Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne shares his life-affirming songs

·41 min·4 clips

Wayne Coyne reveals what the Flaming Lips' anthem 'Do You Realize' means after singing it thousands of times.

Host Zan Rowe welcomes Wayne Coyne to kick off a new season of Take Five, where guests share five songs they love. Coyne, frontman of the Flaming Lips, first talks about their iconic song 'Do You Realize', explaining how it has taken on a life of its own in fans' lives and how Willie Nelson's cover added new wisdom. He then selects the Beatles' 'Strawberry Fields Forever', linking it to a childhood friend's death from leukemia and how music helped process private grief. Next, he chooses Billie Eilish's 'Birds of a Feather', praising her DIY, punk rock approach to pop music. Coyne picks Nancy Sinatra's 'You Only Live Twice', connecting it to James Bond films and his stage persona. He discusses Julee Cruise's 'Falling' from Twin Peaks, reflecting on David Lynch's authenticity and emotional impact. Finally, he selects Aphex Twin's 'Flim', emphasizing music's intangible, essential nature. Throughout, Coyne shares insights on performance preparation, audience energy, and creating music with love.

As heard by us

Wayne Coyne links a beloved song's comfort to the risk and conviction behind Flaming Lips spectacle.

Wayne Coyne's Take Five frames "Do You Realize" as a song with a public life and a private anchor. It has lifted and comforted listeners, but it still returns to the person who has sung it thousands of times. Coyne does not treat that as a burden.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when a beloved Flaming Lips song and a seven-minute giant-birth entrance sound like the same kind of joy.

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