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.
Commissioning A Symphony In C
Cake Lyrics
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Commissioning a symphony in C
Which defies all earthly descriptions
You'll be commissioning a symphony in C
With money you squeeze from the peasants
To your nephew you can give it as a present
This magnificent symphony in C
Completely filling the palace concert hall
It's warm and golden like an oven that's wide open
It has a melody both happy and sad
Built on victorious known triads
You enter the room with great caution
Though no-one in the hall is even watching
They are transfixed, they are forgetting just to breathe
They are so taken by your symphony in C
You are sitting there thinking your thoughts
They are not about what is but what is not
You are sitting there breathing in your breath
You are seldom breathing life but mostly death
So you'll be an Austrian nobleman
Commissioning a symphony in C
Which defies all earthly descriptions
You'll be commissioning a symphony in C
The lyrics to Cake's song "Commissioning A Symphony In C" explore the theme of power, privilege, and the desire to leave a lasting legacy. It presents the perspective of an Austrian nobleman who seeks to commission a symphony in C, using the money "squeezed" from the peasants, as a way to solidify his place in history. The symphony defies all earthly descriptions and completely fills the palace concert hall with its warm and golden presence. The melody is described as both happy and sad, built on a structure of victorious known triads.
The singer of the song imagines himself entering the concert hall with great caution, despite the fact that no one is watching him. He is transfixed by the power he holds as the commissioner of this magnificent symphony in C. However, his thoughts soon turn dark as he realizes that his power is fleeting and that his ultimate legacy may be one of death rather than life. The song ends with a repetition of the opening verse, emphasizing the cyclical nature of power and the desire for immortality.
Line by Line Meaning
So you'll be an Austrian nobleman
You are envisioning yourself as a prestigious nobleman of Austria
Commissioning a symphony in C
You will sponsor the creation of a symphony in the key of C
Which defies all earthly descriptions
The symphony will be indescribably unique and exceptional
You'll be commissioning a symphony in C
You will be the patron of this symphony in C
With money you squeeze from the peasants
You will use the money you exploit from the commoners
To your nephew you can give it as a present
You plan to gift this masterpiece to your nephew
This magnificent symphony in C
The symphony in C is magnificent beyond words
Completely filling the palace concert hall
The palace concert hall will be brimming with its soulful melodies
It's warm and golden like an oven that's wide open
The music emanating from the symphony in C is welcoming and joyful
It has a melody both happy and sad
The symphony in C possesses an emotionally complex melody
Built on victorious known triads
The symphony in C is constructed from dominant and jubilant chord progressions
You enter the room with great caution
You enter the concert hall with nervousness and trepidation
Though no-one in the hall is even watching
Despite people being present, none seem to be paying attention to your entrance
They are transfixed, they are forgetting just to breathe
The audience is so mesmerized by the music that they are completely immersed in the moment
They are so taken by your symphony in C
The audience is captivated by the beauty of the symphony that you sponsored
You are sitting there thinking your thoughts
While the music plays, you are lost in your own thoughts
They are not about what is but what is not
Your thoughts are not focused on the present but rather the absent
You are sitting there breathing in your breath
You sit there, inhaling your own breath
You are seldom breathing life but mostly death
You are consumed by darkness, and are rarely living in the present moment
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John M McCrea
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind