Homosapien was a great song at the time. It’s got a nice techno sound to it, and Shelley’s plainly bisexual lyrics gave it a bit of a feeling of a coming out song. Plus it sounds great in a club.
From Wikipedia:
In 1981, Shelley released his first solo single, the song “Homosapien”, which had originally been written for the next Buzzcocks LP. On this recording he returned to his original interests in electronic music and shifted emphasis from guitar to synthesizer. The song was banned by the BBC for “explicit reference to gay sex”, which didn’t stop it from becoming enormously popular in dance clubs in Europe and North America. At this time, Pete Shelley also talked about his bisexuality,[2] which had been implicit in many of the Buzzcocks songs he had written but now came to attention due to “Homosapien” and the BBC ban.
And of course the lyrics:
I’m the shy boy
You’re the coy boy
And you know we’re
Homosapien too
I’m the cruiser
You’re the loser
Me and you sir
Homosapien too
Homosuperior
In my interior
But from the skin out
I’m Homosapien too
And you’re Homosapien too
And I’m Homosapien like you
And we’re Homosapien too
And I think of your eyes in the dark and I see the star
And I look to the light and I might wonder right where you are
All the gods in the sky way up high see the world spinning ’round
But the sun and the moon and the stars are so far from the ground
I’m the shy boy
You’re the coy boy
And you know we’re
Homosapien too
I’m the cruiser
You’re the loser
Me and you sir
Homosapien too
Homosuperior
In my interior
But from the skin out
I’m Homosapien too
And you’re Homosapien too
And I’m Homosapien like you
And we’re Homosapien too
And the worlds built of age are a stage where we act out our lives
And the words in the script seem to fit ‘cept we have some surprise
I just want this to last or my future is past and all gone
And if this is the case then I’ll lose in life’s race from now on
Homosuperior
In my interior
But from the skin out
I’m Homosapien too
And you’re Homosapien too
And I’m Homosapien like you
And we’re Homosapien too
And I just hope and pray that the day of our love is at hand
You and I, me and you, we will be one from two, understand?
And the world is so wrong that I hope that we’ll be strong enough
For we are on our own and the only thing known is our love
I don’t wanna classify you like an animal in the zoo
But it seems good to me to know that you’re Homosapien too
I’m the shy boy
You’re the coy boy
I don’t wanna classify you like an animal in the zoo
But it seems good to me to know that you’re Homosapien too
I don’t wanna classify you like an animal in the zoo
But it seems good to me to know that you’re Homosapien too
I don’t wanna classify you like an animal in the zoo
But it seems good to me to know that you’re Homosapien too
Doctor Worm is just a plain, fun song. The horns and the bongos really give it some extra punch, plus it’s got the trademark They Might Be Giants wit.
From Wikipedia:
“Doctor Worm” is a song by They Might Be Giants. The lyrics deal with a man learning to play the drums. He invents a stage name for himself (”Doctor Worm”) though he claims in the song’s lyrics that while he isn’t a real doctor, he is an actual worm, who says he has a friend who plays the bass known as “Rabbi Vole”. It first appeared on the primarily live album Severe Tire Damage, being one of only three studio-recorded songs on the album. It was also released as a single and featured in a music video directed by band member John Flansburgh.
John Flansburgh has mentioned that “Doctor Worm” is the band’s favorite song to perform.
The song has been covered by The Deli Dude’s Band on their album “Cats Hey!”
This song was also featured in an episode of KaBlam!.
There’s some speculation as to the meaning behind the song at SongMeanings. However, I think attempting to analyze the songs of They Might Be Giants is about as wise as messing around with a man named Jim. To me it’s a song about a worm that wants to play drums. Feel free to draw your own conclusions.
And of course, the lyrics:
My name is Dr. Worm
Good morning. How are you? I’m Dr. Worm
I’m interested in things
I’m not a real doctor
But I am a real worm
I am an actual worm
I live like a worm
I like to play the drums
I think I’m getting good
But I can handle criticism
I’ll show you what I know
And you can tell me if you think I’m getting better on the drums
I’ll leave the front un-locked ’cause I can’t
Hear the doorbell
When I get into it I can’t tell if you are
Watching me twirling the stick
When I give the signal, my friend
Rabbi Vole will pay the solo
Some day somebody else besides me will
Call me by my stage name, they will
Call me Dr Worm
Good Morning how are you, I’m Dr Worm
I’m interested in things
I’m not a real doctor
But I am a real worm
I am an actual worm
I live like a worm
I like to play the drums
I think I’m getting good
But I can handle criticism
I’ll show you what I know
And you can tell me if you think I’m getting better on the drums
I’m not a real doctor
But they call me Dr. Worm
This is one of the best story songs out there. While the song itself is pretty good, it’s the story that really puts it over the top. It’s an engaging story, told quite well, and very amusing in it’s way. The boogie-woogie piano in the background during the spoken part also helps the whole feeling.
Here’s a link to a tribute video
And of course, the lyrics:
You know I remember a few years ago, some funny things used to happen
to me, about 1956-57. At that time, there was no blues scene or, uh, not
really any kind of scene in, uh, London. I used to go out and play my guitar
in the streets and sing things with uh, bars and a hat down. I remember one
particular night, I was uh, playing the guitar in a little alleyway just off of
Walldor street in Soho and uh, I got busted by the police. This policeman
came up and dragged me and my guitar and my hat full of pennies off to
the police station. Anyway, the next day I had to appear in Marlboro street
police court and uh, it was quite a day. Police officer giving his evidence:
“I was proceeding in a Southerly direction, milord, when I heard uh, strange
sounds coming from the Walldor place, milord. A sort of boogie-woogie music
was being played. On further investigation, I saw the defendant standing there
with a guitar and an old hat on the floor collecting pennies. Well, I decided that
uh, he was contravening a breach of the peace, there as there was a traffic jam
about five miles long down on Walldor street, wondering what all the uh, fuss was
about, so then I arrested the uh, defendant”
“Uh, just one moment, officer. Wh-what is this boogie-woogie music here we’re
talking about?”
“Oh, well milord”, said the officer, getting out his notebook, obviously been up
doing his homework, “it’s a kind of jazz rhythm music peculiar to the American
negro”
“Oh. What was the defendant doing, uh, playing this kind of music there in
Walldor street?”
Anyway, I got off with a caution, a year’s conditional discharge, but I’ll always
remember that policeman and his boogie-woogie, so don’t try to lay no
boogie-woogie on the king of rock and roll.
Don’t you tell me n-n-n-no lies woman ’cause all you know I’ve told
Don’t sell me no alibi sister ’cause all you’ve got I’ve sold
You better leave that midnight sneakin’ to the one who worked it out
I don’t wanna hear no back talk speakin’ go on and shut yer mouth
And everything’s gonna work out tight if you act like you been told
So don’t try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.
Don’t you feed me no TV dinners when you know I’m used to steak
I don’t need no rank beginners when it’s time to shake that shake
You better pull your thing together, reach in and dust it out
And if ya feel that you just can’t dig it then I guess you know the route
It ain’t a matter of pork ‘n beans that’s gonna justify your soul
Just don’t try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.
Don’t try to lay no boogie-woogie on the king of rock and roll.
You weren’t alive when I started to drive, so don’t put none on me
You didn’t arrive ’til late ‘45 but your head’s in ‘53.
You got what it takes to keep the heads a-spinnin’ down by the old rim shack
And you come across just like a fool grinnin’ in the back of a red Cadillac.
You can’t come across the obstacle bridge until you pay the toll
So don’t try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.
Appetite is a simple song about a young man who gets a girl pregnant during a one night stand, and quite likely his callous dismissal of responsibility, putting it all down to “appetite”.
This song has a great melody, and it’s just cool to listen too. It’s a very well-crafted bit of pop.
And of course, the lyrics:
Please be careful is never careful
Till it hears the gun
She will always pay the bills
For the having big fun
He talks so well, what can you do,
It’s pretty plain he means it too
I don’t want to sell you lines,
I only mean to do you right
But I’m a simple slave of appetite,
I’m a poor slave of appetite
Hunger howls, hungers red,
Hungers stays till it’s fed
Then it some h-h-how fades,
Then it somehow leaves your sight
Depending on it’s appetite,
Depending on your appetite
So if you take - Then put back good
If you steal - be Robin Hood
If your eyes are wanting all you see
Then I think I’ll name you after me
I think I’ll call you appetite
Here she is with two small problems
And the best part of the blame
Wishes she could call him heartache
But it’s not a boy’s name
If you grow up to be, just like him, just like me
You’re fighting for exclusive rights,
For honeymoons each sleepless night
In which case I’ll call you appetite
Yes I think I’ll call you appetite
So if you take - Then put back good
If you steal - be Robin Hood
If your eyes are wanting all you see
Then I think I’ll name you after me
I think I’ll call you appetite
So if you take - Then put back good
If you steal - be Robin Hood
If your eyes are wanting all you see
Then I think I’ll name you after me
I think I’ll call you appetite
Then I think I’ll name you after me
I think I’ll call you appetite
I always enjoyed Bow Wow Wow’s music if for no other reason than that it sounded like nothing else out there at the time. The tribal drums hit you in the face like shards of glass, the bass lines were unique in the way they were played, and the guitar was like a slicing razor. Above it all was the gorgeous Annabella Lwin, playing nymphet and MC all in one, with Malcolm McLaren in the background seemingly pulling everyone’s strings.
This particular song has that great drum sound paired with a simple rap about the joys of pirating music via cassette. While that’s a somewhat dated topic now, it is at the same time quite topical still as the RIAA attempts to deal with the changing business model of the music industry. It’s a great song anyway you put it.
And of course, the lyrics:
Every day I get a brand new show
off TV record and radio
I breeze with the sleaze on my cassette
’cause I got the affirmative
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60
C30 C60 C90 Go
30 60 90 Go
A bit bam-boogie and a booga-rooga
my cassette’s just like a bazooka
a bligger a blagger a blippity-blop
well I’m going down to the record shop
Yeah!
And the boss said
“LP, single, picture cover or plain
I’ve got all the hits and all the big names
I’ve got biggest discounts in my store
if you buy three records, I’ll give you four”
C30 C60 C90 Go
off the radio I get a constant flow
hit it, pause it, record it and play
turn it, rewind, and rub it away
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60
C30 C60 C90 Go
30 60 90 Go
It used to break my heart when I went in your shop
and you said my records were out of stock
so I don’t buy records in your shop
now I tape them all, ’cause I’m Top of the Pops!
Yeah!
Now I got a new way to move
it’s shiny and black and don’t need a groove
now I don’t need no album rack
I carry my collection over my back
C30 C60 C90 Go
off the radio I get a constant flow
hit it, pause it, record it and play
turn it, rewind, and rub it away
Policeman stopped me in my tracks
said “Hey you, you can’t tape that
you’re under arrest ’cause it’s illegal”
So I shoved him off and blew his whistle
I’m a pirate and I keep my loot
So I blew him out with my bazooka
C30 C60 C90 Go
off the radio I get a constant flow
hit it, pause it, record it and play
turn it, rewind, and rub it away
You’re rich enough to have a record collection
I’ll bring my bazooka round for inspection
Sometimes it better get hit twice as fast
so I press my playback to make it last
I breeze with the sleaze on my cassette
I’ve got the affirmative
C30 C60 C90 Go
off the radio I get a constant flow
hit it, pause it, record it and play
turn it, rewind, and rub it away
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 C60 C90 Go
C30 360
C30 C60 C90 Go
30 60 90 Go
1984 is a great disco song from the album Diamond Dogs, which was supposed to be a concept album based on George Orwell’s famous novel. From Wikipedia:
The centrepiece of Side Two of the original vinyl album, in the context of Bowie’s adaptation of Orwell’s story, “1984″ has been interpreted as representing Winston Smith’s imprisonment and interrogation by O’Brien.[1] The lyrics also bear some similarities to Bowie’s earlier song “All the Madmen”, from The Man Who Sold the World (”They’ll split your pretty cranium and fill it full of air”).
There’s more information at SongMeanings
Personally, I just like the way the song sounds. It’s got that great “Shaft” wah-wah guitar, and plus it’s just a really good tune.
And of course, the lyrics:
Someday they won’t let you, now you must agree
The times, they are a-telling, and the changing isn’t free
We’ve read it in the tea leaves, the tracks are on tv
Beware the savage jaw of 1984
They’ll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
They’ll tell that you’re eighty, but brother, you won’t care
You’ll be shooting up on anything, tomorrow’s never there
Beware the savage jaw in 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played love all my movie roll
You said it would last, but I guess we’ve grown
In 1984, who could ask for more
1984, who could ask for mor-or-or-or-ore
Mor-or-or-or-ore
I’m looking for a vehicle, i’m looking for a ride
I’m looking for a party, i’m looking for a side
I’m looking for the treason that I knew in ‘65
Beware the savage jaw of 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played love all my movie roll
You said it would last, but I guess we’ve grown
In 1984, who could ask for more
1984, who could ask for mor-or-or-or-ore
Mor-or-or-or-ore
1984
1984
1984, more
1984,
1984, more
1984
A little-known Hives gem — my favorite band.
Under-dated because of the title, this gem is a crunchy but cryptic typical Hives tune — sly winks, insider-isms, and no matter how wild the song may be, it’s laden with deeper meaning about larger corruptions we tolerate.
Here are the lyrics.
Do you know the secret hand shake - you best use it.
Here they come with ringing ears - social misfits.
Someone has got to go
Just thought you should know and so it had to be
The one who held the key.
Check the time T-5 and you’re still looking.
Too good to be true - so what’s the secret.
Someone has got to go
Just thought you should know and so it had to be
The one who held the key
Well, it wasn’t judgement day back then, after all.
But Prince’s little “It’s the end of the world as we know and I feel fine” ditty wasn’t so doom and gloom.
To paraphrase someone else’s smart-alecky advice, when life gives you lemons, get some vodka and throw a party.
The song was all about the fruitlessmess of constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
That there is no point of being afraid, even if it is Judgement Day; so to speak.
I think he had the right mindset — what’s the point of spending your last moments running around screaming?
But things are usually not as horrible as they first appear.
People are a pretty tough stock.
We can get through some pretty hellacious times, and come back swinging stronger than ever.
So put that in perspective — but always throw a party like it’s gonna be your last…
I was dreamin’ when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin’
Could have sworn it was judgement dayThe sky was all purple
There were people runnin’ everywhere
Tryin’ to run from the destruction
You know I didn’t even careThey say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999!I was dreamin’ when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party
And parties weren’t meant to lastWar is all around us
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I’m gonna listen to my body tonightThey say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999!
1999!If you didn’t come to party
Don’t bother knockin’ on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And baby, he’s ready to roarYeah, everybody’s got a bomb
We could all die any day
But before I’ll let that happen
I’ll dance my life awayThey say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
(We’re runnin’ outta time)
So tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!Say, say,
Two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!Alright, it’s 1999!
You say it, 1999!
1999!
1999! Don’t stop, don’t stop, say it 1 more time!
1999!
This is such a great song, even though it’s a little out of date. If you’re a computer nerd, it’s really quite hilarious, plus IMO it sounds better than the song it’s parodying. There are some great lines (”What kinda chip you got in there, a Dorito?), and the song rocks nicely too. I love the video as well.
From Wikipedia:
The music video, featuring Drew Carey, a Bill Gates look-alike, and Emo Philips as the object of ridicule, is a parody of several rap videos, and since it is about computers, takes place mostly in an office. Phil LaMarr makes a cameo in the video. The fluorescent-lit tunnel and the outfits Yankovic and Drew Carey wear are roughly based on the performances of Ma$e and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs in the music video for the Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Mo Money Mo Problems”. The scenes within the gymnasium parody the music video for “It’s All about the Benjamins (rock remix)”.
And of course, the lyrics:
It’s all about the Pentiums, baby
Uhh, uh-huh, yeah
Uhh, uh-huh, yeah
It’s all about the Pentiums, baby
It’s all about the Pentiums, baby
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
(Yeah!!)
What y’all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers
Wastin’ time with all the chatroom yakkers?
9 to 5, chillin’ at Hewlett Packard?
Workin’ at a desk with a dumb little placard?
Yeah, payin’ the bills with my mad programming skills
Defraggin’ my hard drive for thrills
I got me a hundred gigabytes of RAM
I never feed trolls and I don’t read spam
Installed a T1 line in my house
Always at my PC, double-clickin’ on my mizouse
Upgrade my system at least twice a day
I’m strictly plug-and-play, I ain’t afraid of Y2K
I’m down with Bill Gates, I call him Money for short
I phone him up at home and I make him do my tech support
It’s all about the Pentiums, what?
You gotta be the dumbest newbie I’ve ever seen
You’ve got white-out all over your screen
You think your Commodore 64 is really neato
What kinda chip you got in there, a Dorito?
You’re usin’ a 286? Don’t make me laugh
Your Windows boots up in what, a day and a half?
You could back up your whole hard drive on a floppy diskette
You’re the biggest joke on the Internet
Your database is a disaster
You’re waxin’ your modem, tryin’ to make it go faster
Hey fella, I bet you’re still livin’ in your parents’ cellar
Downloadin’ pictures of Sarah Michelle Gellar
And postin’ “Me too!” like some brain-dead AOL-er
I should do the world a favor and cap you like Old Yeller
You’re just about as useless as jpegs to Helen Keller
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
What y’all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers
Wastin’ time with all the chatroom yakkers?
9 to 5, chillin’ at Hewlett Packard?
Uh, uh, loggin’ in now
Wanna run wit my crew, hah?
Rule cyberspace and crunch numbers like I do?
They call me the king of the spreadsheets
Got’em all printed out on my bedsheets
My new computer’s got the clocks, it rocks
But it was obsolete before I opened the box
You say you’ve had your desktop for over a week?
Throw that junk away, man, it’s an antique!
Your laptop is a month old? Well, that’s great
If you could use a nice, heavy paperweight
My digital media is write-protected
Every file inspected, no viruses detected
I beta tested every operating system
Gave props to some, and others? I dissed’em
While your computer’s crashin’, mine’s multitaskin’
It does all my work without me even askin’
Got a flat-screen monitor, 40″ wide
I believe that yours says, “Etch-A-Sketch” on the side
In a 32-bit world, you’re a 2-bit user
You’ve got your own newsgroup, alt.total-loser
Your motherboard melts when you try to send a fax
Where’d you get your CPU, in a box of Cracker Jacks?
Play me online? Well, you know that I’ll beat you
If I ever meet you I’ll control-alt-delete you
What?
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
It’s all about the Pentiums!
What y’all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers
Wastin’ time with all the chatroom yakkers?
9 to 5, chillin’ at Hewlett Packard?
What?
Ivan Meets G.I. Joe was that rarest of animals–a song sung by drummer Topper Headon. It’s also a fun little tune about a deadly subject. I always liked it because it’s got some cute lyrics, but at the same time it’s pretty scary.
And of course, the lyrics:
So you’re on the floor, at 54
Think you can last - at Le Palace
Does your body go to the to and fro?
But tonight’s the night - or didn’t you know
That Ivan meets G.I. Joe
He tried his tricks- that Ruskie bear
The United Nations said it’s all fair
He did the radiation - the chemical plague
But he could not win - with a Cossack spin
The Vostok bomb - the Stalin strike
He tried every move - he tried to hitch hike
He drilled a hole - like a Russian star
He made every move in his repertoire
When Ivan meets G.I. Joe
Now it was G.I. Joe’s turn to blow
He turned it on - cool and slow
He tried a payphone call to the Pentagon
A radar scan - a leviathan
He wiped the Earth - clean as a plate
What does it take to make a Ruskie break?
But the crowd are bored and off they go
Over the road to watch China blow!