Blog

Portugal The Man
“Feel It Still”

This song is very interesting. In fact, I believe there are several different things going on in this song. The first part of the song is referring to the lead singer’s little daughter and how through the course of the album she has grown.

Can’t keep my hands to myself
Think I’ll dust ’em off, put ’em back up on the shelf
In case my little baby girl is in need
Am I coming out of left field?

Asked by Billboard magazine about the line “I’m a rebel just for kicks now,” John Gourley explained it was inspired by Bernie Sanders:

“I think the lyric reflects the way a lot of us feel. It came out of this George Carlin quote, which was something we had talked about quite a bit within our circle of friends. George Carlin would talk about politics and religion but in the same breath he’d also mention he doesn’t trust politicians, vote or religion.
It comes down to the way our political parties work where it’s basically football teams. If you’re not on Team Trump, you’re on Team Hillary and it’s such a ridiculous way to look at politics and to look at the way we’re voting. I’ll talk s–t all day long but at the end of the day I don’t want to vote for anybody. I don’t feel strongly for either one of those people. So many of my friends were for Bernie all the way and said, ‘If he doesn’t get it, I’m not voting.’ It’s a ridiculous process. The fact at all that Bernie had to run as a Democrat is kind of what the song is about.”
The hook “Oh woo, I’m a rebel just for kicks, now….” came from “Oh yes, wait a minute Mister Postman” the classic Motown hit by the Marvelettes in the early 1960s.
As for the reference to 1966 and 1986 here is what the band’s frontman had to say…
“It was generally inspired by a couple specific changes that mean a lot to us. 1966 – Civil rights movements, war protest and LSD testing. 1986 – first finding out about New York hip-hop. (The Beastie Boys )License To Ill;s single. ‘Fight for Your Right to Party.’ was essentially a rebel just for kicks.”