Apocalypse Dreams

Album: Lonerism (2012)
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Songfacts®:

  • The first song to be released from Lonerism, the second album by Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala, finds vocalist Kevin Parker singing of change and isolation. The lyrics were allegedly inspired by the 2011 Lars von Trier film, Melancholia, but when questioned on it in an interview in 2012, Parker suggested that he had penned the song previous to the film's release. Upon seeing the film, he said he was shocked upon the similarities on themes between the song and the film. >>>
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    Alex - Southport, United Kingdom
  • Parker penned the song with Tame Impala keyboardist Jay Watson, marking the first time Parker has co-written with another person for the band.
  • The critics loved Lonerism. Triple J, NME, Rolling Stone, Filter and Urban Outfitters all named it their album of the year for 2012.
  • Lonerism won Album of the Year and Best Rock Album at the 2013 ARIA Awards. Tame Impala also took home the prize for Australian Album of the Year at the 2012 J Awards.
  • Parker originally titled the album Loner Pop until after it had been mastered and sent off for production. He recalled on Instagram "sitting in the courtyard outside my apartment in Paris" and realizing he hadn't got the title quite right. Suddenly the world "lonerism" popped into his head and he knew that was the one.

    Parker called Glen Goetze, his A&R rep at Modular Recordings, and "begged him to stop the press and have it changed. The CDs must have already gone into production because all the first pressings say Loner Pop when you put them in a CD player."

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