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.
The Lumanian Love Song
Barnes & Barnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't take my eyeballs off your thighs
Just one thing I wanna do
Make Lumanian love to you
Grunt and groan grind and moan
Skip and jump grind and bump
Ripping at your little panties
I'm in the mood for romance
A topic of discussion for a jury panel
Just one thing I wanna do
Make Lumanian love to you
In Lumania when you want to tell someone
You love them this is what you say
Gumby jaws Mooky boo boo posse et bet
Farquar Hopi youmee lay
What a grand evening this is gonna be
Staring at the moons that glow above the sea
There's no one else I'd rather do
Than make Lumanian love to you
Yeah.
The lyrics of Barnes & Barnes's song The Lumanian Love Song are a tongue-in-cheek tribute to an alien race called "Lumanians." The singer is infatuated with a Lumanian, particularly drawn to their movements and physical attributes, such as their hips and thighs. The lyrics are playful and silly, filled with puns and references to sexual activities. The singer expresses a desire to "make Lumanian love" to the object of their affections, using language that is both funny and absurd.
The second half of the song introduces some of the culture and language of the Lumanians. The singer explains that in Lumania, the phrase "I love you" is expressed as "Gumby jaws Mooky boo boo posse et bet/Farquar Hopi youmee lay," adding to the humor of the song. The singer also describes a romantic evening staring at the moons above the sea, emphasizing their fondness for the Lumanian they are singing to.
Overall, The Lumanian Love Song is a humorous and lighthearted take on a cross-species romance, poking fun at both human and alien stereotypes.
Line by Line Meaning
When you move your hips I'm hipsnotized
Your hip movements captivate me and I can't take my eyes off your thighs.
Can't take my eyeballs off your thighs
I'm completely focused on your thighs and can't take my eyes off of them.
Just one thing I wanna do
All I want to do is show my affection for you in a specific way.
Make Lumanian love to you
I want to express my love for you in the sexual and romantic customs of Lumania.
Grunt and groan grind and moan
During our intimate moments, I may make noises and move in a certain way.
Skip and jump grind and bump
I might engage in playful movements with you while we are intimate.
Ripping at your little panties
I may remove your underwear in a passionate and slightly aggressive manner.
I'm in the mood for romance
I am feeling romantic and sexual desire towards you.
When you chew my elbows I'm an animal
When you nibble on my elbows, I become extremely aroused and animalistic.
A topic of discussion for a jury panel
My behavior during our intimate moments may be seen as unusual or questionable by a group of people.
In Lumania when you want to tell someone
The Lumanian way of expressing love is different than what we are used to.
You love them this is what you say
To express love in Lumania, you use a specific phrase.
Gumby jaws Mooky boo boo posse et bet
The Lumanian phrase for 'I love you' involves unique words and sounds.
Farquar Hopi youmee lay
Another Lumanian phrase expressing love, involving different sounds and words.
What a grand evening this is gonna be
This is going to be a special and memorable evening for us.
Staring at the moons that glow above the sea
Together, we enjoy the beauty of the moons in the sky above the ocean.
There's no one else I'd rather do
No one else can compare to you in terms of who I want to share intimacy with.
Than make Lumanian love to you
I want to express my love and desire for you through the romantic and sexual customs of Lumania.
Yeah.
I am excited and enthusiastic about expressing my love in this way with you.
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.