Favorable press in newspapers including the L.A. Music Scene, which compared them to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Faith No More, coupled with the exploding alternative music scene, brought the band to the attention of several A&R execs, and Animalbag was eventually signed to Mercury records in 1992.
Their 1992 self-titled initial release mixed acoustic and electric rock and Animal Bag was prominently featured in the pilot episode of My So-Called Life as the party band. The album's first single, Everybody, peaked briefly at #29 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in 1993, and was a minor success in Japan, hitting #32 for 8 weeks in March 1993. Their follow-up 1994 album Offering was all-acoustic and did not chart well in the U.S. Mercury was willing to give the band one more chance, and brought in producer Terry Date to helm a return to harder-edged music for the band's 1996 album Image Damage. The album was never released because of inner shakeups at the record label; most of the people who had worked the first two Animal Bag releases left the label.
By 1998, the band had broken up and singer Luke Edwards went on to form the bluegrass band Tater.
On June 5, 2002, drummer Boo Duckworth died from natural causes at age 35.
On March 9, 2010, lead guitarist Richard Parris passed away. According to the medical examiner, cause of death was a ruptured ulcer. Rich had just recorded an album with his band (with Otis from Animal Bag) M4 Messenger.
Darker Days
Animal Bag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say you want to touch my soul
I'll try to make this really clear
A circle unbroken are we
What's me is in you, what are you am I?
We have kept our senses
Carried on through darker daysSilent conscience leading
Still proceeding through the maze
Every step we climb
Slowly blows my mind
Every step we take
Crush the world beneath my heals
(Solo)
Yeah, yeah
We have kept our senses
Carried on through darker days
I call out from the edge of heaven
We both have seen a little hell
We crawl into one another
Two become one in a separate shell
Every step we climb
Slowly blows my mind
Every step we take
Crush the world beneath my heals
Let's goWith every step we climb
I crush the world beneath my heals
Together we shall never fall
Animal Bag's song "Darker Days" appears to be about the bond between two people who have been through difficult times together. The opening lines seem to suggest that one person wants to connect with the other person on a deeper level, perhaps emotionally or spiritually. The repeated refrain, "We have kept our senses, carried on through darker days," reinforces the idea that the two have been through tough times but have managed to hold onto their sanity and continue moving forward.
The lyrics also point to a sense of unity between the two people. The line, "A circle unbroken are we, what's me is in you, what are you am I?" suggests a connection that goes beyond just friendship or even romantic attachment. The two seem to be fused together in some way, with their individual identities melting into each other.
The imagery of crushing the world beneath their heels suggests a triumph over the difficulties they have faced. It seems that the bond between the two people is so strong that they are invincible when they are together. The lines "Two become one in a separate shell" and "Together we shall never fall" reinforce the idea that the two are better together than they could ever be apart.
Line by Line Meaning
(Stop, Go)
The beginning of the song starts with a stop and go, indicating an abrupt change or hesitation.
You say you want to touch my soul
The song begins with an assertion of someone wanting to touch the singer's soul.
I'll try to make this really clear
The singer wants to make their thoughts clear and transparent.
A circle unbroken are we
This line means that the relationship between the two parties involved is unbroken.
What's me is in you, what are you am I?
This line means that the two individuals are closely connected and share qualities with each other.
We have kept our senses
The singers have kept their cool and stayed composed throughout a difficult time.
Carried on through darker days
Despite the difficult circumstances, the singers pushed through and persevered.
Silent conscience leading
The singers' conscience guided them silently through the tough times.
Still proceeding through the maze
The singers continued forward, navigating through a difficult or challenging situation.
Every step we climb
This lyric implies that the journey has been difficult and challenging but also a learning experience. Every step taken has important lessons.
Slowly blows my mind
The singer is in awe of the journey that has brought them to their current place. Slow realization.
Every step we take
Continuation of the journey; with each step, they go deeper into the challenge.
Crush the world beneath my heals
The journey has been a struggle, but through it, the singer has grown stronger and is becoming more influential.
(Solo)
There is a guitar solo, a moment to reflect on the journey that has been taken.
Yeah, yeah
Expressing agreement or excitement over something.
I call out from the edge of heaven
The singer is reaching out from a place of happiness, as if having made the journey to their place of peace.
We both have seen a little hell
Both individuals involved in the relationship have gone through difficult times, but together they have persevered and gotten through it.
We crawl into one another
The individuals lean on each other and find comfort in one another, seeking solace from the challenges of the world around them.
Two become one in a separate shell
Despite coming together as one, each individual has their own space or shell where they can go to find solace or be alone.
Let's go
An invitation to move forward with the journey.
With every step we climb
The journey continues, moving forward toward the destination.
I crush the world beneath my heals
The singer is resilient and has grown stronger by conquering challenges.
Together we shall never fall
Working together as one, the individuals can accomplish anything and overcome any obstacle.
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michael Maloney
on Oddball
Well done mates, beautiful song, talented bunch of blokes.