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.
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Teenage Caveman
Beat Happening Lyrics
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We rise to the top, we're the cream of the crop
We make with the haircuts straight out of the past
We blast first, we blast last
Teenage caveman, rock wood skin and bones
It's the cry of the wild, we cry alone
We cry alone (x6)
Got a strand of barbed wire twisted around my throat
Teenage caveman, blind and without any hope
Let's get primitive right now, down with the rocks and the dirt
Let's bang our heads girl, trade spit 'til it hurts
Teenage caveman, rock wood skin and bone
It's the cry of the wild, we cry alone
We cry alone (x7)
Woke to the sound of an angel, rolling bones to the door
I can hear the flowers bloom, the gust of blood from the roar
Teenage caveman, rock wood skin and bones
It's the cry of the wild, we cry alone
We cry alone (x7)
Alone
The Beat Happening's song "Teenage Caveman" is a rock and roll anthem that celebrates the primal nature of youth culture. The opening lyrics, "Guitar starts spinning, rock and roll starts winning / We rise to the top, we're the cream of the crop," suggest a rebellious spirit and a desire to break free from mainstream culture. The band's raw and primitive sound further emphasizes this message, as if they are rejecting polished and over-produced music in favor of something more authentic.
The repeated chorus, "Teenage caveman, rock wood skin and bones / It's the cry of the wild, we cry alone / We cry alone," paints a picture of youthful angst and isolation. The image of a cave-dwelling youth, isolated from modern society, is a powerful metaphor for the experience of many teenagers who struggle to find a place in the world. The lyrics suggest that rock and roll music, by tapping into our primal nature, can help us to connect with our inner selves and express our emotions.
The second verse, with its references to barbed wire and a lack of hope, further emphasizes the sense of isolation and desperation that can be felt by young people. However, the chorus also suggests a sense of community, as if the experience of feeling like a "teenage caveman" is something that can be shared and celebrated by others who feel the same way.
Overall, "Teenage Caveman" is a powerful anthem that captures the rebellious spirit and inherent isolation of youth culture. It celebrates the raw and primal nature of rock and roll music, and suggests that through this music, we can find a sense of connection and community.
Line by Line Meaning
Guitar starts spinning, rock and roll starts winning
We begin playing music and it's becoming popular
We rise to the top, we're the cream of the crop
We've become successful and are considered the best
We make with the haircuts straight out of the past
Our hairstyles are old-fashioned
We blast first, we blast last
We're always the first and last to perform
Teenage caveman, rock wood skin and bones
We consider ourselves primitive and tough
It's the cry of the wild, we cry alone
Our music expresses our loneliness and wildness
We cry alone (x6)
We emphasize our loneliness by repeating this line multiple times
Got a strand of barbed wire twisted around my throat
I'm feeling suffocated and oppressed
Teenage caveman, blind and without any hope
We feel hopeless and lost
Let's get primitive right now, down with the rocks and the dirt
Let's embrace our primitive nature and play raw music
Let's bang our heads girl, trade spit 'til it hurts
Let's dance and get intimate to the point of discomfort
We cry alone (x7)
We repeat this line to emphasize our loneliness
Woke to the sound of an angel, rolling bones to the door
We woke up to beautiful music playing nearby
I can hear the flowers bloom, the gust of blood from the roar
We're experiencing intense feelings while listening to the music
Alone
This final word represents the overall theme of the song - loneliness
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.