lot of repetitive new artists that sell more because of their behavior.
Haha, I don't think you actually know how many people listen to The Shins. They're super marketable, especially to high school and college students. Even my dad, who's a trucker has heard this song, and likes it. They're a pretty big band. Their albums definitely sell. A lot.
They certainly are no U2, Here in austalia they are basically unknown.
Marc w
yeah thats definitely surprising to hear. They've been like everywhere here for a long time. And I mean ALLLLLLLLLL over the place. From every college dorm and ipod/car commercial to the radio.
BananaSquid that was exactly the same since the dawn of time. yeah we had the beatles in the 60sd but a lot of the chart stuff we had was dross. Most people don't really like music, they just want something repetitive to go with shopping, sex etc.
Listening to this beautiful music has touched me in a special place as I sit here and have a dump
wild same.....right now
Be a shitter, not a quitter
How romantic.
The only problem with this video is that it doesn't have more like 10 million views.
Henry Todd He's totally "in it" isn't he.
James Mercer is an amazing singer and a wonderful song-writer too. This is unquestionably the best 2000's song.
+Marcus Avelar Dude, you again! Hahaha... we had an argument on one of The Strokes videos -- The Modern Age, I believe. About Jules Casablancas not being the _same_ anymore... well, at least you have excellent taste in music!
BTW, It's a crying shame that Mercer decided to part ways with his old band mates. I haven't bothered to check him out with his new band members yet after all these years...
+Churrumais check out broken bells
You both have great taste..😛I love the strokes! They had to evolve! I still think they were super. I enjoyed comedown machine
... My life would be a much different one if it weren't for the lyrics of James Mercer and The Shins. About 14-15 years ago I first heard their music and I can't begin to express how grateful I am. Without complaining, dealt with some hard things back then and this song[/album] was the one that muted the world, gave me perspective, and pulled me through it. The only musician that if I were to see in person I'd start crying and hug.
I agree, if I'm lucky this will be playing at my funeral
One of the best songs ever written!
"Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth.
Only, i don't know how they got out, dear.
Turn me back into the pet i was when we met.
I was happier then with no mind-set.
And if you'd 'a took to me like
A gull takes to the wind.
Well, i'd 'a jumped from my tree
And i'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well.
New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries.
Hope it's right when you die, old and bony.
Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall,
never should've called.
But my head's to the wall and I'm lonely.
And if you'd 'a took to me like
A gull takes to the wind.
Well, I'd 'a jumped from my tree
And I'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well.
God speed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs,
And bleed into their buns 'till they melt away.
I'm looking in on the good life i might be doomed never to find.
Without a trust or flaming fields am i too dumb to refine?
And if you'd 'a took to me like
Well i'd a danced like the queen of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well."
Beautiful lyrics.
Thanks!
Top 10 best song EVER written in my book. I always cry like a baby listening to this masterpiece. Thank you this
Alright! He seems so humble! What a man, with an amazing voice!
damn , his voice at live is gorgeous , love this song more after this live
James is a very special talent... a rare gem... an orchid among the weeds.
Mercer said that "'New Slang' is about that Saturn Returns part of my life." What does he mean? same interview, Mercer explained "It's about that time of my life, about getting out of Albuquerque and leaving everything behind I was in this place that I felt depressed about.felt like I couldn't relate to the people I had been hanging out with. I had become a hermit making a record and recording and lost interest in the bingeing and partying I would indulge in things but it wouldn't be much fun.
Hello friend 👋
This man has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard.
I count for 100,000 views alone..
This is the Catcher In The Rye of songs
ps, love you James
That's it! That's what it is isn't it!
Why is this so accurate
Who else is mentally inserting the bass line?
me
Do do do doo
bigbowlowrong I am mentally inserting the bass line and tambourine...
Why not...its just as rad.😊
This song is such a wonderful example of doing so much with so little; the phrasing, the arrangement, and the performance. Fantastic, classic tune.
This is ‘whish you were here’ level.
Cool! Kevin Spacey sings!
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HOLY SHIT
This comment hasn’t aged well
Daniel Tester it really hasnt
@@kevinmccunemusic I wish it'd die already.
Listening to The Shins and Modest Mouse take me back to 2000 when I was a teenager. I miss those days.
It's so good. The poetry is just so damn good. Mercer has a gift
Awesome perfomance!
beautiful
It's nice to see an artist perform as well as their studio versions.
Somehow this live performance added an entire other identity to the song for me.
A musical genius at his finest hour.
great song even better solo. .very nice
Contrary to what the wall behind him says, I think he is quite good.
Simply, amazing!
I absolutely adore this song. ♥ So much love for The Shins.
some songs and lyrics are worthy of thanks...so THANK YOU shins
Checking in
james mercer is the best artist ever!!! This song is so amazing! great work, james.
Hermosa canción, gracias por la interpretación espléndida que ayuda a quienes disfrutamos el pasatiempo de tocar la guitarra.
Just.....amazing.
One of my all time favorite singers!
A tremendous performance- thank you for sharing the video
A fan in Cupertino, CA
this is amazingly beautiful. what a song!
So humble and talented
such a beautiful song
Such a beautiful song. I don't know how I managed to sleep on it for this long.
Quite a performance. Great music, great lyrics, and the voice to match.
you have awesome taste in music dude
What a song...totally did change my life
So much love. Hare Krishna
AWWWWWWWWWW I miss KFOG and their private concerts.
Impressive artist. Beautiful melody.
This is amazing.
youtube should really install 2 comment sections, one for people to talk about what is actually happening in the video and for people to actually make positive comments, and another for people who feel the need to argue and dispute the most ridiculous and redundant things they can think of with each other over youtube
Heard the live version first and fell in love! Now I can't listen to the normal version. Love love love this song! And yes sander I do know!
could listen to this all day, so good
it's a good thing you dont even control ur heartbeat.
your parents raised you well
this is the most beautiful song ever written
i cannot understand\hear the words
Spiritual successor to Jeff Magnum.
Incredible voice
This is fucking amazing, i almost tear up everytime i listen to this
This was beautiful
What a music my friends.
I discovered New Slangs from the classic show Scrubs. And now, because of that, I love The Shins with all my heart.
Fantastic performance!
I'm going to like this song for a long time.
I absolutly love this song
One of the raddest songs...truly.
I was in the supermarket the other day and they began to play this song, and I was like...."what is that sound that makes me so happy?"
Maybe, but than again i've been listening to this song religiously since I saw garden state on vhs in grade 5, that was 8 years ago and I'm still diggin it :)
Love this song.
27 years in Cicero, IL. in a nutshell.
I love this song so much you dont even know....
Wow he sounds good live
Love this song! 😄
This is so good !
this song will always tame me to that place
anywhere I can buy this version?
I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts about what "the stripes" refer to in the line "New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries." Military stripes? (I think James Mercer grew up in a military family.)
When you are a kid, you drop fries on the ground, you pick the fries up off the ground and eat them anyway. But when you get older, you notice the dirt and the stripes-as in prison stripes that we all wear, enslaved in whatever life we are leading. (Sort of like in William Wordsworth’s “Immortality Ode”: “Shades of the prison-house begin to close / Upon the growing Boy…”)
Also he’s literally starting to see this town as a prison, hence ‘stripes’.
Means whatever you want as always but to me it was just about noticing imperfections
Love this!
I love this tune and funky timing
do you know him? he's just a singer. did he save the world when I was sleeping?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It's a young adults fictional book. Personally, I think it's really well written. You should try it whenever you can. :)
I kinda think he has 4 of the 5 most beautiful voices I have ever heard
since i have had this song stuck in my head i feel more intelligent, what a fucking great tune!!
Amazing.
Then what's the first (beating this)
One of my favorite bands along with fleet foxes and granddady neutral milk hotel the list could go on and on, not to mention built to spill.
C'est parfait !
This song was released in 2001 on the album "Oh, Inverted World." I highly doubt it's about TFiOS, unless Mr. Mercer predicted the future of literature.
Just a great song.
"I'm looking in on the good life I might be doomed never to find"
:)
Hopefully you have my friend. And if not you will. God is with you don't worry.
super good. tell me when this was recorded
I know I'm going to sound stupid here, but can someone tell me what this song is about exactly? Anything specific?
Genius!!!!
OMG James you're so cute when ur nervous! :)
What a boss.
I imagine he is rolling his eyes singing it. This song built an incredible experience for me however. I was a painter. Oil paint doesn’t freeze. I built 28 paintings in a barn in 2002 in South Dakota. Some cat found me and hung out with me while I painted. The day before I finished my show that was headed to Portland Oregon, my cat died, but he stood on my shoulder with a headphone in his ear and watched the sunrise with this song in his ear. We each had a headphone in our ear. I buried that cat the next day. We saw our last sunrise to this song. Fuck them if a song came through them and they don’t appreciate it. Me and little grey kitten we had this song. So fuck You band
yes