modest mouse lampshades on fire new song

NEWS: Modest Mouse Releases “Lampshades On Fire,” New Single and Announces New Album ‘Strangers To Ourselves’

by Mitch Foster • December 15, 2014

Our strange, lovable friends in Modest Mouse teased us last week with a single image of a vinyl record on their Instagram account, reading “Side A, ‘Lampshades On Fire,’ 45 rpm.” Over the next week, Modest Mouse mailed out those vinyl test pressings to lucky fans with a printed letter reading:

MODEST MO– USE

We want you to have this limited test pressing of our new single “Lampshades On Fire.”

This song will be available for purchase tomorrow, Tuesday December 16.

“Lampshades On Fire” is the first single from our new album, Strangers To Ourselves, which will be released on Tuesday, March 3, 2015.

– Modest Mouse

What an awesome thing to show up on my doorstep! @modestmouseband you rock my world pic.twitter.com/mnh3k0vET7

— Emily Morris (@StellaEllieArt) December 15, 2014

The song has been a part of Modest Mouse’s live performance for a few years now, according to this 2011 audio recording of their Sasquatch Music Festival performance. When Shows I Go To caught them in Orlando (Read Modest Mouse Live Review Here), they did not perform that song, unfortunately. Checkout the live version of “Lampshades On Fire” by Modest Mouse below. There are certainly notable differences between the live version and the studio version (also below).

The studio single was officially released Monday, December 15, 2014 through The Current. Listen to the studio version below and read the lyrics to “Lampshades On Fire” by Modest Mouse.

Ba-bup bup bup ba-da-da

Da-dup dup dup da-da-da

We’re all going

We’re all going

Well, the lampshade’s on fire

When the lights went out

The room lit up and we ran about

This is what I really call a party now

Pack up our cars, move to the next town

Well, the lampshade’s on fire

When the lights go out

This is what I really call a party now

Well, fear makes us really, really run around

But this one’s done so where to now?

Our eyes are open and our shirt off

You all know what I’m talking about

Chained up my eyebrows while I fall on the ground

So I won’t look surprised right now

Pack up again, and to the next place

Where we made the same mistakes

Put it up, and then chop it down

But this one’s done so where to now?

Ba-bup bup bup ba-da-da

Da-dup dup dup da-da-da

We’re all going

We’re all going

We have scars in our bones

We’ll eat your food, we’ll throw the stone

This is how it’s always gone

And this is how it’s going to go

Well, we’re the human race

We’re going to party at this place and then move on

Keep it wild then make it hurt

Yeah we have scars, yeah we have bones

This is how it’s always gone

And this is how it’s going to go

As our feelings are getting hurt

Well, we want you to do the work

Our ass looks great inside jeans

Well, we want a dressed-up party queen

This is how it’s always gone

And this is how it’s going to be

So let’s move on

Lamps on fire right looking up

Looking towards the heavens

Towards the heavens above

Waiting for the magic when the sound is played

We’ll push, push, push, push, push it to the floor

Spend some time to float in outer space

Find another party, make the same mistakes

Our mind’s so shattered when we plan to go

Waiting for the sound as we find another globe

Until we’re moving on

Better find another one because this one’s gone

Waiting for the magic when the sound is blown

We’ll push, push, push, push, push a little forward

Ba-bup bup bup ba-da-da

Da-dup dup dup da-da-da

We’re all going

We’re all going up

Ba-bup bup bup ba-da-da

Da-dup dup dup da-da-da

We’re all going

We’re all going up