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.
Magic Flute
Babes in Toyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leave it to you I've got nothing to hide
Dragging my ass around country side
Leave it to you I've got nothing to hide
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
Kick Tom upside his head
Regretting the things that I've already said
Kick Tom upside his head
Regretting the things that I've already said
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
And leave me to hang
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
Distance captivates me, it holds the hook
Secrets hold the breath that I've never took
Distance caprivates me, it holds the hook
Secrets hold the breath that I've never took
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
And leave me to hang
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
Lactating eyes looking from my thighs
Seeing and wondering what went wrong
Lactating eyes looking from my thighs
Seeing and wondering what went wrong
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
And leave me to hang
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
And leave me to hang
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
The lyrics to Babes in Toyland's "Magic Flute" appear to express a sense of emotional and physical vulnerability, as well as the desire for connection and validation from someone else. The repeated refrain of "don't worry, I won't touch you" suggests a fear of rejection or being misunderstood, while the plea of "please touch me" reflects a longing for intimacy and a deeper level of understanding. The lines "dragging my ass around countryside, leave it to you I've got nothing to hide" can be interpreted as a resigned acceptance of the power dynamics at play in the relationship, with the singer feeling exposed and powerless in the presence of the other person.
The verses then take a turn towards aggression, with the mention of kicking Tom upside his head and regretting past statements. This could signify a sense of frustration with the power imbalance and perhaps a desire to regain some control or agency. The imagery of "lactating eyes looking from my thighs" is particularly striking and disturbing, as it suggests a sexualized objectification of the singer's body and a sense of shame or discomfort with their own physicality.
Overall, "Magic Flute" seems to be a complex exploration of the desire for intimacy and connection, as well as the fear and anxiety that can come with exposing oneself to another person. The lyrics also touch on themes of power dynamics, aggression, and shame, suggesting a deep emotional landscape that is compelling and intense.
Line by Line Meaning
Dragging my ass around country side
I'm aimlessly wandering around and feeling defeated
Leave it to you I've got nothing to hide
I'm confiding in you because I trust you completely
Don't worry
I won't touch you
Your eyes pierce me
And leave me to hang
Your gaze intimidates me and I don't want to make a move without your permission
Please touch me
And don't worry
Cause I'm burnin'
The vein straight to your heart
I'm yearning for your touch and want to be closer to you
Kick Tom upside his head
Regretting the things that I've already said
I said something hurtful and now I regret it
Distance captivates me, it holds the hook
Secrets hold the breath that I've never took
I'm drawn to mystery and long to discover things unknown
Lactating eyes looking from my thighs
Seeing and wondering what went wrong
I'm examining myself and my choices, trying to figure out my mistakes
Writer(s): Lori Anne Barbero Copyright: Universal Music - Z Tunes LLC, No Dukey Music
Contributed by James C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.