Babes In Toyland's debut single on Treehouse Records ("Dust Cake Boy" b/w "Spit To See The Shine") landed them a deal with Minneapolis' famed Twin/Tone Records.
Their debut album Spanking Machine -- released in 1990 -- caught the attention of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, who began singing their praises in the music press and invited the band to support them on their European tour. Meanwhile, Spanking Machine was released in the UK by Southern Studios, and was quickly gaining favour with the music press and John Peel who recorded a session with them and named the album as his favorite of 1990.
In the summer of 1991, To Mother was recorded at Southern Studios with John Loder in the producer's seat. The EP entered the independent charts in the top 10 and stayed there for an amazing 13 weeks (ten of which the EP held at the No. 1 position). Early in 1992, Michelle Leon amicably left the band and was replaced by Maureen Herman, an old friend and long-time fan of the band. Their second and most successful album, Fontanelle was released in August 1992 and was followed by the outtakes EP Painkillers in June 1993.
After a number of other tours, Babes in Toyland released Nemesisters, their third and final studio album, in 1995. After this, the band were on-off with Leon's departure leading to the dissolution of their record label contract. In 2001, the band reformed for one final time and performed their final show on November 25 in Minneapolis. After this, the band officially disbanded, however, Kat Bjelland performed a number of shows in Europe under the band's name, only to face legal action from former members if the tour went further ahead.
After much speculation, in 2014, Babes in Toyland had announced they reunited and announced tour dates.
In 2015, Maureen Herman was replaced by Clara Salyer.
Lashes
Babes in Toyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In her old white nightie
With rips and tears she's too aware
See through big black bombs
That explode on chickens
All the while she thickens
From
Cracks in the mortar
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
That'll whip your spine
I see you grew into
That stiff gray suit they've sewn for you
Scrub you clean
Now you forget what you mean
Wimpworm completely thick
Its you who makes me sick
With a great old brick and mortar
Cracks in the mortar
Cracks in the mortal
Cracks in the mortar
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
That'll whip your spine
Every time she blinks
Makes me sink into ruby
Ruby* ruby jewel lashes
So I put on my best Sunday dress
And I waltz straight into this mess of mine* posing as a guest
Or something much less
Than a crazy old doll in a crazy old dress
Cracks in the mortar
Cracks in the mortal
Cracks in the mortar
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
That'll whip your spine
Well the thin moon sugar
It shines like a wino
The thin moon sugar it shines like a wino for me
The Babes in Toyland's song, "Lashes", from their 1990 album To Mother, was written by the band's lead singer and guitarist Kat Bjelland. The song is a frenzied and intense mix of punk and grunge that speaks of a woman who is disillusioned with her life and is lashing out at the world around her. The lyrics are dark and cryptic, but they also contain some vivid imagery that reflects the emotions and frustrations of the singer.
The opening line, "She screams sweet hell", sets the tone for the rest of the song. The woman in question is wearing an old white nightie with rips and tears, which suggests a sense of decay and vulnerability. She is also aware of her own flaws and shortcomings, which only adds to her feelings of anger and despair. The line "See through big black bombs that explode on chickens" is a metaphor for the destructive and senseless violence that she witnesses around her.
The chorus, "Babys got ruby jewel lashes that'll whip your spine", is a reference to the woman's eyes, which are described as being so intense that they can cause physical sensations in those who look into them. The song ends with the line "The thin moon sugar it shines like a wino for me", which suggests that the singer is still trapped in her own personal hell, unable to escape from the darkness that surrounds her.
Line by Line Meaning
She screams sweet hell
She screams loudly and fiercely
In her old white nightie
She is wearing an old, white nightgown
With rips and tears she's too aware
The nightgown has rips and tears, and she is very conscious of them
See through big black bombs
Big, black explosives that are transparent
That explode on chickens
The bombs explode on chickens
All the while she thickens
She is getting fatter as time goes on
From cracks in the mortar
Her body is expanding due to small openings in a structure surrounding her
Cracks in the mortal
The same cracks that are causing her body to thicken will eventually lead to her death
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
She has long, red eyelashes that look like jewels
That'll whip your spine
Her beautiful eyelashes will shock and amaze you
I see you grew into
You have grown and become something different
That stiff gray suit they've sewn for you
You are wearing a boring, gray suit that was made for you
Scrub you clean
Cleaning you up
Now you forget what you mean
You have lost your identity and purpose
Wimpworm completely thick
An insult aimed at someone who is weak and slow
Its you who makes me sick
You are the reason I am disgusted
With a great old brick and mortar
Using bricks and mortar to build something
Cracks in the mortar
Small openings in the structure she is building
Cracks in the mortal
Death is inevitable for all of us
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
She has stunningly beautiful eyelashes
That'll whip your spine
Her gorgeous eyelashes will surprise and impress you
Every time she blinks
Each time she closes and opens her eyes
Makes me sink into ruby
Her eyelashes have a hypnotic effect and make the singer feel like they are sinking into red gems
Ruby* ruby jewel lashes
Reiterating how beautiful her eyelashes are
So I put on my best Sunday dress
Wearing your nicest clothes
And I waltz straight into this mess of mine* posing as a guest
Pretending to be a guest at this chaotic situation
Or something much less
Maybe not even a guest, just someone less important
Than a crazy old doll in a crazy old dress
Comparing herself to a bizarre doll in a strange dress
Cracks in the mortar
Structural weaknesses
Cracks in the mortal
Death is always looming
Cracks in the mortar
Imperfect building materials
Babys got ruby jewel lashes
Her eyelashes are stunningly beautiful
That'll whip your spine
Her stunning eyelashes will surprise and impress you
Well the thin moon sugar
The thin moon is bright and white like sugar
It shines like a wino
The moon's brightness is like that of an alcoholic beverage
The thin moon sugar it shines like a wino for me
The moon's brightness feels personal and significant for the artist
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind