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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Tiger Trap
Beat Happening Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a treasure hidden
I got a clue
On the trail of finding all about you
Ask for trouble
A piece of the puzzle
Then I saw you
Two hearts crash insides against
When the suffering does commence
Jolly Roger run up the mast
And the sentence of love is passed
What's forbidden
Has been boldly bitten
I found you
Bitter tasting core of the sweetest fruit
Confusion reigns supreme
When the promises are redeemed
Tender hook of the tiger trap
Lost on the edge of a treasure map
Cover the wicked days
With the scent of the sweet bouquet
The spoils of love renew
Still on the trail of finding all about you
Once forgiven
But never written
When I saw you (x12)
The lyrics of Beat Happening's song "Tiger Trap" are a story of forbidden love and the pursuit of discovering someone's true essence. The song starts with the idea that what is forbidden is always a treasure hidden, and the singer has a clue on the trail of finding all about this particular someone they are after. The singer asks for trouble, a piece of the puzzle, and when they do find the person, they realize there are so many locks and keys and chains that shield them.
As the two hearts crash insides against each other, the suffering commences, and a Jolly Roger runs up the mast as the sentence of love is passed. The forbidden nature of this love has been boldly bitten by the singer, and they find the bitter tasting core of the sweetest fruit. The promises are redeemed, and confusion reigns supreme as the tender hook of the tiger trap is lost on the edge of a treasure map. The wicked days are covered with the scent of a sweet bouquet, and the spoils of love renew. However, even after all this, the singer is still on the trail of finding all about the person they love.
In essence, "Tiger Trap" is a song that talks about the complexity of human emotions and relationships. It is a journey of self-discovery through the exploration of love, and the lyricist has beautifully captured the forbidden nature of this love.
Line by Line Meaning
What's forbidden
Something that is forbidden
Is a treasure hidden
Is something that someone desires but cannot have
I got a clue
I have an idea or insight
On the trail of finding all about you
Trying to understand and discover more about a person
Ask for trouble
Doing something that may lead to negative consequences
A piece of the puzzle
A small part of something larger or more complex
Then I saw you
Then I met or encountered you
So many locks and keys and chains shield you
You have defenses or barriers that protect you and prevent others from getting close
Two hearts crash insides against
Two people's emotions clash or collide
When the suffering does commence
When pain, hardship, or difficulty begins
Jolly Roger run up the mast
A pirate flag raised on a ship's mast as a symbol of aggression and danger
And the sentence of love is passed
A declaration or decision about love is made
What's forbidden
Something that is forbidden
Has been boldly bitten
Has been taken or experienced despite being forbidden
I found you
I discovered more about you
Bitter tasting core of the sweetest fruit
The part of something that appears good or desirable but is actually unpleasant or difficult
Confusion reigns supreme
A state of being perplexed and unsure
When the promises are redeemed
When the commitments made are fulfilled or kept
Tender hook of the tiger trap
A gentle but effective method of capturing someone's attention or interest
Lost on the edge of a treasure map
Uncertain or confused about the path to take in order to achieve a goal
Cover the wicked days
Mask or hide negative experiences or actions
With the scent of the sweet bouquet
Using something positive or pleasant to distract from or counteract something negative
The spoils of love renew
The rewards or benefits of love are felt and experienced again
Still on the trail of finding all about you
Continuing efforts to learn more and understand someone better
Once forgiven
Forgiven in the past
But never written
But not officially recorded or acknowledged
When I saw you (x12)
When I encountered you multiple times or repeatedly
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.