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.
Shadow Stabbing
Cake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He moves his words like a prize fighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell
The man on the street might just as well be
The man on the street might just as well
The man on the street might just as well be
Out there you don't hear the echos and calls
But the steel eye,
Tight jaw
Say it all
Say it all
But the white paint,
Plastic saints
Say it all
Say it all
Say it all
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say somebody,
Has got to say it all
Somebody
Has got to say it all
I'm so nervous
I'm so tense
My heart can't forget about this self defense
The air is so hot
And my breath comes fast
I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last
I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last
Outside, outside the world
Out there you don't hear the echos and calls
But the steel eye,
Tight jaw
Say it all
Say it all
But the white paint,
Plastic saints
Say it all
Say it all
Say it all
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say it all,
Say somebody,
Has got to say it all
Somebody
Has got to say it all
Yeah, adjectives on the typewriter
He moves his words like a prize fighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell
The man on the street might just as well be
The man on the street might just as well
The man on the street might just as well be
The lyrics of Cake's song "Shadow Stabbing" is open to several different interpretations. One possible meaning is that the song's protagonist is someone who feels trapped in his own mind like a cell. He is trying to express his thoughts by moving his words like a prize fighter, adding adjectives to them while struggling with his own emotions. However, his thoughts are mostly private, and the outside world cannot hear them. Instead, what the public sees are people with perfect masks, the 'plastic saints', where everything is fabricated and put up for show.
The lyrics mention a steel eye and a tight jaw, which leads to the conclusion that there is something that the singer wants to say, but he is unable to do so. He wants to say it all, but he is held back by his own nervousness and tension. He knows that using a cool blade as his self-defense is not going to last long. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase 'somebody has got to say it all' repeatedly, as if requesting someone to speak their mind without holding back. The song is relevant to anyone who feels trapped and wants to speak their mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Adjectives on the typewriter
Intense and descriptive words are being typed out
He moves his words like a prize fighter
His words are strong and strategic, like a professional boxer
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell
His thoughts are rapid and chaotic within his own mind
The man on the street might just as well be
Any regular person on the street could be in the same position
Outside, outside the world
Beyond his own mind and immediate surroundings
Out there you don't hear the echos and calls
In the external world, there are no repetitive thoughts or inner turmoil
But the steel eye,
His unwavering gaze
Tight jaw
His tense and determined expression
Say it all
Communicate everything that needs to be said
But the white paint,
The facade of purity and perfection
Plastic saints
Religious figures that lack authenticity or depth
Say it all
Portray a false sense of righteousness and truth
Say it all,
Express everything that needs to be said
Say somebody,
There needs to be someone who stands up and speaks out
Has got to say it all
It is crucial that everything is communicated truthfully and completely
I'm so nervous
Feeling anxious and uneasy
I'm so tense
Experiencing extreme tightness or stiffness in the body
My heart can't forget about this self defense
The desire to protect oneself still lingers in his mind and heart
The air is so hot
The surrounding environment is uncomfortably warm
And my breath comes fast
Breathing is rapid and quick-paced
I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last
Holding onto a weapon for security but realizing it's not a sustainable solution
Lyrics © Stamen Music
Written by: GEORGE KANE, JOHN M MCCREA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@daxwormzz
Lyrics!
Adjectives on the typewriter
He moves his words like a prize fighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell
The man on the street might just as well be
The man on the street might just as well
The man on the street might just as well be
Outside, outside the walls
Out there you don't hear the echoes and calls
But the steel eye, tight jaw
Say it all, say it all
But the white paint
Plastic saints
Say it all, say it all
Say it all, say it all, say it all, say it all
Say it all, Say it
Somebody has got to say it all
Somebody has got to say it all
I'm so nervous
I'm so tense
My heart can't forget about this self defense
The air is so hot
And my breath comes fast
I thumb the cool blade
But I know this can't last
(so nervous)
(so tense)
I thumb the cool blade
But I know this can't last
(so nervous)
(so tense)
Outside, outside the walls
Out there you don't hear the echoes and calls
But the steel eye, tight jaw
Say it all, say it all
But the white paint
Plastic saints
Say it all, say it all
Say it all, say it all, say it all, say it all
Say it all, say it
Somebody has got to say it all
Somebody has got to say it all
Adjectives on the typewriter
He moves his words like a prize fighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell
The man on the street might just as well be
The man on the street might just as well
The man on the street might just as well be...
@user-hg4ok2jw2m
I might not care very much for my soon to be ex-wife, but I will always be grateful that she introduced me to this band. The live shows of them performing in Seattle and LA were the best concerts I've been to and one of the most fun I've had seeing a band in person. Van Morrison was def the best I've been to; talk about an eclectic crowd! To be able to hear a band sound as good live as they do in studio cuts is testament to how incredibly talented they are!
@fishlady2331
You tell someone you like Cake .. good chance they will send you one you don’t know or don’t remember and you will jam to it for weeks ✌🏻💚
@ashyskrimps
I slept on this song for so long - glad I finally found it because it's my favorite Cake song
@krinkles147
easily my favorite cake song
@tamara8602
Best opening lines ever
@parkerj1232
These dudes came and played at UT Knoxville for free in 08. Fucking great show
@tricolore31
One of my favorites. Hyped for the new album!!!
@cedarwho7
WHEN?! YAAAAA!!!!
@tricolore31
@@cedarwho7 on the youtube channel description it says late 2022
@kevinkibble8342
@@tricolore31 Still waiting.