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
The lyrics to Babes in Toyland's song Peek-a-Boo-Street are somewhat ambiguous and open to interpretation, but they suggest a sense of thrill-seeking and risk-taking. The opening lines describe a downhill race with "cosmic speed" and emphasize the importance of rhythm: "that's the beat". This could be interpreted as a metaphor for life itself; we are all racing downhill at breakneck speed, but it's important to find our rhythm and keep moving forward.
The second half of the lyrics focus on a specific part of the racecourse, "Peek-a-boo-street". The implication is that this is a particularly treacherous section of the course, and the singer warns us to "watch out" for it. The name itself has a playful, almost childlike quality to it, which contrasts with the intensity of the racing imagery. Overall, the song suggests a sense of adventure and danger, with an undercurrent of fun and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
Peek-a-boo-street
This street is like a game of peek-a-boo, where you never know what's coming next.
Downhill racer
We're racing down this street with a sense of urgency like a downhill racer.
Cosmic speed
We're moving at a speed that transcends regular earthly limits, like we're catapulted into the cosmos.
That's the beat
This fast and intense pace is the rhythm and tempo of our journey down Peek-a-boo-street.
Sister slope has got the edge
Another nearby street may seem dangerous with a sharper incline, but Peek-a-boo-street is even more unpredictable.
Just watch out for
Be cautious and pay attention because unexpected obstacles or turns may lay ahead.
Peek-a-boo-street
The lyrics are repeated to emphasize the fun but unpredictable nature of this street.
Contributed by Mackenzie I. 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 👍