Califone is a critically-acclaimed experimental folk band from Chicago. The… Read Full Bio ↴Califone is a critically-acclaimed experimental folk band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, a long-standing manufacturer of audio equipment commonly found in schools, libraries and businesses.

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.

Giving Away the Bride
Califone Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

wine black teeth talking dark and sweet no waiting for a starless night pitch-black and swallowing air giving away the bride the motherboard is rotten like old fruit from the cable to the stem from the mortar to the cable to the brain giving away the bride never alone never alone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Califone's song Giving Away the Bride are cryptic and open to interpretation. The first line of "wine black teeth" could suggest a feeling of being drunk and overwhelmed, or it could imply a strong taste or flavor. The following line, "talking dark and sweet," could refer to either the singer or someone they are talking to, with the darkness suggesting a sense of sadness or sorrow.

The second half of the verse is equally ambiguous, with "no waiting for a starless night" suggesting a sense of urgency or immediacy. The line "pitch-black and swallowing air" is particularly evocative, implying a sense of suffocation or drowning. The final line, "giving away the bride," could refer to a literal wedding where someone is being married off, or it could suggest a sense of sacrifice or loss.

The second verse is similarly obscure, beginning with the description of a "rotten" motherboard that connects various parts of the body together. The "old fruit" could refer to something decaying or unhealthy, further driving home a sense of decay and corruption. The final line, "never alone," repeats from the first verse, perhaps indicating a sense of loneliness or isolation that is being forced upon the singer.

Overall, the lyrics in Giving Away the Bride are enigmatic and open to interpretation, creating a powerful sense of mystery and unease.

Line by Line Meaning

wine black teeth talking dark and sweet
Speaking with a sweet and enticing tone, which may be deceitful, possibly due to being under the influence of alcohol.

no waiting for a starless night
Not needing a romantic setting or atmosphere to give away the bride.

pitch-black and swallowing air
An eerie and suspenseful environment, causing one to feel suffocated and fearful.

giving away the bride
Symbolically handing over the bride to her new husband or the next phase of life.

the motherboard is rotten like old fruit
The foundation or core of something is decaying and corrupt, possibly due to neglect or poor maintenance.

from the cable to the stem
From the outermost wires to the innermost base or root, everything is corrupted and faulty.

from the mortar to the cable to the brain
From the external parts of an object to the internal workings of one's mind, everything is deteriorating and causing harm.

giving away the bride
Repeating the idea of the bride being symbolically handed over or given away.

never alone
Regardless of the situation or circumstance, there is always someone or something present.

never alone
Emphasizing the idea of never being alone and always having something or someone, whether positive or negative.

Contributed by Luke R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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