The name "Blake Babies" was provided by the poet Allen Ginsberg; following a reading at Harvard University, the group (which had just begun to play together) raised their hands and asked him to name their band. Ginsberg's suggestion was likely inspired by the first half of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. The name proved quite apt in regard to what was perhaps the group's most distinctive aspect: the juxtaposition of Hatfield's pure, somewhat thin and childlike (yet forceful) vocal quality with often surprisingly acerbic lyrics.
Musically, the Blake Babies' songs are highly melodic, with instruments supporting rather than covering vocals; in this way, their music falls somewhere between pop and rock and could be described as "power pop". Songs are generally upbeat and the group's work features both female (Hatfield) and male (Strohm) vocals, often together in harmony or in octaves. Strohm's intricate guitar picking style and preference for a "clean" (as opposed to distorted) guitar tone owes much to R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, although Neil Young and punk rock are other important influences. Close listening shows that Hatfield's bass playing is particularly expressive, using octaves and sliding tones to create melodies as well as anchoring bass lines. Songs are carefully constructed, with sophisticated harmonic and dynamic shifts showing the results of the band members' training at the Berklee School of Music.
The Blake Babies toured the United States and Europe, eventually achieving a moderate amount of notice, particularly among listeners of college age who were appreciative of the group's "intelligent" brand of rock music. The band's music (released on the independent North Carolina-based record label Mammoth Records) received little airplay on commercial radio, instead being played primarily on college radio stations.
The group formally disbanded in 1991 but reunited briefly in late 1999, performing a few shows in 1999 and 2000 and embarking on one last U.S. tour in 2001.
Following the band's breakup, Hatfield went on to fame as a solo artist, and Strohm and Love continued to perform together in the Indiana-based group Antenna. Hatfield and Love have since worked together in the band Some Girls along with fellow musician Heidi Gluck.
Disappear
Blake Babies Lyrics
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It only makes me feel ashamed of those wasted days
And when I see his face I wish that I could make him disappear
My guitar was getting trashed so I made him give it back
Now he won't let up, saying I took his stuff
I wish that he would just disappear
You can't say I'm anti-everything
He's been talking to my friends
I hope they don't invite him in again
What I wouldn't do: go back to '92 and erase the moment I met you
And make you disappear
The lyrics of Blake Babies' song Disappear convey a sense of rejection towards a former lover. The singer expresses their disapproval of this person, stating that hearing their name or seeing their face only brings up feelings of shame and regret. The relationship appears to have been a waste of time, and the singer wishes they could erase that person from their history entirely. Additionally, there is a sense of anger towards the former lover, as they have apparently caused damage to the singer's guitar and are making false accusations about the singer stealing their possessions.
The singer also expresses their frustration towards the former lover's entitlement - the idea that they believe that the world owes them something. There is a sense that this person is difficult to get rid of, as they are now talking to the singer's friends and causing further discomfort. The final lines of the song express a desire to erase the moment that the singer met the former lover, indicating that the relationship brought nothing but pain and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to hear his name
The mention of him brings back memories of wasted time and shame, so I prefer not to hear it.
It only makes me feel ashamed of those wasted days
Referring to him brings up memories of time spent together that was ultimately unfulfilling, which is unpleasant and embarrassing.
And when I see his face I wish that I could make him disappear
Being reminded of him in any way is so unpleasant that I desperately wish I could make him cease to exist in those moments.
My guitar was getting trashed so I made him give it back
He was mistreating my guitar, so I demanded its return and reclaimed it from him.
Now he won't let up, saying I took his stuff
He's not letting go of the issue and making false accusations against me for taking his belongings.
I wish that he would just disappear
His presence and ongoing trouble-making is so undesirable that I would prefer it if he were to simply vanish from my life.
You can't say I'm anti-everything
Even though I'm taking a strong stance against him, it doesn't mean that I'm generally against everything or have a negative attitude towards everything else.
I just don't think the whole world owes him something
I don't think that he's entitled to a certain response or treatment from the world just because of who he is, or what he does or has done.
He's been talking to my friends
He's been communicating with people who are close to me, such as mutual friends or acquaintances.
I hope they don't invite him in again
I prefer for my friends to not give him access to my personal circles, as I want to distance myself from him.
What I wouldn't do: go back to '92 and erase the moment I met you
I have so much regret over meeting him that I would do almost anything to go back in time and undo it.
And make you disappear
In an ideal world, he would never have been a part of my life to begin with, and I wish he could simply vanish from my existence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN P. STROHM, JULIANA HATFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ednei Rodrigues
Love this one!
C.F. Cessna
the guitar tone here is just fucking perfect. :,)
brad lewis
This is REALLY good and just found it! It really doesn't surprise me,Juliana is an awesome,free spirited artist.And to think she NEEDED Evan Dando to "hold her up"was a preconcieved idea I had conjured in my own ,wierd mind. She does just fine as a stand alone! Well done,hun!!!!!!!
Wout Vl
Her voice (and the overall sound of the song) really reminds me of Kay Hanley + Letters To Cleo in this one.
Mike F
This song never got the audience it deserved. Still listening in 2022.