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.
ON
Blake Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it makes a better song
Than you were off and I was on
Your twilight is my dawn
You take too long
I got off, but you go on
Call the nurse
Does it hurt to be young and beautiful, like Neil and Jennifer?
You're bitter and depressed
You're faking your own death
Another wasted breath on everything I said
It's better in a song
On
the surface, these lyrics seem to be about a failed relationship between the singer and their partner. The singer acknowledges that they never did anything wrong, but it would make for a more interesting story if they had. The line "Your twilight is my dawn" implies that while the relationship may be over for the other person, the singer sees it as the beginning of something new for themselves. The following lines seem to be directed towards the ex-partner, telling them that they take too long to move on and that the singer has already gotten over them. The line "Call the nurse, she can stick it in you" is metaphorical, suggesting that the ex-partner needs some sort of medical intervention to move on from the relationship.
The second half of the lyrics take a slightly more bitter tone. The singer questions whether it's difficult to be young and beautiful, like "Neil and Jennifer." It's unclear who these characters are, but it could be a reference to the constant pressure to maintain a perfect image in the music industry. The singer accuses their ex-partner of being bitter and depressed and faking their own death, suggesting that they're not handling the breakup well. The lyrics end with the statement that everything is better in a song, implying that the singer has found solace in music and that their emotions are better expressed through singing than in real life.
Line by Line Meaning
I never did you wrong
I did not treat you badly or wrongly in any way
But it makes a better song
However, the idea of having a wronged lover makes for a more interesting and captivating song
Than you were off and I was on
Than the fact that we were not on the same page, and our connection was not mutual
Your twilight is my dawn
The time when you are experiencing the closing of a chapter is the beginning of a new one for me
You take too long
You take too much time in the things you do or say
I got off, but you go on
I have moved on from our previous situation, but you have not
Call the nurse
You need medical attention
She can stick it in you
The nurse can administer treatment or medication to help you
Does it hurt to be young and beautiful, like Neil and Jennifer?
Is it difficult or painful to maintain one's youth and attractiveness, as people like Neil and Jennifer seem to do effortlessly?
You're bitter and depressed
You are feeling angry and sad
You're faking your own death
You are pretending to die or disappear from the situation
Another wasted breath on everything I said
I have said things that are not being listened to or taken seriously, resulting in further frustration
It's better in a song
The idea of heartbreak and drama is better suited for a song rather than living it in real life
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@curtismcneil8695
Love some Juliana Hatfield, While her time with the Blake Babies wasn't long they made some really interesting music that still is remember today in the Alternative world. Really cool song
@muirakitan
great song I love it
@T-on-the-Tube
Awesome! Brilliant song & band
@calowenby1654
Damn, she’s got cool eyes! Also, as someone who just saw this video for the first time, I have to say it feels like one of the most underrated and under-discussed music videos of all time.
@flip65515
Well, if you hadn't just heard it for the first time 7 months ago, you'd know that at that time it was not "underrated" NOR "underdiscussed". There was a big enough buzz going on with them in the late 80s/early 90s. But like most of the music on the college charts, it popped and fizzled
@herchelleonwood7463
you must be young, when this came out 89-90 it was very popular on mtv's 120 minutes,, which was the only access to alternative music for many of us,,
@hourslookingsideways7850
Stupid is a three syllable word in Juliana's lexicon. This whole album got me through my first years of college. This and Dinosaur Jr.
@b.felicisimo5937
Same.
@startervisions
Dino mi favorito
@lutfimakarim8258
Coincidentally, both band have songs titled Out There