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.
Distance
Cake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
The fans get up and they get out of town
The arena is empty except for one man
Still driving and striving as fast as he can
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine
He's haunted by something he cannot define
Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
Assail him, impale him with monster-truck force
In his mind, he's still driving, still making the grade
She's hoping in time that her memories will fade
Cause he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's striving and driving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
'Cause he's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
He's going the distance
The lyrics of Cake's song "The Distance" tell the story of a race car driver competing in a high-stakes race. The first verse describes the intense atmosphere of the starting line, with the engines pumping and thumping in time as the drivers eagerly await the green light. The second verse shifts to the driver who has yet to take his foot off the gas pedal, racing through the finish line as the crowd leaves and the arena empties out.
The chorus provides the main hook of the song, with the repetition of "He's going the distance" and "He's going for speed" emphasizing the driver's determination to win at all costs. The bridge reveals the driver's inner struggles, haunted by doubt and remorse despite his success on the track. The final verse repeats the chorus while adding further description of the driver's competitive spirit, as he continues to race and think of the person for whom he still burns.
The lyrics of "The Distance" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the high-pressure nature of modern life and the drive to succeed no matter the cost. The song's catchy melody and upbeat tempo make it an instantly recognizable classic of '90s alternative rock, and it has endured as one of Cake's most popular songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Hesitantly waiting to begin the challenge
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The vehicles are ready and their motors are roaring
The green light flashes, the flags go up
The race has started as the flag indicates
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They're pushing their limits and risking everything to win the race
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
They carefully navigate and use their strength to get ahead of each other
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
They're using up their energy resources quickly despite being low on fuel
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
They're driving recklessly to make it through the corners
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
Their skills are highly effective and hidden behind a tough exterior
As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
The race ends as the flags come down once they cross the finish line
The fans get up and they get out of town
The spectators leave the venue after the race is over
The arena is empty except for one man
Only one driver is left in the arena after the race
Still driving and striving as fast as he can
The driver is still pushing himself to go faster and perform better even after the race
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
The race has taken a long time and night has fallen
And long ago somebody left with the cup
Someone else won the race and took home the trophy a while ago
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
The driver is still racing, trying to improve his driving by sticking close to the corners
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
He's thinking of someone he cares about and wants to win for
'Cause he's going the distance
He's pushing his limits and putting in all his effort to achieve his goal
He's going for speed
He's aiming to go as fast as he can
She's all alone
The person he's thinking about has left and is not by his side
In her time of need
She is going through a difficult time and he wishes he could support her
No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine
He doesn't need any material rewards, recognition, or celebration for his accomplishment
He's haunted by something he cannot define
He feels uneasy and preoccupied with something that he can't quite understand
Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
He's experiencing intense anxiety and regret
Assail him, impale him with monster-truck force
These feelings are overwhelming him with great force
In his mind, he's still driving, still making the grade
He's mentally still racing and trying to improve his performance
She's hoping in time that her memories will fade
The person he's thinking about is hoping to forget some painful memories
He's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's still planning and refining his racing strategy despite the race being over
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's aggressively pursuing his goals and overcoming any obstacles he faces
He's going the distance
He's determined to succeed and won't give up until he achieves his objective
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Gregory Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristopherflores1288
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
The fans get up and they get out of town
The arena is empty except for one man
Still driving and striving as fast as he can
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone (all alone)
All alone in her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine
He's haunted by something he cannot define
Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
Assail him, impale him with monster-truck force
In his mind, he's still driving, still making the grade
She's hoping in time that her memories will fade
'Cause he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's striving and driving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
'Cause he's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone (all alone)
All alone in her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
He's going the distance
Ah no, so sad, alright
Oh no, oh no, no, no
@jays9869
The bass line on this song is so damn smooth.
@johnd4567
One the best bass lines ever
@marcelloribeiro2750
@@johnd4567 Totally agree ✌
@creepyco2844
Timestamp? I just wanna know what part you're talking about since idk anything about music lol
@gavix-sr2wt
CoolFool 504 Just the overall bass playing in the song is great there’s no specific part that’s only good
@trickhester7932
Like it dropped straight out of Beavis's mouth
@48mastadon
This guy looks just like he sounds.
@franknbeans2623
48mastadon He look like a man
@Brokenarrow129
He reminds me of Edward Norton!
@tate392
YES HE DOES!!!!