Blake Babies
Blake Babies is an indie rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts.… Read Full Bio ↴Blake Babies is an indie rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The three primary members were John Strohm, Freda Love (born Freda Boner), and Juliana Hatfield, with Evan Dando, Andrew Mayer, Seth White, and Mike Leahy each also performing as members of the band at various times during its history.
The name "Blake Babies" was provided by the poet Allen Ginsberg; following a reading at Harvard University, the group (which had just begun to play together) raised their hands and asked him to name their band. Ginsberg's suggestion was likely inspired by the first half of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. The name proved quite apt in regard to what was perhaps the group's most distinctive aspect: the juxtaposition of Hatfield's pure, somewhat thin and childlike (yet forceful) vocal quality with often surprisingly acerbic lyrics.
Musically, the Blake Babies' songs are highly melodic, with instruments supporting rather than covering vocals; in this way, their music falls somewhere between pop and rock and could be described as "power pop". Songs are generally upbeat and the group's work features both female (Hatfield) and male (Strohm) vocals, often together in harmony or in octaves. Strohm's intricate guitar picking style and preference for a "clean" (as opposed to distorted) guitar tone owes much to R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, although Neil Young and punk rock are other important influences. Close listening shows that Hatfield's bass playing is particularly expressive, using octaves and sliding tones to create melodies as well as anchoring bass lines. Songs are carefully constructed, with sophisticated harmonic and dynamic shifts showing the results of the band members' training at the Berklee School of Music.
The Blake Babies toured the United States and Europe, eventually achieving a moderate amount of notice, particularly among listeners of college age who were appreciative of the group's "intelligent" brand of rock music. The band's music (released on the independent North Carolina-based record label Mammoth Records) received little airplay on commercial radio, instead being played primarily on college radio stations.
The group formally disbanded in 1991 but reunited briefly in late 1999, performing a few shows in 1999 and 2000 and embarking on one last U.S. tour in 2001.
Following the band's breakup, Hatfield went on to fame as a solo artist, and Strohm and Love continued to perform together in the Indiana-based group Antenna. Hatfield and Love have since worked together in the band Some Girls along with fellow musician Heidi Gluck.
The name "Blake Babies" was provided by the poet Allen Ginsberg; following a reading at Harvard University, the group (which had just begun to play together) raised their hands and asked him to name their band. Ginsberg's suggestion was likely inspired by the first half of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. The name proved quite apt in regard to what was perhaps the group's most distinctive aspect: the juxtaposition of Hatfield's pure, somewhat thin and childlike (yet forceful) vocal quality with often surprisingly acerbic lyrics.
Musically, the Blake Babies' songs are highly melodic, with instruments supporting rather than covering vocals; in this way, their music falls somewhere between pop and rock and could be described as "power pop". Songs are generally upbeat and the group's work features both female (Hatfield) and male (Strohm) vocals, often together in harmony or in octaves. Strohm's intricate guitar picking style and preference for a "clean" (as opposed to distorted) guitar tone owes much to R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, although Neil Young and punk rock are other important influences. Close listening shows that Hatfield's bass playing is particularly expressive, using octaves and sliding tones to create melodies as well as anchoring bass lines. Songs are carefully constructed, with sophisticated harmonic and dynamic shifts showing the results of the band members' training at the Berklee School of Music.
The Blake Babies toured the United States and Europe, eventually achieving a moderate amount of notice, particularly among listeners of college age who were appreciative of the group's "intelligent" brand of rock music. The band's music (released on the independent North Carolina-based record label Mammoth Records) received little airplay on commercial radio, instead being played primarily on college radio stations.
The group formally disbanded in 1991 but reunited briefly in late 1999, performing a few shows in 1999 and 2000 and embarking on one last U.S. tour in 2001.
Following the band's breakup, Hatfield went on to fame as a solo artist, and Strohm and Love continued to perform together in the Indiana-based group Antenna. Hatfield and Love have since worked together in the band Some Girls along with fellow musician Heidi Gluck.
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Blake Babies Lyrics
A Million Years I promise not to touch. I'll let you be. I just…
A Sweet Burger LP (One, Two, Three, Four....) You love me through to time …
Alright How is it on the inside? They say you can't…
Baby Gets High I don't need a lesson Don't put that on yourself These thing…
Better 'n You You're lost beneath the sea And you didn't wait for me You…
Boiled Potato Oh, potato, if you only knew, I'm three years younger than…
Brain Damage Someone, quick, put something on my mind Surrounded by the s…
Bye There could be something to the higher star You lie to…
Cesspool They took it away, they won't put it back. They made…
Civil War I'd really love to turn it off, but they all…
Dead & Gone It was geting cold and I felt like I was…
Disappear I don't want to hear his name It only makes me…
Don't S**k My Breath Bless my soul, what's wrong with me? Everybody hates me. Tak…
Downtime Oh, please help me, doctor, I'm about to lose my…
From Here To Burma Thick as a wooden block, white-walled tire. Thin as a blade…
Gimme Some Mirth All kind of shit came close to home. You're not safe…
Girl In A Box I've got a girl in a box, Keep her under…
Grateful Somebody gave me this song, I just supplied the links. I…
Her I went to her house, she had relics everywhere From her…
I I never knew the color of your eyes I never cared…
I'll Take Anything Feel like a slob who lives for the day When a…
I'm Not Your Mother People think you're tough, but you only pretend to be. A rea…
Invisible World I see an invisible world in the eyes of a…
Julius Fastbody Julius fast body he be free Tell me how he flies The…
Kiss And Make Up You can have my undivided attention. I'll give you everythi…
Lament You told me all about you, without ever saying a…
Let Them Eat Chewy Granola Bars We'll milk the chickens, pluck the cows Milk the chickens, p…
Look Away You are, you're beautiful when you're mad You are, you're be…
Loose I took a record of pretty music, I went down and…
Million Years I promise not to touch. I'll let you be. I just…
Nirvana I shut the windows and close the store, I lay down…
Not Just A Wish (take off) Not just a wish-bone place to go And it's not…
Nothing Ever Happens Left after the weeping willow tree Right past my house down…
On I never did you wrong But it makes a better song Than…
Ön I never did you wrong But it makes a better song Than…
Out There You drive around aimlessly. Don't know what you hope to see.…
Outta My Head It's my island. Get off. It's where I'll live. I'll shake yo…
Over And Over At night when the sky is clear and the moon…
Picture Perfect She's the window to my soul to let in the…
Rain You're lost beneath the sea And you didn't wait for me. You…
Sanctify Another way to go, the weight won't show. A cheapskate's gui…
Severed Lips I wanna help you, I sense you're riding pretty low I…
Star You ring me up and you bring me down. I never…
Steamie Gregg Oh you like so fine in your shaven head. Not a…
Swill and the Cocaine Sluts Come on over, make her ambitious. Tell me some more of…
Take Me I'm gonna' be cruisin' the coast, drinking my pop. I'm gonna…
Take Your Head of My Shoulder How many times does it take to know? How many inches…
Temptation Eyes He's got something that moves my soul, And he knows i'd…
Tom & Bob Tom and Bob, they are cool Should open a Tom and…
Tom and Bob Tom and bob, they are cool Should open a tom and…
Train Hold on to my arm, She said strung out on the…
Until I Almost Died I never knew the color of your eyes I never cared…
Waiting for Heaven The only thing I've ever wanted is to lose myself So…
Watch Me Now I'm closing up, I'm shutting down, I took a vow…
What Did I Do Such a beautiful beginning I can't believe it was a lie No…
What Did I Do? Such a beautiful beginning I can't believe it was a lie Now…
When I See His Face It could be any day now It could be any day It…
Wipe It Up Grease drools down from between your lips, Drips down just …
You Don't Give Up There you go again as soon as the going gets…
Your Way Or The Highway Well, you can look down your nose and tell me…