Do You Realize??
By: The Flaming Lips

Original Performance: The Flaming Lips
Written by: The Flaming Lips

Live Versions:
  1. Do You Realize??
 
Lyrics:
Do You Realize?? [Live version (a)]:

[From October 31, 2002 version]

Do you realize you have the most beautiful face??
Do you realize we're floating in space??
Do you realize that happiness makes you cry??
Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die??
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes
Make them realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning around
 
The Song:

"Do You Realize??" is one of the standout tracks from The Flaming Lips' 2002 album, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

When asked why Beck asked the Lips to be his band for a little while, his response was "I've been a fan of theirs for going on 13, 14, years now. They have a sensibility I can relate to, a sincerity in their songwriting, as well as an appreciation for spectacle and the absurd. What I also like is that they're pushing it harder than a lot of the younger bands."

 
Live:

Played live 76 times:
Earliest known live version: October 30, 2002
Latest known live version: October 30, 2006

2002 Sea Change - Flaming Lips tour

From October to December 2002, Beck toured with The Flaming Lips. They were both his opening act, and his backing band. Beck played "Do You Realize??" at the last two shows of the first leg of his tour with the Flaming Lips, and then more regularly during the second leg. However, he did not play the song with them, but in his solo acoustic set. As Beck regularly explained, since the Lips had spent all this time learning his songs, the least he could do was learn one of theirs. That's how he came to do "Do You Realize??"

2003 Sea Change - other tours

Then throughout the rest of 2003, Beck toured both alone and with a couple of other bands. He continued to perform "Do You Realize??" in his acoustic sets throughout the whole year. I'm not aware of any versions done with the band behind him; I think it was always solo acoustic.

2005-2006 Guero/Info tours

Beck took 2004 off pretty much, but in touring behind Guero and Info for 2005-2006, he still continued to play "Do You Realize??" during a fair number of acoustic sets.

After that tour ended, however, Beck stopped doing the song, and has not returned to it.
 
Notes: