Beck was born in Los Angeles, California, to David Campbell (a musician and son of a Presbyterian minister) and Bibbe Hansen (a former dancer for The Velvet Underground, founding member of the satirical band Black Fag, and visual artist). When his parents separated, Beck stayed with his mother and brother in Los Angeles, where he was influenced by that city's diverse musical offerings—everything from hip-hop to latin music—and his mother's art scene – all of which would later reappear in his recorded and published work.
Although Beck's work defies easy description, his eclecticism and genre experiments have sparked comparisons with Prince, though Beck was undoubtedly a less prolific artist, and drew on an absurdist, free-flowing lyrical style totally original when first exposed to mainstream audiences (indeed, some critics labeled him and his breakthrough single Loser as novelties - see below). Despite this individualism, Beck's music was very much a product of the 90s and the media age in general, with hip hop, indie/underground rock, electronic music and genre-benders like the Beastie Boys as notable touchstones; in addition, some critics could not resist likening his head-spinning lyrical aesthetic to a post-modern Bob Dylan sensibility.
After dropping out of high school in the mid-1980s, Beck educated himself and traveled widely. In Germany, he spent time with his grandfather, fluxus artist Al Hansen. His artistic relationship with his grandfather may have influenced both his album art and sense of musical collage. He began the musical activity in 1988. The late-80's found him in New York City as part of the punk-influenced anti-folk music movement.
Beck returned to Los Angeles at the turn of the decade, destitute but motivated. During this time, Beck sought out (or snuck onto) stages at venues all over Los Angeles, from punk clubs to coffee shops. Some of his earliest and most thought-provoking recordings were achieved by working with Tom Grimley at Poop Alley Studios, a part of WIN Records.
In this atmosphere of heady creativity the founders of Bong Load Custom Records discovered Beck. Their 1993 12" vinyl Loser, from an initial run of 530 copies, created a sensation on college and alternative radio that led to a furious bidding war between labels to sign Beck. Eventually, he chose Geffen Records, who offered him terms that included an allowance for the release of independent albums while under contract (he may have owed Bong Load another album or two).
In 1994, Geffen's official debut release of Mellow Gold made Beck a mainstream smash success; it also led to his iconic status as the "slacker" representative of the alternative rock scene, although the title of the song had been ironic.
At the same time, he released Stereopathetic Soulmanure on Flipside Records and One Foot in the Grave on independent K Records. Beck took his act on the road with the 1995 Lollapalooza tour. Still, some critics panned him as a one-hit wonder. Audiences' (especially at Lollapalooza) familiarity with Loser only, and their general disinterest in his other work only reinforced his image as a one-hit wonder. It's been said said that Beck released Stereopathetic Soulmanure and One Foot in the Grave to shake the Gen X-ers that associated themselves with him and made "Loser" their slacker anthem.
The one-hit wonder label was put to rest with the release of 1996's Odelay, a collaborative effort with The Dust Brothers, producers of Paul's Boutique. The lead single, "Where It's At", received heavy airplay and its video was in constant rotation on MTV. Within the year, Odelay had received perfect reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin magazines, having been listed on countless "Best of" lists (it topped the Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 'Album of the Year'), receiving double-platinum status, and earning an impressive number of industry awards, including two Grammys.
Odelay was followed in 1998 by Mutations. Produced by Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame, it was intended as a stopgap measure before the next album proper. Recorded over two weeks, during which Beck recorded one song a day, the sessions produced 14 songs. Mutations was a departure from the electronic density of Odelay, and was filled with folk and blues influences. Songs on the album consisted of older tracks, some even dating back as far as 1994.
In 1999, Geffen released the much-anticipated Midnite Vultures, an orgy of sexual and culinary innuendo supported by a world tour. For Beck, it was a return to the high-energy performances that had been his trademark as far back as Lollapalooza.
After Midnite Vultures came Sea Change in 2002, another airy and emotional album with producer Nigel Godrich, which became Beck's first U.S. Top 10 album, reaching # 8. Sea Change was conceptualized as an album with one unifying theme—the stages following the end of a relationship. The album also featured string arrangements by Beck's father and a sonically dense mix reminiscient of Mutations. The Sea Change tour featured The Flaming Lips as Beck's opening and backing band.
In September 2003, Beck returned to the studio to work on his sixth major-label album. Guero was produced by the Dust Brothers and Tony Hoffer and features a collaboration with Jack White of The White Stripes; it marked a return to Odelay-era sound. The album was released in March of 2005 and despite critical acclaim, the album received a more lackluster response from Beck's indie-oriented fanbase.
Beck married Marissa Ribisi in April 2004, shortly before the birth of their son, Cosimo Henri Hansen. 2004 also saw the release of "10 Years of Mellow Gold," a short documentary about Beck's first album.
Beck's next album, The Information was released on October 3, 2006. It is a largely electronic and ambient, filled with blips and beeps. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, who worked on "Sea Change" and a longtime Radiohead and Thom Yorke producer. The first single was Nausea, an acoustic rock hip hop song. The next single was Cellphone's Dead, and the third single was Think I'm In Love.
His next single, Timebomb, was released on iTunes on August 21, 2007, and the limited edition vinyl 12" was released on November 2, 2007, with an instrumental version of the song on the B-side. In December, 2007, it was announced that Timebomb had been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.
Modern Guilt was the eighth studio album by Beck. It was released on July 8, 2008. The album fulfilled Beck's recording contract with Interscope Records. Outside of North America, the record was released by XL Recordings. Its three singles were Chemtrails, Gamma Ray, and Youthless.
Modern Guilt features two contributions by Cat Power and was produced by Beck and Danger Mouse.
The album entered both the Billboard 200 and the Canadian Albums Chart at number four, and gave Beck his first ever Top 10 placing on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number nine. The album has also been Beck's best charting album in Australia, reaching 13. It sold 84,000 copies in its first week. Although successful, this does not match the first week sales of The Information, which were 99,000. In December 2008, Modern Guilt was nominated for Best Alternative Album at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Song Reader, a project Beck released in December 2012, is 20 songs presented only as sheet music, in the hopes that enterprising musicians will record their own versions. The idea of Song Reader came about nearly fifteen years prior, shortly after the release of Odelay. When sent a book of transcribed sheet music for that album, Beck decided to play through it and grew interested in the world before recorded sound. He aimed to keep the arrangements as open as possible, to re-create the simplicity of the standards, and became preoccupied with creating only pieces that could fit within the Great American Songbook. In 2013 Beck began playing special Song Reader concerts with a variety of guests and announced he was working on a record of Song Reader material with other musicians as well as possibly a compilation of fan versions.
In the summer of 2013, Beck was reported to be working on two new studio albums: one a more self-contained acoustic disc in the vein of One Foot in the Grave and another described as a "proper follow-up" to Modern Guilt. Beck expects to release both albums independently. He released two standalone singles over the course of the summer: the electro ballad Defriended and the chorus-heavy I Won't Be Long. A third single, Gimme, appeared on September 17.
In October 2013, it was announced that Beck signed to Capitol Records. Beck released his twelfth studio album entitled Morning Phase on 21 February 2014. For the recording of Morning Phase, Beck reunited with many of the same musicians with whom he had worked on the critically acclaimed 2002 album Sea Change. On January 20, 2014, the album's first single Blue Moon was released. Beck released the second single, Waking Light, on February 4, 2014.
4 years later, on October 13th, 2017, Beck released the second album that was supposed to come out alongside Morning Phase. This album was called Colors. Colors is very different from Beck's previous albums, in which he takes a stab at pop music. Beck's expertise, mixing genres, works in this album when he mixes Alternative Rock, hip hop, and a lot of Pop. The album's earliest single, "Dreams", was released in June 2015, and three more ("Wow", "Dear Life", "Up All Night") were released between June 2016 and September 2017. The title track was released as a single in April 2018. The album won the Best Alternative Music Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classic) at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
After a short wait, Beck released Hyperspace on November 22, 2019. There was little marketing for this album. The whole album is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams, as he produced almost every song on the album. The album's first single was "Saw Lightning" released on April 15, 2019, and had a folk-pop sound to it. It doesn't fit with the rest of the album's synth lo-fi sound. Other singles were "Hyperlife" and "Uneventful Days" on October 17, 2019, and "Dark Places" on November 7, 2019.
2) BECK can refer to a fictional rock band from the Japanese Anime series BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad. The fictional BECK's songs feature in the BECK Original Sound Track. BECK's style and members are highly influenced by various different artists. From vocals in the style of Zack De La Rocha from Rage Against the Machine, guitar influenced by Tom Morello of the same band, the band is highly influenced by rap-rock.
As the series develops, other influence appear, including guitar in the style of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, and Red Hot Chili Peppers John Frusciante. During the series, the band covers a famous The Beatles song, 'I've got a Feeling'. The name BECK could have possibly been influenced by the first artist Beck, mentioned above. Harold Sakushi, the original author of the series, has confirmed that BECK is generally based around the Red Hot Chili Peppers, being his favourite band.
Cold Ass Fashion
Beck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fly like the eagle
Fly
Squeegee
Ah, you got it
When we get down to the shrink-wrap on my grave
You know the nitty-gritty never looked so safe
Like a cold-ass lover with the buckskin
Get the squeegee and it's easy to be me
Clean my boots and i'm still feelin' homeless
Your brother is deader than a phone machine
With a bucket of green piss
And i'm tryin' not to look at satan making love to a dishrag
So load up the gimmick wagon, get out of town
Do me a favor, don't stick around
'cause my kneecaps are turnin' slightly brown
Let's be doin' it right
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
And the people don't breathe
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
Steppin' in the beefsteak
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
And the mayonnaise comes
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
Black twinkie
Gettin' all caught up in a taste test
An' it all basically tastes like crap
I can shake my own hand, give myself a grin
I can pick my own nose and put it back in
I can squeeze the breeze, drink a bottle of lice
Smoke a pack of whiskey with jesus christ
I got options, i got cop shows, i get nauseous
And the sweat is day-glo
Went to sleep, woke up in a coffin
Took out my eyeballs an' put 'em in a condom
Your daddy's got laxatives on his brain
Gettin' sappy in the back of a train
Mojo weedwhacker cuttin' yer space
Hot dogs rottin' in the bottom of a suitcase
And your mouth, it smells like hair gel
I love you but you don't know how to spell
Where can you duck when they shoot you full of pigeon holes
And there ain't nothin' like the real artificial
O.g. -- original glue-sniffer
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
And the people don't breathe
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
As you're biting my sandwich
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
Smear me sauce ?
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
? donut ?
Uh, wait...
Talkin' about a cold ass fashion [x16]
[the following four lines are spoken at various times over the
Above:]
Cold ass fashion, cold ass fashion, squeegee, i just took some acid (?)
[backwards:] [???] up your ass
[backwards:] [???] hot dog
It's like forty pounds of avocado sauce
Smeared across your boss
You know what i'm sayin'?
You dunno when it's comin'
You know, it's like forty-five horses
Runnin' through the graveyard
In yellow panties
That is cold fashion
The song "In A Cold Ass Fashion" by Beck is a post-modern, stream-of-consciousness technique where the lyrics are free association instead of a rational, linear thread of thoughts. The song is a metaphor for the state of the world that is fast, chaotic, and full of information overload. The opening line, "Fly like the eagle" is a reference to the American eagle, but it also signifies freedom, independence, and the ability to rise above things. Then, the singer switches gear and says, "Squeegee," which is an everyday item used to clean windows or wipe surfaces. This contrast goes on to highlight how the mundane coexists with the grandeur in a fragmented, modern world.
The song continues with images that are random, eccentric, and fascinating. For instance, when the singer says, "Your brother is deader than a phone machine with a bucket of green piss," he's subtly expressing his distrust and dislike for technology. The song's theme revolves around the idea that humanity has hit a wall where there's no distinction between what's beautiful or ugly, glorious, or hopeless. It's a world of absurdity, where experiences are visceral and confusing, and the only objective is to survive by adapting to everything.
Line by Line Meaning
Fly like the eagle
Soar high and free
Squeegee
Cleaning away the dirt
Ah, you got it
Understanding the message
When we get down to the shrink-wrap on my grave
When life comes to an end
You know the nitty-gritty never looked so safe
The details are scary, but facing them is comforting
You get whipflash under the bridge
Sudden realization, under a bridge
Like a cold-ass lover with the buckskin
Unemotional and distant
Get the squeegee and it's easy to be me
Removing flaws makes life easy
Clean my boots and i'm still feelin' homeless
An experience can't be erased
Your brother is deader than a phone machine
Someone or something is dead and useless
With a bucket of green piss
Disgustingly unpleasant
And i'm tryin' not to look at satan making love to a dishrag
Avoiding things that are morally repulsive
So load up the gimmick wagon, get out of town
Leave and take your tricks with you
Do me a favor, don't stick around
A request to leave
'cause my kneecaps are turnin' slightly brown
An unusual and humorous way of saying things are going wrong
Let's be doin' it right
Doing things properly
Comin' down in a cold ass fashion
Descending in a unfeeling and unpleasant way
And the people don't breathe
No life or excitement around
Steppin' in the beefsteak
Making a mess or getting into trouble
And the mayonnaise comes
An unexpected surprise
Black twinkie
An unusual and dark surprise
Gettin' all caught up in a taste test
Getting lost in something pointless
An' it all basically tastes like crap
Everything seems unpleasant and pointless
I can shake my own hand, give myself a grin
Self-sufficient and confident
I can pick my own nose and put it back in
Childish behavior without consequences
I can squeeze the breeze, drink a bottle of lice
Be weird, doesn't matter
Smoke a pack of whiskey with jesus christ
An imaginary or surreal experience
I got options, i got cop shows, i get nauseous
Choices are overwhelming and unpleasant
And the sweat is day-glo
Sweating heavily in an unnatural way
Went to sleep, woke up in a coffin
An unpleasant surprise or turn of events
Took out my eyeballs an' put 'em in a condom
An unusual and grotesque action
Your daddy's got laxatives on his brain
Someone is acting foolish or crazy
Gettin' sappy in the back of a train
Being sentimental and useless
Mojo weedwhacker cuttin' yer space
Something ruining your space or mood
Hot dogs rottin' in the bottom of a suitcase
An unpleasant smell or sight
And your mouth, it smells like hair gel
An unpleasant scent or feature
I love you but you don't know how to spell
Expressing love in a joking or sarcastic way
Where can you duck when they shoot you full of pigeon holes
Nowhere to hide or avoid being labeled
And there ain't nothin' like the real artificial
The contradiction and false reality of modern life
O.g. -- original glue-sniffer
An ironic label or self-description
As you're biting my sandwich
Someone taking what you have without asking
Smear me sauce ?
An unclear and humorous phrase
? donut ?
An unclear and humorous phrase
Uh, wait...
A pause or break in the narrative
Talkin' about a cold ass fashion [x16]
The repeated refrain and theme of the song
Cold ass fashion, cold ass fashion, squeegee, i just took some acid (?), backwards...) [???] up your ass, [???] hot dog
A nonsensical and humorous string of words and phrases
It's like forty pounds of avocado sauce
An unusual and funny comparison
Smeared across your boss
A humorous image of something unpleasant
You know what i'm sayin'?
Asking if you understand the humor
You dunno when it's comin'
Can't predict the unpredictable
You know, it's like forty-five horses
Another unusual and funny comparison
Runnin' through the graveyard
A spooky and entertaining image
In yellow panties
A humorous and playful element added to the image
That is cold fashion
Reiterating the theme of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BECK HANSEN, CARL STEPHENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nick R
awesome, i've always loved this track. some of his best lyrics ever! "i can shake my own hand, give myself a grin, i can pick my own nose and put it back in.."
Acorn Donaghy
Sweetness! Thanks for posting this. I freakin' love this song. Can't listen to it on my mp3 player in public anymore, as I tend to burst out into a fit of giggles when it comes on. I always seem to lose it at the "trying not to look at satan making love to a dishrag" line. Thank god for Beck; without him, music wouldn't be as interesting as it is.
LikeA PinkMonkeyBird
The bass-lines in all his work is totally BADASS!
Douglas Adams
Beck nails it 100% of the time! My new favorite is this one!
Chancellor
This has always been my favorite beck song
Randi Warhol
i love this song! i only have it on cassette. thanks for making it more accessible!
james deroc
self depreciating rap . with banjo break . . . ..love it
james cook
One day in the late 90s a girl who worked at the House of Guitars in Rochester, whom my 16-year old self had a major crush on, passed me a Beck mixtape with this and a truckload of other rare tracks (Whimsical Actress, the Loser-single version of Soul Suckin' Jerk) and it was a good day, except this mixtape got thieved and I've been vaguely remembering this song for years. Until just finding it. It's everything I remember and more.
faintmelody
Beck is just brilliant.
GavinDownsMusic
I soiled myself when I first heard this; it's hilarious. Thanks for putting it up.