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.
Peek-A-Boo Street
Babes in Toyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Downhill racer, cosmic speed
That's the beat
Yeah, that's the beat
Sister Slope has got the edge
Just watch out
For peek-a-boo street
Peek-A-Boo Street is a song by the American punk rock band Babes in Toyland. The song describes the sensations of downhill racing and the rush of adrenaline that comes with it. The lyrics suggest an almost cosmic experience, as the racer feels the beat of the street, moving at an intense speed. The song is full of energy, with the repeated refrain of "that's the beat" reinforcing the idea that the beat is what drives the race.
In the second verse, the song introduces "Sister Slope," who we can assume is another racer or a reference to the slope they are racing on. Sister Slope is described as having "the edge," suggesting she is an experienced racer who knows how to handle the challenges of the track. However, the song warns us to "watch out for peek-a-boo street." This line is perhaps referencing a part of the racecourse where you can't see what's coming ahead – one wrong move and you could be out of the race.
Overall, the lyrics of Peek-A-Boo Street capture the intense rush of adrenaline that comes with downhill racing. The song's energy and fast-paced beat reinforce this idea, with the warning for peek-a-boo street adding tension to the experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Peek-a-boo street
A street that has the element of surprise or the feeling of playing peek-a-boo.
Downhill racer, cosmic speed
The excitement level of racing down the street at an incredibly fast pace, giving an out-of-this-world experience.
That's the beat
The rhythm or tempo of the street is that of a thrilling downhill race with a sense of surprise.
Yeah, that's the beat
Affirming that the rhythm or tempo of the street is indeed the same as that of a downhill race with an element of surprise.
Sister Slope has got the edge
A warning that one should be careful while racing down this street because Sister Slope has an advantage over others as she has mastered the art of racing down this street many times before.
Just watch out
A reminder to stay cautious while on this street.
For peek-a-boo street
The warning is specifically for Peek-a-boo street, and not any other street.
Contributed by Riley E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Roger Popcorn
I think there are bits of Big Top in this gem! ❤
gg legreff
Bonjour, il n'y a pas grand monde qui s'intéresse aux Babes, enfin, mieux vaux être seul que mal accompagné lol
C'est bien possible, à réécouter avec attention, entre 0.15 et 0.30, a deux fois, je pense avec une coupure au milieu,
Sympa d'avoir remarque ce détail 👍