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.
Too Many Creeps
Bush Tetras Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out in the streets no more
I just don't wanna go
Out in the streets no more
Because these people they give me
They give me the creeps
Anymore
Because these people they give me
Anymore
I don't wanna
Too many creeps
Yeah
I just can't pay the price
Of shopping around
No more
I just can't pay the price
Of shopping around
No more
Because there's just nothing
That's worth the cost
It's the worst
Because there's just nothing
That's worth the cost
Cause it's the worst
I don't wanna
Cause it's the worst
It's the worst
I just don't wanna go
Out in the streets no more
I just don't wanna go
Out in the streets no more
Because these people they give me
They give me the creeps
Anymore
Because these people they give me
They give me the creeps
Anymore
I don't wanna
Too many creeps
Yeah
The lyrics of “Too Many Creeps” is a commentary on the feelings of alienation and unease that come with living in a big city. The singer is tired of being subjected to the unwanted attention of people on the streets, the “creeps” that give her an uncomfortable feeling. She expresses a desire to stay indoors and avoid the risk of encountering these people, declaring that there is nothing outside that is worth the cost of facing them. This refusal to go out into the world can be interpreted as a response to the dangers and horrors of living among a population that is unpredictable and often dangerous.
The song can also be seen as a feminist critique of the expectations placed on women to participate in public life. The singer is likely a woman who has grown tired of being the target of harassment and unwanted attention, alluding to the pervasive issue of street harassment that women face on a daily basis. Through her lyrics, she is issuing a defiant statement that she will not tolerate being made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe in public spaces any longer.
Line by Line Meaning
I just don't wanna go
I'm feeling hesitant and apprehensive about leaving my home
Out in the streets no more
I don't feel comfortable being out in public spaces
Because these people they give me
I'm bothered and disturbed by the behavior of certain individuals
They give me the creeps
Their actions make me feel uncomfortable and uneasy
Anymore
This has been a recurring issue for me
I don't wanna
I don't want to experience this any longer
Too many creeps
There are too many unsettling people around me
I just can't pay the price
I'm not willing to suffer the negative consequences
Of shopping around
Of browsing and searching for what I need
Because there's just nothing
I can't find anything of value or worth
That's worth the cost
It's not worth the trouble or discomfort
It's the worst
This is a really bad situation
Cause it's the worst
This experience is extremely unpleasant
Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tabletop Baseball Digest
I saw this band at least 6 times during this period on the Lower East Side. Loved their sound. Raw and edgy as was the life at that time in Bowery.
Jef Lane
one of the all time best songs, love that bass!
Scuba Diva
I just met Rocky the bass player when I was out to dinner; I'm an instant fan!
Dave L.
I’ve been in love with this band and this song since Day 1. So glad they’re still going at it. Buy their music, people!
Tabletop Baseball Digest
Probably one of the top ten songs of the 80s
Raven Moon
Rest In Peace Dee Pop.
Mike Barbosa
Rip. Soon as I heard I put this record up
Riqardo Neves
I just discovered this band. Love em.
AudiophileTubes
Very cool song, and band! I've heard of them, but never heard them until tonight!
Adderon
I met Dee Pop in Detroit 3 years ago when they played at the Lager House with Double Winter. I bought their last t shirt they had for the tour and he went out of his way to find a sharpie to sign it and we talked for a bit. Rest in power, keep banging away in the next adventure Dee.