Though not officially broken up, the band has not performed together in public since the early 1990s. In 2005, they were invited by Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse to perform at All Tomorrow's Parties but respectfully declined the invitation.
The band met while attending The Evergreen State College and began recording in 1983. The band's basic lineup was drums, guitar and vocals, though when they formed their only instruments were a pair of maracas and a Sears Silvertone guitar purchased at a thrift shop. Heather once joked in an interview that the history of the band could be told through a list of the various people they'd borrowed drums from. Heather and Calvin had been members of a previous band and approached Bret, who had no musical experience at the time, saying they ought to start a band and go to Japan. Indeed, it was on a trip to Tokyo that the band members recorded Three Tea Breakfast, an EP that established the band's reputation.
Calvin Johnson was one of the founders of seminal indie rock label K Records. The label achieved modest success and continues to hold its independent integrity, claiming to have been "exploding the teenage underground into passionate revolt against the corporate ogre since 1982."
Beat Happening (1985), their full length debut, was critically acclaimed, as was Jamboree (1988). By the release of Dreamy in 1991, Beat Happening was one of the most popular bands in the indie rock community, leading to their pivotal role in the International Pop Underground Festival, which brought anti-corporate rock its earliest mainstream acceptance. Their last full-length album was 1992's You Turn Me On, which represented the band breaking many of their established conventions from earlier albums, most notably on Godsend, which runs 9 minutes in length and features blatant use of multitrack recording. The album was described by allmusic.com as "A masterpiece." Though never announcing a break-up and claiming at one point to still practice once a month, the members of Beat Happening have moved on to various other projects. In 2000 they released the Angel Gone single, their first new release in eight years.
A Beat Happening box set, Crashing Through, which collects all of the band's officially released music except for two of their tracks from a live cassette split with The Vaselines, was released in 2002. The box set included a booklet containing a lengthy essay on the history and impact of the band by Lois Maffeo, as well as rare photos of members Calvin, Heather and Bret.
http://www.krecs.com
Jamboree
Beat Happening Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To prove I was in control
Thereâ??s got to be a cure
This canâ??t go on no more
Dressed in black in the midday sun
Break the ice and on the run
Keep this up there wonâ??t be none
You lock me in a room
You try to take off your dress
We both know what happened next
And when my skirt begins to ache
I realize that itâ??s too late
To love you like a chocolate cake
Because we both know youâ??re my dream date
Wear an old potato sack
Trailer for a hat
Haircut for a bowl
Two eyes made of coal
One two three, one two four
The bees are hop, the bees are ho
But thatâ??s one thing sheâ??ll never know
The Beat Happening’s “Jamboree” is an interesting song that hints at a variety of themes such as control, vulnerability, and desire. The lyrics suggest the struggle to break free from a certain pattern of behavior, to prove oneself while trying to cope with the unknown. The song starts with the singer trying to walk away to prove control, implying he was trying to maintain a grip on his emotions. However, the line “There’s got to be a cure, this can’t go on no more” reveals that he knows he’s struggling and needs help to break free from his predicament. As for his outfit, he is dressed in black in the midday sun, which could be symbolic of feeling out of place or not fitting in.
In the second verse, the character is locked in a room, presumably with someone else, and in line with the previous idea of control, he tries to be real cool despite feeling vulnerable. However, the line “We both know what happened next” suggests that he eventually succumbed to his desire. The following line, “And when my skirt begins to ache, I realize that it’s too late,” could be interpreted as regret for giving in to his impulses. The final line of the verse, “Because we both know you’re my dream date,” seems to reinforce that although the singer may feel as if he has lost control, he is still hoping that things go his way.
Line by Line Meaning
I try to walk away
I attempt to distance myself from the situation
To prove I was in control
To show that I have power over the situation
There's got to be a cure
There must be a solution to the issue
This can't go on no more
This cannot continue any longer
Dressed in black in the midday sun
Wearing dark clothing in the bright sunlight
Break the ice and on the run
Start a conversation and continue with the momentum
Keep this up there won't be none
If this behavior continues, there will be no progress
I try to be real cool
I attempt to act composed and collected
You lock me in a room
You confine me in a specific space
You try to take off your dress
You begin to undress yourself
We both know what happened next
We are aware of what takes place in the following moments
And when my skirt begins to ache
When I start to feel uncomfortable
I realize that it's too late
I come to the understanding that it is too far gone
To love you like a chocolate cake
To have romantic feelings for you deeply
Because we both know you're my dream date
Because we both acknowledge that you are my ideal partner
Wear an old potato sack
Dress in any old, unflattering clothing
Trailer for a hat
Wear a hat made from unconventional materials
Haircut for a bowl
A haircut that is evidently self-done or improvised without professional assistance
Two eyes made of coal
Eyes that look as if they are made from coal or charcoal
One two three, one two four
A disorienting countdown that may also serve as a distraction
The bees are hop, the bees are ho
A set of nonsensical words that may be interpreted in various ways
But that's one thing she'll never know
But she will remain unaware of this information
Lyrics © TIME STEP MUSIC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY CRISS, ANTHONY SHAWN CRISS, BENNY GOLSON, KEIR GIST, KEIR LAMONT GIST, VINCENT "VINNIE" BROWN, VINCENT E. BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind