Earlier recordings consisted of a few psychedelic-era cover songs. At the time of the release of their album Breaking No New Ground, Rolling Stone compared them to Jefferson Airplane mainly due to their cover of Moody Blues signature song Ride My See-Saw as well as their cover of the Carole King composed song - made famous by the Monkees called The Porpoise Song. The ambitious duo also put their signature on Led Zeppelin songs like Dazed and Confused, sung in Mandarin and re-named Dazed and Chinese, as well as a more conventional cover of Zeppelin's Four Sticks. The band's style ultimately evolved into a more poppy, approach which according to Kramer, is why their album The Big Sell Out was named as such. The album still retained some of the band's earlier edge as well as retaining the surreal and wicked, often self-deprecating wit which had distinguished the group's earlier releases. Magnuson's performance art or spoken word "cut up's" (often taken from her dream journal excerpts) would become a integral part of Bongwater's sound. David Bowie was impressed by their humorous song David Bowie Wants Ideas and in a Rolling Stone interview jokingly called Magnuson "...a brilliant and very dangerous artist..."
They distinguished themselves as interpreters of songs by other artists, in particular of 1960s psychedelic rock songs, although they also covered occasional oddities like Bedazzled by Dudley Moore and Rock and Roll, Part II in which Ann Magnuson added a stream of consciousness performance art piece with hilarious lyrics making fun of Paul Newman's Own food products. They also covered Kisses Sweeter than Wine by The Weavers which had also been covered and made popular by Johnny Cash . Bongwater also covered The 13th Floor Elevators You Don't Love Me Yet. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine was tributed to Magnuson's deceased brother, Bobby, and others lost to AIDS which she mentions in the song. Bongwater also covered the classic Buffalo Springfield/Neil Young penned song Mr. Soul on the early 90s tribute album to Neil Young called "The Bridge." They also put their unique stamp on The Beatles song Julia.
The group created a number of arty low budget home movie-style music videos, three being directed by Magnuson's then-boyfriend, Brad Dunning. The video for "The Power of Pussy" which was more slick and polished, was financed by and aired on the Playboy Channel.
Bongwater had two college radio hits, "The Power of Pussy" and the marathon-length "Folk Song". Artistic differences, ego and Magnuson's lawsuit over profits caused the group and the eventual destruction of the true "indie" Shimmy Disc record label "... to shatter into a million pieces..." as Kramer wrote in the liner notes in the "Box of Bongwater" collection and elsewhere.
The Real Thing
Bongwater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like our first color TV
I'd rather see The Real Thing
I'd rather be The Real Thing
Than what they call The Real Thing
Juju jive turkey, set me free.
Juju jive turkey, let it be.
Juju jive turkey, hers and his.
Oh, ye of the big time,
Get thee behind, get thee to a go-go
Shake your booty, tell me what you find.
He was a hero, now he's a loser.
But I love him all the same.
Welcome to the city of the golden calf
Stay for a day, it's good for a laugh.
Bow down and milk the silver giraffe.
Forget how to see, forget how to hear.
Smell the poppies, respect from your peers.
I wan't the real thing, not the movie.
I want the real thing, feeling groovy.
Welcome to the plan for a new world order.
Monday ain't happy, no change for a quarter.
You were big then, now you're shorter.
Smell the California poppy,
Juju jive turkey.
The lyrics to Bongwater's song The Real Thing invoke a sense of disillusionment with popular culture and a longing for authenticity. The opening lines describe cheerleaders 'up in trees', a hyperbolic image that highlights the absurdity of modern life. The reference to the first color TV is significant because it represents the beginning of the media-driven culture that many find unsatisfying. The singer of the song declares that they would rather experience the 'real thing', a concept that is mysterious and undefined but strongly desired. The irony is that the real thing is something that cannot be manufactured or commodified, yet it is constantly being marketed and sold to us.
The chorus of the song, with its repeated invocation of 'juju jive turkey', adds to the sense of longing and dissatisfaction. The phrase 'set me free' suggests that the singer feels trapped or constrained by societal norms and expectations. This is reinforced with the line 'get thee to a go-go', which speaks to the emptiness of the entertainment industry. The reference to the 'city of the golden calf' creates a religious analogy, with the worship of material goods replacing the worship of a higher power. The line 'smell the poppies' also has a double meaning, both referencing opium use as a form of escape and the California state flower as a symbol of the shallow culture of the West Coast.
Overall, The Real Thing is a critique of consumer culture and a yearning for something more authentic and meaningful. The use of surreal imagery and unexpected juxtapositions creates a sense of unease that reflects the underlying disillusionment of the singer. The repeated use of the phrase 'juju jive turkey' adds a sense of whimsy and humor to the song, but also highlights the absurdity of the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Cheerleaders up in trees
The world is upside down, nothing is as it seems - even cheerleaders are in trees.
Like our first color TV
This world is surreal and strange, like seeing color TV for the first time.
I'd rather see The Real Thing
The singer wants to experience something authentic and genuine.
I'd rather be The Real Thing
The artist wants to be true to themselves and not fake or phony.
Than what they call The Real Thing
The artist is skeptical of what society labels as real or authentic.
Juju jive turkey, set me free.
The singer wants to break free of societal norms and expectations.
Juju jive turkey, let it be.
The singer wants to live life freely without rules or constraints.
Juju jive turkey, tell it like it is.
The artist wants others to be honest and upfront instead of sugar-coating things.
Juju jive turkey, hers and his.
Everyone should be able to express themselves and be who they truly are.
Oh, ye of the big time,
Addressing those in power and the upper class.
Get thee behind, get thee to a go-go
The singer is telling the elite to move out of the way and let others enjoy life.
Shake your booty, tell me what you find.
Let loose and have fun, discover who you truly are.
He was a hero, now he's a loser.
People's perceptions of others are fickle and can quickly change.
But I love him all the same.
Despite flaws and misfortunes, love and acceptance should prevail.
Welcome to the city of the golden calf
People are worshipping materialism and money.
Stay for a day, it's good for a laugh.
The absurdity of it all is ridiculous.
Bow down and milk the silver giraffe.
Even more absurdity, with people worshipping a made-up object for personal gain.
Forget how to see, forget how to hear.
People are blinded and deafened by society and its expectations.
Smell the poppies, respect from your peers.
Society values conformity and obedience, but the singer encourages people to do what makes them happy.
I want the real thing, not the movie.
The superficiality of media and society is unappealing to the artist.
I want the real thing, feeling groovy.
The artist wants to experience the genuine, authentic parts of life that bring happiness.
Welcome to the plan for a new world order.
A warning about controlling governments and powers taking over society.
Monday ain't happy, no change for a quarter.
The monotony of working life is not fulfilling and needs to change.
You were big then, now you're shorter.
A reminder that life can quickly change and people shouldn't get too comfortable or arrogant.
Smell the California poppy,
A call to enjoy the simple, beautiful things in life.
Juju jive turkey.
A repeated chant for breaking free and living authentically.
Contributed by Harper N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bob Shop
on Folk Song
It’s Tina Chow, not Tina Child. Ex-wife of restaurateur Michael Chow of NYC hotspot, Mr. Chow and mother of actress/model China Chow. Tina Chow contracted AIDS and pursued alternative medicines at a time when the virus was a certain death sentence. Hence the 12 grand crystal and wheat grass juice. “Hello Death” is less a reference towards Ann Magnuson own mortality than Death becoming a constant companion as AIDS tools dozens of her friends.
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
And feed little Dorean with a tin
And feed little Doreen from a tin
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
Then I start to think
Then I start to freak
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
Dorean was born in 1971, and she is half-black. Mulatto
Doreen was born in 1971, and she is half-black. mulatta
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
With their ornate, ivory handles and witching middle-eastern vibes.
With their ornate, ivory handles and witchy, middle-eastern vibes.
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
It′s a little girl, and her name is Dorean
It′s a little girl, and her name is Doreen
Mert Turner
on Then the Babies Return
My old boyfriend Peter appears, and hits me up for a (?)
My old boyfriend Peter appears, and hits me up for a C note.
C note is slang for $100.