Barnes & Barnes formed in 1970. Robert Haimer (died 2023) and Bill Mumy were childhood friends who occasionally jammed together on their musical instruments. Around 1968, they would shoot short films with a Super 8 motion picture camera, dubbed "Art Films". The two began calling each other "Art", and thus, their alter egos were born. Their surname, "Barnes" was taken from a Bill Cosby comedy routine called "Revenge", in which a character called Junior Barnes throws a snowball at Cosby as a child. Originally, both Haimer and Mumy were named "Art Barnes", but Haimer's alter ego was publicly renamed "Artie" in 1979 to differentiate between them. To each other, however, they both still remain "Art". They first received airplay on The Dr. Demento Show in 1978 with their songs "Boogie Woogie Amputee" and "Fish Heads." The latter tune was released as a single on their own Lumania Records in 1979 and remains their best-known song, and the most requested song in the history of The Dr. Demento Show. The song was often mis-attributed to The Chipmunks for its processed high-pitched chorus:
Fish heads, fish heads
Rolly-polly fish heads
Fish heads, fish heads
Eat them up, yum!
Barnes and Barnes have produced two albums for Wild Man Fischer, and one album for Crispin Hellion Glover.
Cats
Barnes & Barnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love when I stroke them
Love to be free
Cats lie in the sun
I love to watch them
Pussycat fun
Who knows if they love you
Are they thinking of you
Do they love you
Cats moaning at night
Out on the prowl they scratch and bite
Cats playing with balls
Curled up beside you
Won't come when you call
Who knows if they love you
Are they thinking of you
Rubbing up against you
Do they love you
Cats land on their feet
Whenever you drop them
So light and petite
Cats purring at me
Love when I stroke them
Love to be free
Yeah
sallysally@usa.net
The lyrics to Barnes & Barnes's song "Cats" ostensibly speak to the joys and mysteries of living with feline companions. The song depicts cats as creatures who exude and inspire affection, with their purring when stroked and playful antics with balls. The lyrics also highlight their independent nature, as cats won't come when you call and are out prowling and scratching at night. The chorus asks the existential question of whether or not cats truly love their human counterparts, musing on the possibility of whether a cat's seemingly loving actions (such as rubbing up against a human) are indicative of actual affection or simply their natural instincts.
Line by Line Meaning
Cats purring at me
The cats express their contentment and relaxation through their purring as they are near me
Love when I stroke them
I feel affection toward the cats as I stroke them
Love to be free
Cats relish their freedom and independence
Cats lie in the sun
Cats enjoy basking in the warmth of the sun
I love to watch them
I find pleasure and enjoyment in observing the cats
Pussycat fun
Cats are amusing and entertaining creatures to be around
Who knows if they love you
It's unclear whether the cats truly feel love or if they are simply content with your presence and attention
Are they thinking of you
It's unknown if the cats are capable of cognitive thought about their relationship with you
Rubbing up against you
Cats show affection and familiarity by rubbing against you
Do they love you
The nature of the cats' emotions is uncertain and can't be definitively answered
Cats moaning at night
Cats make various vocalizations at nighttime, which can include moaning sounds
Out on the prowl they scratch and bite
When hunting or playing, cats may scratch and bite to catch their prey or engage in playful behavior
Cats playing with balls
Cats enjoy playing with toys, such as balls, and finding entertainment in the simplest things
Curled up beside you
Cats show trust and companionship by snuggling up beside you
Won't come when you call
Cats are independent creatures and may not always respond to their owners' calls
Cats land on their feet
Cats have a remarkable ability to right themselves when in mid-air and land on their feet due to their flexible spine and quick reflexes
Whenever you drop them
If a cat falls or is dropped, they will typically use their natural reflexes to land safely on their feet
So light and petite
Cats are small and delicate creatures, which contributes to their agility and ability to land safely
Yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation with the previous lines of the song
Contributed by Brayden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Troy Clayton
Thanks for putting this out there. I love Barnes & Barnes. Nice pics, too.
: )
Mary Myers
I love this song and the pictures. Thanks for uploading it!
shaxmatist2000
Cats led me to "Where's the Water, which is one of my all-time favorites. So, Artie, I followed your advice and found it on iTunes. Now, with your generous permission and inspiration, maybe, I can put together a nice video and post it here. As Art postulated many years ago, "Play some more music."
John Gosselin
I had cats as a child - loved them - but when I got older, we had dogs, and I think they get more attached to "you" than cats do. My dogs are MORE important to me.
John Barry
You have been seduced by the dark side!!!
Roger Kinsella
Great song.
aki7LoveHawaii
sooooooo-cute❤❤❤. aki-あき. from Japan
lokidog13
this is good
chris schnaufer
DO THEY LOVE YOU?
😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻
CloClo
This just randomly showed up, but I'm not complaining.