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.
Nugget
Cake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This one, this one, this one
Heads of state, who ride and wrangle
Who look at your face, from more than one angle
Can cut you from their bloated budgets
Like sharpened knives through chicken mcnuggets
Who look at your face, from more than one angle
Can cut you from their bloated budgets
Like sharpened knives through chicken mcnuggets
Shut the fuck up, no
Shut the fuck up (shut the fuck)
Right, right
Learn to buck up (shut the fuck)
Right, shut the fuck up
Hey ho (shut the fuck)
Now, now
Learn to buck up
(Oh)
One, two, one two three four
Alright, oh yeah
Now, nimble fingers that dance on numbers
Will eat your children and steal your thunder
While heavy torsos that heave and hurl
Will crunch like nuts in the mouth of squirrels
Now, nimble fingers that dance on numbers
Will eat your children and steal your thunder
While heavy torsos that heave and hurl
Will crunch like nuts in the mouth of squirrels
Shut the fuck up, no
Shut the fuck up (shut the fuck)
Right, now
Learn to buck up (shut the fuck)
Right, shut the fuck up
Hey ho (shut the fuck)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Learn to buck up, hey
Now, simple feet that flicker like fire
And burn like candles in smoky spires
Do more to turn, my joy to sadness
Than somber thoughts of burning planets
Now, clever feet that flicker like fire
And burn like candles in smoky spires
Do more to turn, my joy to sadness
Than somber thoughts of burning planets
(Shut the fuck)
Alright, okay I don't
(Shut the fuck) wanna
I don't wanna hear it
That's right (shut the fuck)
Oh, okay I don't wanna (shut the fuck)
I don't wanna (shut the fuck)
Hey, ho, ya (shut the fuck)
I don't wanna
I don't wanna
Ooh
Yeah, one two one two one
The lyrics of "Nugget" by Cake appear to be a critique of the way the heads of state treat citizens, particularly those who are not wealthy or politically influential. The song, which is characterized by a mix of punk, funk and country-inspired musical elements, describes the brutal and arbitrary power the government has over its citizens. The vivid metaphors are used to describe the indifference of those with power to the welfare of the common people, likening them to sharp knives through chicken McNuggets. The repeated phrase "shut the fuck up" is another sign of discontent aimed at political leaders to stop their actions from being a hindrance to ordinary citizens.
The second verse goes on to describe the cruelty and greed of those who work with numbers, of heavy workers who are totally unsympathetic to the suffering of others, as well as the cruelty of simple people who, with their own selfish interest, contribute to turning happiness into sadness. In all these cases, the subtext of the song seems to be that the people who hold power are oblivious to the suffering of those who do not, and that they act with total impunity.
Line by Line Meaning
Heads of state, who ride and wrangle
Who look at your face, from more than one angle
Can cut you from their bloated budgets
Like sharpened knives through chicken mcnuggets
Political leaders are powerful enough to manipulate their budgets and allocate funds to areas they deem important. They can quickly cut funding from less important areas to fund what's necessary, similar to the way a sharp knife can cut through chicken McNuggets.
Now, nimble fingers that dance on numbers
Will eat your children and steal your thunder
While heavy torsos that heave and hurl
Will crunch like nuts in the mouth of squirrels
People who are good with numbers may use their skills to steal from or hurt others, while strong individuals can easily overpower and harm weaker ones. Those who are weaker and vulnerable become easy prey to those who are stronger and smarter.
Now, clever feet that flicker like fire
And burn like candles in smoky spires
Do more to turn, my joy to sadness
Than somber thoughts of burning planets
Actions and movements can have more significant impact on our emotions than thoughts or ideas. Even the most somber thoughts can't bring as much sadness as actions of those who are supposed to make us feel happy or fulfilled.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Gregory P Brown, John M McCrea, Victor P Damiani
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dofphish
Love this band. The trumpet is SICK. Mouth piece out to this guy (he'd get the comment). Rest of the band oozes the groove like no others. Dig it.
@youdontcare2312
Nice to see this channel uploading music again
@Joewiththedadbod
Agreed!
@Hicks0000
yup
@Hicks0000
@me you nice
@supabiscuit
Agreed 💯
@danfoxdude
FLLFFL hitting that Drifts pack 🚬
@TomTom-cm2oq
I love Cake!! Best concert ever in Luxembourg!
@startedtech
This is a real nugget right 'ere
@dofphish
Love this band!!!! Glad they exist. Never thought of doing this type of music as a trumpet player. That time has passed but I really dig this trumpet. He's super talented and I love his choice of horns. His latest is, of course, my favorite because it's the same one I play! Mouse piece out to this guy. Props. Rest of the band is so sick they just ooze the groove. I dig it ... a lot.