Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed in Ruston, Louisiana by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the late 1980s. The band is noted for its experimental sound, abstract lyrics and eclectic instrumentation.
The first release under the Neutral Milk Hotel moniker was the 1994 EP Everything Is, a short collection of tracks featuring Mangum. On the band's full-length debut album On Avery Island, which followed shortly thereafter, Mangum was joined by childhood friend and Apples in Stereo frontman Robert Schneider, who contributed production and instrumentation. Upon the album's release, the full band was formed and extensive touring began.
Neutral Milk Hotel released In the Aeroplane Over the Sea in 1998, which became their best-known and most critically acclaimed album. Although the album did not meet commercial success at the time of release, it has gone on to sell over 300,000 copies and received critical acclaim from several publications, including Pitchfork Media, Magnet Magazine, AllMusic, and The Pazz & Jop poll. Despite growing popularity, the group disbanded in 1999 after Mangum became disenchanted with touring and the music press, later having a nervous breakdown.
No one's perfect
No one's certain what life's all about
It's a door we can't figure out all alone
So we trust in who we can
Never understand why
Never good or bad
Just in-between,
Like any other man
[Chorus:]
So I teach him,
Teach him not to lie,
Make him laugh until he cries,
Hold him, stand by his side
Hoping he'll change his way of life.
Having seen the light for many nights,
Still I keep the vision of candle lights
Wanna be alone, wanna be with you
I'm so confused
So the next time we meet,
We'll do it again
Whatever your heart's fixing,
Never good or bad
Just in-between,
Like any other man
[Chorus:]
So I teach him,
Teach him not to lie,
Make him laugh until he cries,
Hold him, stand by his side
Hoping he'll change his way of life.
No one's perfect
No one's certain what life's all about
Sometimes it's the man to be figured out
Never good or bad
So I understand
[Chorus:]
So I teach him,
Teach him not to lie,
Make him laugh until he cries,
Hold him, stand by his side