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.
Stitches
Califone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
without a wish without a lie
without dying all over again
trying to stop taking it out on you
- cut the connection just to stitch it together again again again
Chinese opera show me your stitches
deep sea diver shoes on a wire
the blood left my hands sucking the whiskey out of your hair
didn't we fit together like somebody else's sweater
- cut the connection just to stitch it together again again again
The lyrics of Califone's song "Stitches" seem to be addressing a process of renewal and rebirth. The first few lines express a desire to start fresh without lying, and without causing harm or taking frustration out on someone else. The repetition of "trying to get born all over again" emphasizes the desire for a complete reset.
The image of Chinese opera stitches adds metaphorical weight to this idea of renewal. Perhaps the singer is asking for guidance or inspiration from a culture that values beauty in even the most mundane things. The next line about "deep sea diver shoes on a wire" is a surreal image that adds to the sense of disconnection and confusion that seems to be at the heart of the song. The image of blood on hands and whiskey in hair is equally vivid and suggests some kind of violent or passionate encounter.
The final lines, "didn't we fit together like somebody else's sweater / cut the connection just to stitch it together again again again," are among the most poignant in the song. They suggest that despite the pain and difficulty of the relationship, there was a sense of comfort or familiarity that the singer now wishes to recapture. The overall message seems to be that even when we hurt each other, we can still try to find a way back to each other, "stitching" the relationship together again and again.
Line by Line Meaning
Trying to get born all over again
Attempting to start anew and reinvent oneself
without a wish without a lie
Doing so with true intentions and without deception
without dying all over again
Without experiencing intense emotional pain
trying to stop taking it out on you
Making an effort to not project personal issues onto someone else
cut the connection just to stitch it together again again again
Breaking off a relationship or connection in order to repair and rebuild it repeatedly
Chinese opera show me your stitches
Requesting a glimpse into someone's inner turmoil and pain
deep sea diver shoes on a wire
Taking risks and balancing on a thin line, like a high-wire act
the blood left my hands sucking the whiskey out of your hair
Feeling guilty for past mistakes and attempting to make amends
the wilderness between the bite marks and scratches
The emotional distance and pain that exists within a complicated relationship
didn't we fit together like somebody else's sweater
Questioning if a relationship was genuine or if it was simply a facade
cut the connection just to stitch it together again again again
Breaking off a relationship or connection in order to repair and rebuild it repeatedly
Contributed by Jonathan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cömacöda
Ben's high harmony along with Tim sounds great! (Sorry I didn't recognize you at the PHX living room concert Ben. Oops!) Such a tasteful song and each element is so nicely presented. That's Califone for you!
LemonDom
Yet again, another great song from califone..
Eric Bonde
I feel like coming apart at the seams. These stitches kept me together for 3:33.
myzukisdead
I wish I had friends who loved califone as much as I do... My friends suck!!
Innocent Outlaw
love this
Rui Carvalho
Love Califone
Brodi-Leigh Lewis
I'm out and I'm drunk. By califone I still love hoy,
classicalgr
How this band isn't more popular is beyond me. This is actually *interesting* to listen to.
Phil mole
It's not hard to understand. It's not exactly catchy, upbeat or accessible, and that's coming from someone who likes them.
David Haywood
I feel Califone fans form a coterie of kindred spirits. Shit runs deep, my friends.