The 1910 Fruitgum Company is a bubblegum pop band of the 1960s; their name … Read Full Bio ↴The 1910 Fruitgum Company is a bubblegum pop band of the 1960s; their name comes from a wrapper which lead singer Frank Jeckell found in his attic. The band came together as Jeckell and The Hydes in New Jersey in 1965.

In 1967, the band was signed to bubblegum label Buddah Records, where they released five LPs under their own name and a variety of singles, as well as "appearing" on the bubblegum concept LP The Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus, which sounded suspiciously like the usual Buddah studio band, in spite of its promotion as a "bubblegum superjam".

Their first hit, "Simon Says", was panned by the band members, but Jeckell persuaded the band to record it. In the process they changed the beat and patterned the song after "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs. "Simon Says" soon became a chart-topping hit. Some, but not all, of the band's tracks were performed by studio musicians. The band started touring, opening for major acts such as The Beach Boys. They followed on to release the hits "1-2-3 Red Light", "Indian Giver", "Goody, Goody Gumdrops" and "May I Take a Giant Step".

Eventually, the group members were replaced by the producers of Super K, and the musicians that appear on the 1910 Fruitgum Company's final two albums, Indian Giver and Hard Ride, are completely different bands. Hard Ride is in fact a complete departure from the bubblegum sound, and represented an attempt to conquer the FM radio market, with hippie, blues, and psychedelic elements over lengthy tracks.

The band's most recent appearance was on the Bubble Gum Rock Special.

The seminal punk rock group Ramones cited 1910 Fruitgum Company as a fundamental influence on their music. They covered their song "Indian Giver".

1910 Fruitgum Company's song "1-2-3 Red Light" was frequently covered by the Rhode Island School of Design band The Artistics, which would later mutate into the seminal new wave band Talking Heads.

Indian Giver
1910 Fruitgum Company Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can still remember it wasn't long ago
Things you used to tell me
You said I had to know
Told me that you love me
And that you always would
Then I said I loved you
You said that that was good
Girl you made a promise

Said you'd never want me to go
Oh no, oh

[Chorus]
Indian giver
Indian giver
You took your love away from me
Indian giver
Indian giver
Took back the love you gave to me

Baby, I was feeling the way I want to feel
You had me believing the love we had was real
Things we did together
You said they'd never end
Now and till forever
Oh yeah, that's what you said
Girl when I was down I knew that you would always be there
Oh, yeah

[Chorus]

Oh!

[Chorus: x3]

Overall Meaning

The 1910 Fruitgum Company's song Indian Giver is about a girl who tells the singer that she loves him and promises to never leave him. However, she goes back on her word and takes her love away from him, becoming an Indian giver. The lyrics express the singer's disappointment and confusion over the girl's actions, as he thought that they had a strong and lasting love. Despite this, the singer still remembers the things that the girl used to tell him, indicating that he is still holding onto the memories of their relationship.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Indian giver" multiple times, creating a catchy and memorable hook for the song. This phrase is a term that is considered offensive towards Native Americans, as it refers to someone who gives a gift and then takes it back. However, in the context of the song, it is used to describe the girl's actions of taking back her love. The song's upbeat sound contrasts with the melancholic lyrics, creating a juxtaposition that highlights the singer's emotional turmoil.

Overall, Indian Giver is a song that explores the disappointment and heartbreak of a failed relationship. The term "Indian giver" adds a layer of social commentary on cultural stereotypes, and the catchy chorus makes it a memorable tune that has stood the test of time.

Line by Line Meaning

I can still remember it wasn't long ago
I have a vivid recollection that it was a recent past.

Things you used to tell me
You used to recount our past experiences.

You said I had to know
You suggested that I should be aware of something.

Told me that you love me
You professed your love for me.

And that you always would
You promised to love me forever.

Then I said I loved you
I reciprocated your love.

You said that that was good
You regarded it as positive.

Girl you made a promise
You made a commitment.

Said you'd never want me to go
You asserted that you would never abandon me.

Oh no, oh
An expression of dismay.

Indian giver
You retracted something that you previously gave.