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.
Oh Yeah!
Babes in Toyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forest trees souled an enemy comes through
Defeat compete with me yr obsolete
Oh yeah in liar or what
You can't map reality the light is pure green
Energy I'm so alive got nine foot eyes
Oh yeah enlight ya or what
The whole world's out in front of me all
Sugar coated phallisy I will not follow
Stupid sheep I will not bow I will not peep
Oh yeah elijah or what
Kettle black I caught yr act you can not
Get away with that yr caustic bullshit
Second sight yr second's up yr short
On sight
Oh yeah enlieya or what
The lyrics of Babes in Toyland's song "Oh Yeah" talk about the importance of individual perception and the rejection of conformity and false illusions. In the first verse, the band mentions how some people claim to have a special insight or vision but fail to see the dangers looming ahead. They also mention that there's no point in aligning oneself with someone else if they don't add value to your life, or if they are obsolete.
In the following verses, Babes in Toyland criticizes the belief in a single version of reality, and highlight the power of individual experience and perception. They talk about seeing through "violet's thin disguise," meaning that they can recognize and reject superficiality and illusions. They also criticize the societal pressure to conform and reject those who blindly follow it.
The song's chorus contains the phrase "Oh yeah [insert word] or what," which could be interpreted as a sarcastic or dismissive response to those who try to impose their views or beliefs on others. Overall, the lyrics promote the importance of questioning authority and rejecting societal norms, encouraging individuality and critical thinking.
Line by Line Meaning
Widowspeak but do not see the seer for the
You speak in a mournful tone but fail to recognize the wise person amidst the forest.
Forest trees souled an enemy comes through
The trees possess a soul, yet an adversary approaches.
Dafeel complete with me or absolete
Do you experience complete feelings or are they irrelevant?
Oh yeah inliar or what
Are you truly genuine, or is your behavior deceptive?
You can't map reality the light is pure green
It is impossible to completely understand reality, but it remains pure and full of potential.
Energy I'm so alive got nine foot eyes
I am invigorated and feel extremely lively, with an enhanced sense of vision.
I see through violet's thin disguise
I can see past deception, even when it is thinly veiled.
Oh yeah enlightya or what
Are you truly enlightened, or is your understanding superficial?
The whole world's out in front of me all
The entirety of the world is visible to me, both its beautiful and deceitful aspects.
Sugar coated phallusy I will not follow
I refuse to succumb to false, tantalizing promises.
Stupid sheep I will not bow I will not peep
I will not blindly obey or conform to the opinions of others.
Oh yeah elijah or what
Are you truly an inspiring leader or a false prophet?
Kettle black I caught your act you can not
I am aware of your hypocrisy and cannot let it go unnoticed.
Get away with that caustic bullshit
You will not succeed in spreading harmful lies and negativity.
Second sight or second's up or short
You have a limited amount of time to showcase your true character.
On sight
At first glance, one's true intentions may not be evident.
Oh yeah enlieya or what
Are you truthful, or are you hiding something from view?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KAT BJELLAND, LORI ANNE BARBERO, MAUREEN HERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind