Califone is the musical project of former Red Red Meat frontman Tim Rutili. Its regular and rotating contributors include many former members of Red Red Meat and some members of other Chicago bands, such as Tortoise. Their music is less rooted in blues-rock than Red Red Meat and is more directly inspired by experimental music and early American folk music as can be found on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music.
Califone's current lineup includes Joe Adamik (drums), Jim Becker (banjo, violin), Ben Massarella (percussion), and Tim Rutili (vocals, guitar, keyboards). Each member is a multi-instrumentalist.
Tim Rutili has collaborated with a number of other artists as well. He joined up with Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock and others in 2002 to release the album Sharpen Your Teeth under the band name Ugly Casanova. Some members also toured with Freakwater and served as a backing band to record the album Thinking of You in 2005. In 2006, Tim Rutili teamed up with Wil Hendricks and Michael Krassner under the name The Unseen Hand to record the soundtrack for Rank, a documentary about bullriding. In the same year Califone worked with animator/musician Brent Green on a series of performance art pieces featuring animation, live music, and spoken word. They are also featured on the soundtrack for the movie Stranger than Fiction.
Dock Boggs
Califone Lyrics
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Got no sugar baby now
The lyrics "Got no honey baby now, got no sugar baby now" from Califone's song Dock Boggs signify a sense of loss and a feeling of emptiness. Honey and sugar are often used as terms of endearment for one’s significant other, and the absence of them may suggest a loss of affection, a broken relationship or even death. The repetition of "now" also adds to the desolateness of the situation. The use of "baby" as a term of endearment is reminiscent of blues music, which is known for its melancholic themes of heartbreak and loss.
The song was inspired by Dock Boggs, a musician from Virginia who was a pioneer of the banjo style known as "clawhammer". Califone's version of the song features distorted guitar riffs and electronic textures, creating a haunting and eerie atmosphere. The lyrics are also heavily influenced by traditional American folk music, which often dealt with themes of loss and hardship. The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the decline of traditional folk music and the need to resurrect and preserve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Got no honey baby now
I am currently lacking a significant other
Got no sugar baby now
I am currently lacking a partner to provide me with financial support
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Temistoclas Hugo Rutili
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind