Sponge grew out of a Detroit-based hard rock act called Loudhouse, which released an album on the Virgin label in 1988 before losing its record contract and disbanding shortly thereafter. Drummer-turned-vocalist Vinnie Dombrowski (born Mark Dombrowski) and guitarists Mike Cross and Joey Mazzola regrouped as Sponge in 1992, adding Mike's brother Tim Cross on bass and Jimmy Paluzzi on drums. Adapting their '70s hard rock influences to fit the grunge zeitgeist, the bandmates earned a major-label deal with Columbia and released their debut album, Rotting Pinata, in late 1994.
Initially, critics compared Sponge to Stone Temple Pilots, but alternative radio embraced the band's first two singles: the driving rocker "Plowed" and the jangly, introspective "Molly (Sixteen Candles)." A third single, "Rainin'," also earned airplay, and Rotting Pinata went gold; meanwhile, Sponge went on tour as Live's opening act. With new drummer Charlie Grover in tow, their 1996 follow-up album, Wax Ecstatic, was a more diverse affair, rediscovering some of the band's roots in arena rock, British glam, and jangle pop. Even though singles like "Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)," "I Am Anastasia," and "Have You Seen Mary" enjoyed radio airplay, Columbia was dissatisfied with the sales figures and dropped Sponge once the album left the charts.
Undaunted, Sponge signed a new deal with the Beyond label, which released the more classicist New Pop Sunday in 1999. It attracted little commercial attention, and more personnel shifts ensued. Tired of touring, the Cross brothers both left and were replaced by guitarist Kurt Marschke and bassist Tim Krukowski; Billy Adams also came on board as the new drummer. After several years of recharging -- during which time Dombrowski played in several Detroit-area side projects -- Sponge returned with For All the Drugs in the World in 2003 and The Man in 2005. Dombrowski reworked the lineup once again, this time adding guitarists Kyle Neely and Andy Patalan, before returning again to the studio in 2007 to record Galore Galore for Bellum Records.
Two years later, there was another lineup shift -- Tim Patalan became the group's bassist -- and they released an EP called Destroy the Boy. A full-length called Stop the Bleeding arrived four years later on Three One Three Records; the LP contained all of the 2009 EP plus new songs, including a twisted cover of Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle." In 2017, the band partnered with Michigan Brewers and PledgeMusic for their eighth full-length outing, The Beer Sessions, which Dombrowski called "a celebration of independent music and incredible Michigan beer." In 2021 the band issued their ninth full-length effort, Lavatorium, which included the fiery single "Stitch," the well-timed ballad "Socially Distant," and an all-new recording of their signature hit "Plowed." Original guitarist Mike Cross died on March 6, 2022 at the age of 57.
Biography by Steve Huey
There are other artists with the same name:
ii) Sponge is also a 90's Japanese noise supergroup. Though the members are credited anonymously, the group reportedly includes:
Jojo Hiroshige (of Hijokaidan)
Junko Hiroshige (also of Hijokaidan)
Masami Akita (better known as Merzbow)
Yamazaki Takushi (better known as Masonna)
The Japanese Sponge have released at least two official albums, a 7" and a CD on T.E.C. Tones.
iii) Alias for James Hoyte, owner of the drum n bass label IQ Records. He has released one 12" record, The Crash, on Suburban Base Records in 1994.
Plowed
Sponge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it a dream I made up
No I guess it's reality
What will change us
Or will we mess up
Our only chance to connect
With a dream
Say a prayer for me
I'm buried by the sound
In a world of human
Wreckage
I'm lost and I'm found
And I can't touch the
Ground
I'm plowed into the sound
To see wide open
With a head that's broken
Hang a life on a tragedy
Plow me under the ground
That covers the message
That is the seed
The lyrics to Sponge's song Plowed present a sense of confusion and uncertainty about reality and the future. The opening lines "Will I wake up, is it a dream I made up?" suggest a faded line between what is real and imagined. The lyrics seem to explore the idea of change and the possible consequences that may arise if we fail to connect and do things right. The phrase "our only chance to connect with a dream" is a call to action to pay attention to our aspirations and not lose sight of them amidst life's distractions.
The chorus of the song is a plea for help. The lyrics "Say a prayer for me, I'm buried by the sound / In a world of human wreckage / I'm lost and I'm found / And I can't touch the ground / I'm plowed into the sound" paint a picture of someone overwhelmed and struggling to find their footing in a chaotic world. Being "plowed into the sound" suggests a lack of control over external circumstances and the ensuing confusion.
The second verse furthers the theme of brokenness, as the lyrics "To see wide open with a head that's broken / Hang a life on a tragedy" suggest the inability to see things clearly due to mental or emotional turmoil. The final line, "plow me under the ground that covers the message, that is the seed" is a call to bury the past and start anew, while still holding on to lessons learned.
Line by Line Meaning
Will I wake up
Am I going to come out of this state of being?
Is it a dream I made up
Did I conjure this reality?
No I guess it's reality
This has truly happened.
What will change us
What can modify our current situation?
Or will we mess up
Are we going to ruin things?
Our only chance to connect
The one time we could have linked up.
With a dream
Or with the essence of an ideal situation.
Say a prayer for me
Send positive vibes in my direction.
I'm buried by the sound
The noise is overwhelming me.
In a world of human wreckage
Inside of a reality filled with disaster.
I'm lost and I'm found
I'm unsure but also self-assured.
And I can't touch the ground
I am soaring above everyone else.
I'm plowed into the sound
I am ear-deep in the noise.
To see wide open
To have a clear view of everything.
With a head that's broken
While dealing with personal traumas.
Hang a life on a tragedy
Ponder how one event affected your entire existence.
Plow me under the ground
Bury me in the earth.
That covers the message
A message that is under layers of dirt and darkness.
That is the seed
And it could still be the source of new growth.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE CROSS, TIM CROSS, MARK DOMBROSKI, JOEY MAZZOLA, JIMMY PALUZZI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind