Big Head Todd and The Monsters – singer-guitarist Todd Park Mohr, bassist-singer Rob Squires, drummer-singer Brian Nevin and keyboardist-guitarist-singer Jeremy Lawton -- could have begun resting on their laurels back in 1993, when their Top 10 singles “Bittersweet,” “Broken Hearted Savior,” “Circle” and “It’s Alright” pushed the album Sister Sweetly to platinum certification. However, Mohr says, “I’ve fought throughout our career not to be a one-trick pony, to be the kind of band that has depth and diversity in its catalogue. I’m a fan of this band, and I’m constantly looking forward to what comes next.”
The essence of Big Head Todd and The Monsters – a rootsy, emotionally direct variety of rock ’n’ roll that lends itself particularly well to a live setting – has been winning fans since Mohr, Rob Squires and Brian Nevin started playing together in high school (Jeremy Lawton joined in 2004). Needless to say, the three never expected to be in the same band at this late date, but, as Mohr points out, “It was a really fortunate combination of musical personalities, and we’re still partners in every sense of the word.”
The band spent seven years developing their chemistry and amassing a following, boosted significantly by the independent releases Another Mayberry (1989) and Midnight Radio (1990), before being “discovered” by the listening public at large with 1993’s Sister Sweetly. After a major-label stint (Sister Sweetly, 1994’s Stratagem, 1997’s Beautiful World), during which the trio increasingly found itself frustrated artistically, they reclaimed their independent status (2001’s Riviera, 2004’s Crimes of Passion). “If it were not for our ability to do things for ourselves, we would have disappeared a long time ago,” Mohr allows.
Black Beehive
Big Head Todd and the Monsters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She could not keep control
Of her broken-hearted soul
And the reckless way she go
Shaking that gutter tambourine
And a 57 microphone
Black beehive, tattooed arms
Red flower in her hair
Tragic twenty-seven she rolls like
Janis and Jimi running down drinks
Black beehive I miss you so
Sassy as any supreme, her eyes as black as coal
Walked away and the sun went down
Singin' that soul song till no one's around
Back to black was
Her kind of rhythm and blues
Fade out to black was
Her kind of rhythm and blues
Lay your lamp down low
Suicide doors on that Lincoln
Take in that final drag, well
You're so intoxicating
And the evening's afterglow
Turns into a bad hangover
Black beehive
Ten thousand demons
You cheated yourself but you had your reasons
Back to black was
Her kind of rhythm and blues
Fade out to black was
Her kind of rhythm and blues
Back to black
She had nothing but the whole world to lose
Fade out to black was
Her kind of rhythm and blues
The song “Black Beehive” by Big Head Todd and the Monsters paints a picture of a young woman who is struggling with her emotions and inner demons. The lyrics suggest that she is only twenty-seven years old, yet she is unable to keep control of her broken-hearted soul, causing her to go down a reckless path. The phrase “black beehive” is a metaphor that describes how this woman puts on a tough front, but inside, she is hurting. She wears a black beehive hairdo, has tattooed arms, and sings soulful songs with a 57 microphone. The Red flower in her hair suggests that she is still beautiful despite her sadness.
The song uses references to Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, implying that the woman is living a lifestyle similar to theirs- running down drinks and possibly drugs. The line “Black beehive, I miss you so” is a haunting tribute to this troubled young woman. The song is a tribute to Janis and Jimi, as it seems to mourn the loss of talent gone too soon.
Overall, “Black Beehive” is a melancholy song about a tragic young woman's life. The song speaks to the brokenhearted and the disillusioned people who find solace in music. It tells the story of how music can make someone feel alive, but their reckless behavior can have dire consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty-seven years old
The woman in the song is only 27 years old.
She could not keep control
The woman has lost control of her life.
Of her broken-hearted soul
She is heartbroken.
And the reckless way she go
She is living a reckless lifestyle.
Shaking that gutter tambourine
She is playing a tambourine that looks like it has been through tough times.
And a 57 microphone
She's singing into a vintage microphone.
Black beehive, tattooed arms
Her hair is in a black beehive and her arms are covered in tattoos.
Singing that soul song can't go on
She is singing a soulful song that she can't continue to perform.
Red flower in her hair
She has a red flower in her hair.
Tragic twenty-seven she rolls like
She's living like a tragic character.
Janis and Jimi running down drinks
She's drinking heavily, like legendary rock stars Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
Black beehive I miss you so
The black beehive hairdo is missed.
Sassy as any supreme, her eyes as black as coal
She's sassy and her eyes are very dark.
Walked away and the sun went down
She left and the mood changed significantly.
Singin' that soul song till no one's around
Even when no one is listening, she continues to sing soulful songs.
Back to black was
She prefers darkness in her music.
Her kind of rhythm and blues
That's the type of music that appeals to her.
Fade out to black was
The music that she listens to often ends abruptly.
Lay your lamp down low
Someone is being asked to lower their lamp.
Suicide doors on that Lincoln
The car being mentioned is a classic Lincoln with suicide doors.
Take in that final drag, well
Someone is taking their last hit of something (potentially a cigarette or marijuana).
You're so intoxicating
The person being addressed is very attractive.
And the evening's afterglow
The aftermath of the day's events is being referenced.
Turns into a bad hangover
The aftermath of the day's events leads to a negative experience the following day.
Black beehive
The black beehive hairstyle is mentioned again.
Ten thousand demons
There are many ghosts (metaphor for problems) haunting the person.
You cheated yourself but you had your reasons
The person cheated themselves of something but had reasons for it.
She had nothing but the whole world to lose
The woman had everything to lose.
Fade out to black was
A musical end to the song is referenced again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TODD PARK MOHR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind