Lead guitarist Pat Place and vocalist Cynthia Sley produced the most distinctive aspects of the Tetras sound. Place's guitar lines were rhythmic and distortion-filled. She had been the original guitarist and one of the founding members of the No Wave band The Contortions. With the Bush Tetras, Pat continued to pursue some of the musical ideas she had explored in that band, although her distinctive slide guitar is absent from many of the Tetras songs. Sley's vocals were half-spoken, half-sung. In songs like "Too Many Creeps" and "Can't Be Funky," she repeated simple phrases over and over again, creating a hypnotic monotony similar to Place's guitar rhythms.
Place appeared in some of Vivienne Dick's movies co-starring with Lydia Lunch and other musicians from New York's thriving, late-1970s and early-1980s music community, an off-shoot of No Wave. These appearances contributed to the band's prominent position in downtown New York in the early 1980. At present there has been a resurgence of interest in this period, and the band's influence can be heard in many younger bands.
After breaking up in 1983, The Bush Tetras briefly reformed in the late 1990s. Beginning in 2005, they again began performing in New York City and in the summer of 2006 in Europe.
Jaws
Bush Tetras Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miscellaneous
Young Country (Bush/Frist Campaign)
This is Bush country
cause we’ve got our pride
Yes the sons and the daughters
on America’s side
Our hair is not orange
But we know how to have fun
and we know wrong from right
We like old Andy Jackson
and Fred and Bill too
We love Sergeant York
just to name a few
We’re the Volunteer state
and of that we’re proud
And we’ll make a stand
for Freedom again now
This is Bush / Cheney country
cause we’ve got our pride
And we don’t believe
in more Taxes and lies
Get out of our schools
Big Government leave us alone
And with George W. president
take your OWN money home!
We’re the home of old Elvis
Grand Ole Opry too
The Tennessee Titans
will rock and roll you
Ol’ Gore is from D.C.
he’s deserted us all
For his Hollywood friends
he’ll need 'em this fall
Cause this is Bush / Cheney country
we don’t sell out our pride
And we don’t believe
in more taxes and lies
Get out of our schools
Big government leave us alone
And with George W. president
take your own money home
Old Hank would be proud
and I sure am too
And we trust our country
in the hands of George W.
The lyrics to Bush Tetras' song "Jaws" are in reference to the movie Jaws and highlight the fear and anxiety that comes with the predatory nature of man. The lyrics describe how people are scared of the dark and of the unknown abyss that lies beneath the surface. It speaks of how human beings are both fascinated and terrified by predators, whether it's the great white shark in Jaws or the human predator lurking around the corner.
The song essentially explores the dangers of fear and how it can lead to a sense of paranoia and irrational fear. The lyrics highlight the need for people to confront their fears and overcome them, rather than letting their fears control them. The song, therefore, serves as a commentary on human nature and the need for people to face their fears head-on.
Overall, the lyrics to "Jaws" are a powerful representation of human nature and the power of fear. It reminds us that fear can be a force for good, but it can also be incredibly destructive. It shows us the importance of confronting our fears and not letting them control us.
Line by Line Meaning
This is Bush country
We support George W. Bush and his ideologies.
cause we’ve got our pride
We are proud of what we stand for and support.
Yes the sons and the daughters
All of us, young and old, support Bush and his campaign.
on America’s side
We are patriotic and fully support America.
Our hair is not orange
We don't follow the grunge or punk trend.
we don’t wear chains and spikes
Our fashion sense is not loud or rebellious.
But we know how to have fun
We enjoy life and know how to have a good time.
and we know wrong from right
We have a strong moral compass.
We like old Andy Jackson
We respect and admire historical figures like Andy Jackson.
and Fred and Bill too
We have other role models we admire.
We love Sergeant York
We respect and honor our soldiers and veterans.
just to name a few
These are just a few examples of people we respect and admire.
We’re the Volunteer state
We are proud to be from Tennessee and its nickname 'The Volunteer State.'
and of that we’re proud
We are proud of our state and its heritage.
And we’ll make a stand
We will defend what we believe in.
for Freedom again now
We will fight for freedom and its preservation.
This is Bush / Cheney country
We fully support George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.
And we don’t believe
We do not endorse or agree with certain political ideologies.
in more Taxes and lies
We are against more taxes and dishonesty in politics.
Get out of our schools
We think government should not interfere in schools and education.
Big Government leave us alone
We want small government and do not want the government interfering in our lives.
And with George W. president
We believe George W. Bush will make a great president.
take your OWN money home!
We want people to keep their own money without paying too many taxes.
We’re the home of old Elvis
We are proud to be the birthplace of Elvis Presley.
Grand Ole Opry too
The Grand Ole Opry is a special place to us and we are proud of it.
The Tennessee Titans
We love our football team, the Tennessee Titans.
will rock and roll you
They are an exciting team to watch, full of energy and enthusiasm.
Ol’ Gore is from D.C.
We don't like Al Gore because he seems disconnected from our state as he is from D.C.
he’s deserted us all
We feel let down by Al Gore for not representing us.
For his Hollywood friends
We think Al Gore cares more about pleasing his Hollywood friends than representing Tennessee.
he’ll need 'em this fall
We think Al Gore will need his Hollywood friends' support during the election.
we don’t sell out our pride
We will not compromise our values or beliefs.
And with George W. president
We believe George W. Bush will be a great president.
take your own money home
We think people should keep their own money rather than paying high taxes.
Old Hank would be proud
We think Hank Williams Jr. would be proud of our support for Bush and our state.
and I sure am too
I am proud to support Bush and our state.
And we trust our country
We have faith in the direction of our country.
in the hands of George W.
We believe George W. Bush will be a great leader for our country.
Contributed by Natalie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Greg Death
Great cassette!