Known to tour the US in a converted city bus with Rathbun as the driver/mechanic, with the windshield destination banner of HELL. Besides their wild performances which embodied a "rock against rock" ethos, they were also known to defy classification with marching band routines, performing puppet shows, and playing household items as instruments (in tune). After finding few financial rewards for their increasingly complex stage show, Idiot Flesh disbanded in 1998.
Core Members:
- Captain Dragon (Gene Jun; Guitar, Percussion, Violin, Vocals, Arranger)
- Hyena Boy (Wes Anderson; 1994-1998: Percussion, Drums, Marimba, Multi Instruments, Talking, Vocals, Bassoon, Trash Cans)
- The Improver (Dan Rathbun; Bass, Multi Instruments, Saw, "Talking", Horn, Vocals, Trombone, Cello, Megaphone; Engineer)
- Pin (Nils Frykdahl; Flute, Saxophone, Percussion, Castanets, Vocals, Guitar; Cover Design/Graphics)
- Chuck Squier (1985 through 1994: Drums, Cover art)
Discography:
- (1990) Tales of Instant Knowledge and Sure Death
- (1994) The Nothing Show
- (1995) Teen Devil/Twitch (4 Song EP)
- (1997) Fancy (Nov. 11)
Dead Like Us
Idiot Flesh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, your dead like us. Dead like toenails.
Leave your troubles at the door. They can't help you anymore.
You're dead like us. Dead like Hair.
Cross your eyes and wiggle your toes. Lean back and touch your fingers to your nose. Swear up and down that you never took a drink. Take ‘em to your grave and show ‘em what you think of their…
Worldly pleasures are all in your mouth, So come on baby we're all headed…
Look out, you're dead like us. Dead like candy.
Your work, your talk, your body don't do much good for you.
Send ‘em all back. The can melt ‘em down for glue.
Dead like us. Dead like gravy.
How I wish that the world had just one throat and my fingers were around it. I'm not mad, I'm not peessed, but you and me baby we belong deceased.
Cross your toes and wiggle your eyes. Lean back and put your head between your thighs. Swear up and down that you never took a dive. Take ‘em to a parking lot and show ‘em your more dead than a…
A live chicken is handy in a pinch. But give us your first born and man it's a cinch if your dead like us.
Dead like cornflakes.
Folks say Ambugotten is a-comin' But when the end-time comes I'm gonna be long gone. Dead like us. Dead like baby frogs. Dead like Freddy's backwards dog, yes we're dead like…
You guessed it, ladies and gentleman, dead like God. Thank you very much.
The song "Dead Like Us" by Idiot Flesh speaks about the inevitability of death and how it can make us all equal. The song's narrator addresses the audience as "ladies and germs," indicating that everyone is included in the message. The repetition of "dead like us" emphasizes how death is the great equalizer; no matter how different we are in life, we all end up in the same place. The comparison of being "dead like toenails" and "dead like candy" shows that even in death, we are defined by our physical attributes.
The second stanza urges the listener to let go of their troubles and suggests that they can't help them once they are dead. The line "worldly pleasures are all in your mouth" hints at the superficiality of earthly pleasures that are ultimately meaningless in the face of death. The stanza ends by warning the listener that their work, talk, and body will not do much good for them.
The final stanza describes the singer's desire for death and how it brings equality between people. The surreal nature of the lyrics adds an element of humor to a somber topic.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies and germs as I've already said, you might as well stay ‘cause you're already…
You're in the same unchanging state as us, so there's no harm in staying; that's right, you're just as dead as toenails.
Leave your troubles at the door. They can't help you anymore.
Your worries and problems are now useless, so leave them behind because they can't aid you any longer.
You're dead like us. Dead like Hair.
Just like us, you're lifeless; as undeniably dead as a strand of hair.
Cross your eyes and wiggle your toes. Lean back and touch your fingers to your nose. Swear up and down that you never took a drink. Take ‘em to your grave and show ‘em what you think of their…
Perform silly stunts, lie that you're sober, and take your secrets to the grave where you can give a final insult to those who thought they had power over you.
Worldly pleasures are all in your mouth, So come on baby we're all headed…
The joys of life are fleeting, so we might as well indulge in them; we're all destined for the same fate.
Look out, you're dead like us. Dead like candy.
Be cautious, you too are as inanimate as us; just like a sweet, you're dead and lifeless.
Your work, your talk, your body don't do much good for you. Send ‘em all back. The can melt ‘em down for glue.
Your employment, your conversation, and your physique are all meaningless to you; might as well just return them since they can be melted down to be used as glue once you're gone.
Dead like us. Dead like gravy.
Just like our state, you're deceased, and just like gravy, you're a lifeless liquid.
How I wish that the world had just one throat and my fingers were around it. I'm not mad, I'm not peessed, but you and me baby we belong deceased.
I desire for there to be one single entity responsible for all the world's issues, which I'd have control over; I don't have anger, I don't have frustration, but you and I are destined for death.
Cross your toes and wiggle your eyes. Lean back and put your head between your thighs. Swear up and down that you never took a dive. Take ‘em to a parking lot and show ‘em your more dead than a…
Perform more absurd actions, lie that you never made a mistake, and display your death in a parking lot for others to see.
A live chicken is handy in a pinch. But give us your first born and man it's a cinch if your dead like us.
A living chicken can be useful in times of need, but if you're in the dead state like us, it's effortless to give away your first child.
Dead like cornflakes.
Even cereal is more lively than us right now.
Folks say Ambugotten is a-comin' But when the end-time comes I'm gonna be long gone. Dead like us. Dead like baby frogs. Dead like Freddy's backwards dog, yes we're dead like…
People may predict the end of the world, but I'll already be gone; I'm dead, like a baby frog or even a fictional character's reverse pet dog; we're all the same, lifeless.
You guessed it, ladies and gentleman, dead like God. Thank you very much.
As you may have guessed, we're also dead like God; thanking you for your attention.
Contributed by Asher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.