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.
Horoscopic
Califone Lyrics
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And kick it to the county line
Shake your chains cold and loose
There's nothing safe in your stars
In and out of sleep
Even with the rise and fall
Pulled the mattress out the window
And the funnel clouds
Shake your stars, bring it down
Sad, sad complications
Buzzing like a worn out fret
We'll cut our hair and fake our death
Silver harm
Sugar hands drunken hive
Amputated years
Are growing back a new shade
The lyrics of Califone's song Horoscopic Amputation Honey reflect a sense of struggle and a desire for liberation. The first verse describes the act of embracing one's mistakes, represented by sins, and leaving them behind by kicking them out of one's life. The chains, which can represent anything that holds one back, need to be shaken off, but the stars, which symbolize the future, are unpredictable and there is no safety in them. The chorus, "Shake your stars, bring it down," implores the listener to take control of their life and destiny and to not rely on the stars to guide them.
The second verse depicts a state of restlessness, as the singer struggles to find peace even in their sleep. The act of pulling the mattress out the window can be interpreted as an attempt to escape, and laying under the smoke rings and funnel clouds denotes a feeling of chaos and confusion. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the importance of taking control of one's life and not relying on external factors to bring peace.
The final verse describes a process of growth and rejuvenation. The harm that was once present, represented by silver, is now becoming less harmful and growing into something new. The amputated years suggest a period of difficulty or hardship that is being overcome, and a new shade represents a new chapter in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Braid your sins into its mane
Intentionally binding your misdeeds or wrongdoings to something else to lessen their impact on yourself.
And kick it to the county line
Disposing of the aforementioned wrongdoings, removing them from your immediate surroundings and passing them off to someone/somewhere else.
Shake your chains cold and loose
Breaking free from the physical and emotional restraints that hold you back, leaving you vulnerable.
There's nothing safe in your stars
Conveying the unpredictable nature of life and the unknown dangers that lay ahead despite what preconceptions we may have.
In and out of sleep
Flickering between states of consciousness, hovering on the borderline between awake and asleep.
Even with the rise and fall
Despite fluctuations in the current situation, emotions, or state of life, this state of semi-consciousness still persists.
Pulled the mattress out the window
May signify a need for change in perspective or to break away to experience different possibilities.
Laid out under the smoke rings
And the funnel clouds
Taking risks and living on the edge, comfortable in uncertain and unpredictable environments.
Shake your stars, bring it down
Challenging and disrupting the expected course of events and defying fate and destiny.
Sad, sad complications
Acknowledging the difficulties and obstacles along the way, perhaps with a degree of sadness or melancholy.
Buzzing like a worn out fret
Tension and anxiety, building like the buzzing of an out-of-tune guitar string that needs fixing or replacing.
We'll cut our hair and fake our death
A sense of detachment from current situations or necessity for a significant change.
Silver harm
A seemingly harmless occurrence that actually causes damage much like hidden consequences of our actions.
Sugar hands drunken hive
The sweet and intoxicating nature of something that ultimately proves to be harmful in the end.
Amputated years
Are growing back a new shade
Reflecting on past experiences that have shaped who we are today, but also looking ahead to the new experiences and growth to come. Perhaps a metaphorical 'rebirth'.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Temistoclas Hugo Rutili
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind