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.
Tayzee Nub
Califone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steal another day
Competition dancers drop and snap their necks and fold
Shade too careful when you come
Weather slices through your ghost
Open your mouth, what are you wrecking now?
Half assed translation thrown
All your devices laid
Then puts you back down
Never could pull the trigger, even if you tried
Open your mouth, what are you wrecking now?
Small behind the metal
Swallow everything
Cello words to noise
Ripening and laced
The satellites are growing vines
What are you wrecking now
Careful when you come
The lyrics to Califone's song Tayzee Nub appear open to interpretation but seem to speak of seizing the day in the face of competition and fear. The opening line, "Maizee, don't wait around, steal another day," suggests that time is precious and one should make the most of it. The following lines, "Competition dancers drop and snap their necks and fold, shade too careful when you come," may refer to a competitive environment where one must be cautious and quick to adapt to survive. The line "Weather slices through your ghost" could signify that external factors can deeply affect one's spirit, making it feel vulnerable and exposed. The chorus, "Open your mouth, what are you wrecking now?" speaks of taking action and making things happen, but the tone is ambiguous - it could be seen as either empowering or confrontational.
The second stanza adds more enigmatic imagery to the mix. The line "Never could pull the trigger, even if you tried," could refer to a fear of taking decisive action, while the lines "Small behind the metal, swallow everything, cello words to noise" suggest a sense of being overwhelmed or oppressed by a larger force. The final lines, "The satellites are growing vines, what are you wrecking now, careful when you come," could signify a world where technology and surveillance are increasingly pervasive, and one must be mindful of the implications of their actions.
Overall, the song seems to suggest an urgent need to seize the moment and take action despite the obstacles and uncertainties that one may face, while also acknowledging that the world can be a complex and oppressive place.
Line by Line Meaning
Maizee, don't wait around
Don't procrastinate or waste time, Maizee.
Steal another day
Take advantage of every opportunity presented to you.
Competition dancers drop and snap their necks and fold
The competing dancers are giving it their all, even risking injury with the twists and turns.
Shade too careful when you come
Be cautious when entering a situation, as it may not be what it seems.
Weather slices through your ghost
The harsh weather conditions are affecting you deeply and making you feel invisible.
Open your mouth, what are you wrecking now?
Speak your mind and share your intentions. What are your actions affecting now?
Half-assed translation thrown
A poorly executed attempt at conveying a message.
All your devices laid
All your tools and methods put out in the open.
Weather holds you like a child
The weather conditions are so strong that they are holding you back like a child.
Then puts you back down
Once the harsh weather conditions have passed, you are left feeling defeated and helpless.
Never could pull the trigger, even if you tried
You lack the courage or conviction to take action, no matter how hard you try.
Small behind the metal
Your presence is weak or insignificant when compared to the power of metal or technology.
Swallow everything
You blindly accept everything that is presented to you.
Cello words to noise
Words that are meant to be meaningful and powerful are falling flat and becoming just noise.
Ripening and laced
Becoming ready and advanced, but with underlying issues or problems.
The satellites are growing vines
Technology is growing and expanding like vines, overtaking everything around it.
What are you wrecking now?
What are the unintended consequences of your actions?
Careful when you come
Be cautious and aware of the potential consequences when you enter a situation.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Temistoclas Hugo Rutili
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind