1.) 90s alternative rock band 2.)… Read Full Bio ↴At least 2 bands have the name “Cake”.
1.) 90s alternative rock band 2.) 60s Girl pop band 3.) Underground 70s pop/funk band. 1.) Best-known for their ubiquitous hit "The Distance," Cake epitomized the postmodern, irony-drenched aesthetic of '90s geek rock. Their sound freely mixed and matched pastiches of widely varying genres -- white-boy funk, hip-hop, country, new wave pop, jazz, college rock, and guitar rock -- with a particular delight in the clashes that resulted. Their songs were filled with lyrical non-sequiturs, pop-culture references, and smirky satire, all delivered with bone-dry detachment by speak/singing frontman John McCrea. Cake's music most frequently earned comparisons to Soul Coughing and King Missile, but lacked the downtown New York artiness of those two predecessors; instead, Cake cultivated an image of average guys with no illusions and pretensions about their role as entertainers. At the same time, critics lambasted what they saw as a smugly superior attitude behind the band's habitual sarcasm. Perhaps there was something in Cake's doggedly spare, low-key presentation that amplified their ironic detachment even when they didn't intend it, but most reviewers pegged them as one-hit wonders after the success of "The Distance." Nonetheless, Cake managed a few more alternative radio hits in the years that followed, while largely retaining the same approach.
Cake was formed in Sacramento, California in 1991 by vocalist/songwriter John McCrea, who'd recently returned home after spending a few years in Los Angeles, unsuccessfully trying to break into the music business. The original lineup of Cake also featured guitarist Greg Brown, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, bassist Sean McFessel, and drummer Frank French; McFessel soon left to attend college, and was replaced by Gabe Nelson. In 1993, the band released their debut single, "Rock ‘n' Roll Lifestyle," on a local basis, and followed it with a self-produced, self-released, self-distributed album, Motorcade of Generosity. Motorcade found its way to the revived Capricorn label, which released the album nationally after Cake signed a contract with them. With the prospect of extensive national touring, both Gabe Nelson and Frank French left the band, and were replaced by bassist Victor Damiani and drummer Todd Roper. Re-released by Capricorn, "Rock ‘n' Roll Lifestyle" caught on at college radio in 1995, and was followed by two more singles, "Ruby Sees All," and "Jolene" (not the Dolly Parton song).
Cake's second album, Fashion Nugget, was released in 1996 and spawned a breakout smash in the Greg Brown-penned "The Distance," which dominated alternative radio that fall, and even turned into an unlikely sporting-event anthem. Mostly on the strength of "The Distance," Fashion Nugget charted in the Top 40 and sold over a million copies. It also spun off a somewhat controversial follow-up single in a cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive"; although the band professed its sincere admiration for the song, some critics and listeners took it as a smarmy putdown, in part because of McCrea's deadpan vocals. In 1997, Greg Brown and Victor Damiani both left Cake and formed a new group, the new wave-influenced Deathray, which eventually released its debut album on Capricorn in 2000. Meanwhile, McCrea briefly considered putting Cake to rest, but brought original bassist Gabe Nelson back to replace Damiani instead. For Cake's next album, McCrea used a tag-team procession of guitarists -- five in all -- on different tracks; the result, Prolonging the Magic, was released in 1998. True to its sardonic title, it defied critical opinion to produce another big, alternative radio hit in "Never There," plus decently successful follow-ups in "Sheep Go to Heaven" and "Let Go."
Prolonging the Magic sold nearly as well as Fashion Nugget, and was also certified platinum. For the supporting tour, one of the album's guitarists, Xan McCurdy, officially joined Cake full-time. In the spring of 2000, the band signed a new deal with Columbia, and debuted in 2001 with their fourth overall album, Comfort Eagle, which became their highest-charting yet (at number 13). The lead single, "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," was a hit on alternative radio, and even earned some MTV airplay -- no longer an easy task for any artist -- with a video that featured reactions to the song by randomly selected people on the street. Following the completion of the album, drummer Todd Roper left the group to spend more time with his children, and was replaced on the supporting tour by Pete McNeal. Pressure Chief appeared in 2004. Redefining the meaning of independent -- the band was by then recording in a studio powered entirely by solar energy, and free of the corporate involvement of even so much as a utility bill -- released Showroom of Compassion some six years later in 2011.
Biography by Steve Huey
2. The Cake (which is currently being redirected to this page) was a psychedelic girl pop group from the 1960s with the album Slice of the Cake in 1968.
3. Cake, a 70s funk/pop band who’s most popular track was “Make Up Your Mind” in 1979.
Comfort Eagle
Cake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are building it bigger
We are widening the corridors
And adding more lanes
We are building a religion
A limited edition
We are now accepting callers
To resist it is useless
It is useless to resist it
His cigarette is burning
But he never seems to ash
He is grooming his poodle
He is living comfort eagle
You can meet at his location
But you'd better come with cash
Now his hat is on backwards
He can show you his tattoos
He is in the music business
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now today is tomorrow
And tomorrow today
And yesterday is weaving in and out
And the fluffy white lines
That the airplane leaves behind
Are drifting right in front
Of the waning of the moon
He is handling the money
He is serving the food
He knows about your party
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now do you believe
In the one big sign
The double wide shine
On the boot heels of your prime
Doesn't matter if you're skinny
Doesn't matter if you're fat
You can dress up like a sultan
In your onion head hat
We are building a religion
We are making a brand
We're the only ones to turn to
When your castles turn to sand
Take a bite of this apple
Mr. corporate events
Take a walk through the jungle
Of cardboard shanties and tents
Some people drink Pepsi
Some people drink Coke
The wacky morning DJ
Says democracy's a joke
He says now do you believe
In the one big song
He's now accepting callers
Who would like to sing along
He says, do you believe
In the one true edge
By fastening your safety belts
And stepping towards the ledge
He is handling the money
He is serving the food
He is now accepting callers
He is calling me "DUDE!"
He says now do you believe
In the one big sign
The double wide shine
On the boot heels of your prime
There's no need to ask directions
If you ever lose your mind
We're behind you
We're behind you
And let us please remind you
We can send a car to find you
If you ever lose your way
We are building a religion
We are building it bigger
We are building
A religion
A limited
Edition
We are now accepting callers
For these beautiful
Pendant key chains
Cake's "Comfort Eagle" is a satirical commentary on the nature of modern-day consumerism and the building of "religions" around brands and products. The song's verses describe the act of creating and marketing a new belief system, through the imagery of widening corridors and adding more lanes, creating a limited edition, and accepting callers for pendant keychains. The chorus speaks to the futility of resisting this new religion or ideology, implying that even those who mock it fall victim to its allure. The song highlights the ridiculousness of the American obsession with brand names, whether it be a religion, a corporation, or a personality.
The song's bridge offers a critique of the music industry and its often-cynical exploitation of young people's dreams. The line "He is in the music business, he is calling you 'DUDE!'" is a nod to the insincerity of such people, who claim to be the voice of the youth while happily profiting off their idolization. The song's final verse offers a warning against this mass-consumer ideology, singling out the American obsession with democracy and media in particular. The "one big sign" and "one true edge" represent the overarching beliefs that these new "religions" propagate, with the former likely referring to corporate branding and the latter to the idea of youth-ism and "authenticity" in pop culture.
Line by Line Meaning
We are building a religion
We are creating a new belief system
We are building it bigger
We are making it grow in size and influence
We are widening the corridors And adding more lanes
We are making it more accessible and easier to follow
A limited edition
A unique and exclusive ideology
We are now accepting callers For these pendant key chains
We are using merchandise to attract followers
To resist it is useless It is useless to resist it
Trying to go against the belief system is pointless
His cigarette is burning But he never seems to ash
He is so focused on his work that he doesn't even take breaks
He is grooming his poodle He is living Comfort Eagle
He is enjoying a comfortable lifestyle thanks to the religion he is building
You can meet at his location But you'd better come with cash
He is running a business and expects payment for his services
Now his hat is on backwards He can show you his tattoos
He is not afraid to display his individuality and non-conformity
He is in the music business He is calling you 'DUDE!'
He is using a casual, friendly tone to appeal to potential followers
Now today is tomorrow And tomorrow today And yesterday is weaving in and out
Time is fluid and everything is interconnected in this belief system
And the fluffy white lines That the airplane leaves behind Are drifting right in front Of the waning of the moon
Symbols of modern technology and industry are colliding with ancient elements of nature
He is handling the money He is serving the food
He is taking care of all aspects of his business
Now do you believe In the one big sign The double wide shine On the boot heels of your prime
Do you have faith in this singular, powerful symbol that represents your peak moment of achievement
Doesn't matter if you're skinny Doesn't matter if you're fat You can dress up like a sultan In your onion head hat
Everyone is welcome and can express themselves freely in this belief system
We're the only ones to turn to When your castles turn to sand
We offer hope and support when everything else falls apart
Take a bite of this apple Mr. corporate events Take a walk through the jungle Of cardboard shanties and tents
We offer both temptation to the powerful and connection to the underprivileged
Some people drink Pepsi Some people drink Coke The wacky morning DJ Says democracy's a joke
We recognize and embrace individual differences and have a satirical view of politics
He says now do you believe In the one big song He's now accepting callers Who would like to sing along
Join us in this movement and express your beliefs with us
He says, do you believe In the one true edge By fastening your safety belts And stepping towards the ledge
Are you ready to take a risk and fully embrace this belief system
And let us please remind you We can send a car to find you If you ever lose your way
We are always here to support and guide you
We are building a religion
We are creating a new system of belief
We are making a brand
We are turning this belief system into a recognizable and marketable entity
We are building A religion A limited Edition
We are creating a unique belief system that not everyone can access
Now accepting callers For these beautiful Pendant key chains
We are still using merchandise to draw in prospective followers
He is handling the money He is serving the food He is now accepting callers He is calling me 'DUDE!'
He is involved in all aspects of his business and continues to maintain a casual, friendly demeanor
Now do you believe In the one big sign The double wide shine On the boot heels of your prime
Do you have faith in this singular, powerful symbol that represents your moment of greatest potential
There's no need to ask directions If you ever lose your mind We're behind you We're behind you
Even when everything seems chaotic and you feel lost, we will offer guidance and support
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN M MCCREA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jelenaristic2177
Lyrics: ♪♪♪
We are are building a religion
We are building it bigger
We are widening the corridors
And adding more lanes
We are building a religion
A limited edition
We are now accepting callers
For these pendant key chains
To resist it is useless
It is useless to resist it
His cigarette is burning
But he never seems to ash
He is grooming his poodle
He is living comfort eagle
You can meet at his location
But you'd better come with cash
Now his hat is on backwards
He can show you his tattoos
He is in the music business
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now today is tomorrow
And tomorrow today
And yesterday is weaving in and out
And the fluffy white lines
That the airplane leaves behind
Are drifting right in front
Of the waning of the moon
He is handling the money
He is serving the food
He knows about your party
He is calling you "DUDE!"
Now do you believe
In the one big sign
The double wide shine
On the boot heels of your prime
Doesn't matter if you're skinny
Doesn't matter if you're fat
You can dress up like a sultan
In your onion head hat
We are building a religion
We are making a brand
We're the only ones to turn to
When your castles turn to sand
Take a bite of this apple
Mr. corporate events
Take a walk through the jungle
Of cardboard shanties and tents
Some people drink Pepsi
Some people drink Coke
The wacky morning DJ
Says democracy's a joke
He says now do you believe
In the one big song
He's now accepting callers
Who would like to sing along
He says, do you believe
In the one true edge
By fastening your safety belts
And stepping towards the ledge
He is handling the money
He is serving the food
He is now accepting callers
He is calling me "DUDE!"
Do you believe
In the one big sign
The double wide shine
On the boot heels of your prime
There's no need to ask directions
If you ever lose your mind
We're behind you
We're behind you
And let us please remind you
We can send a car to find you
If you ever lose your way
We are building a religion
We are building it bigger
We are building
A religion
A limited
Edition
We are now accepting callers
For these beautiful
Pendant key chains **®**
@froggyplatypus
The pregnant pause after "We can send a car to find you if you ever lose your way" always gives me chills. It's not a reassurance, it's a threat.
@tomryder3641
Try out Soul Coughing if you're a fan of veiled threats
@StevenRollason
The same here but with a different line. "By fastening your safety belts and stepping towards the ledge" gets me every time.
@tonysoprano4587
You get chills from your drug withdrawals, not the song.
@siryizzir
weird comment @@tonysoprano4587
@Jendoof
This Resonated with me when I saw BARBIE how Matel just Shows Up outta No Where lmao
@thadrt8718
I seen these guys in concert four times and never once saw pendant keychains at the merch station they missed out on a gold mine
@jamesroerish5404
Did you call? There accepting callers for the pendant key chains
@gregmiraglia3334
They'd be missing the point of their own song if they did
@Pause0
Of course you didn't, they were limited edition!