The group's trademark violin-coated melodies and their ironic take on American culture put them one step away from being a novelty act in the eyes of many critics. But as the band would move from irreverently playful to experimental with their intricate, psychedelic pop meanderings they carved out their own niche in the music world. CVB consciously played with building a mystique about the band, using articles, liner notes and press interviews to weave a bizarre mythology about the band, to the point where it is still often difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.
CVB had roots in the earlier projects Sitting Duck and Estonian Gauchos, proto-CVB projects from which some of the earliest CVB songs originated. Original bandmembers from CVB's early recordings, including 'Telephone Free Landslide Victory,' included David Lowery, Chris Molla, and Anthony Guess, all of whom also did time in Eric Curkendall's project Box O'Laffs.
The core touring and recording contingent of this band consisted of David Lowery, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel and Greg Lisher with Anthony Guess on drums from early 1985 to fall 1985 for their first album, 'Telephone Free Landslide Victory'. Guess left the band in late 1985 following the tour and went on to collaborate with numerous other musicians and bands, including Pile of Disaster, World Entertainment War, Calm Down Juanita, the Hollywood Lightweights, Billy Dwayne & the Creepers, Travis Morrissey & The Good Ship, and his current project, I Die Everyday.
Chris Pedersen took over drumming in the late 80's and since reformation in 2000, with Cracker drummer, Frank Funaro. After signing to Virgin Records in 1988 and releasing two eclectic yet slightly more accessible LPs, they disbanded in 1990; singer David Lowery went on to found the band Cracker (with guitarist Johnny Hickman, a former member of Estonian Gauchos), while the other members - guitarists Greg Lisher and David Immerglück, bassist Victor Krummenacher and drummer Chris Pedersen - devoted themselves full-time to the Monks of Doom, which had begun several years earlier as a non-Lowery side project. Violinist Jonathan Segel went on to play with Granfaloon Bus, Dieselhed, Hieronymus Firebrain, Jack & Jill and more. Segel and Krummenacher also continue to release solo recordings. More recently Segel has been involved in experimental music, including collaborations with Fred Frith and Joelle Leandre. Krummenacher and Segel collectively run their own record label, Magnetic. Chris Pedersen moved to Australia and currently plays drums for the dub band Daktari.
In 2000, ex-members regrouped to compile the experimental rarity set Camper Van Beethoven Is Dead. Long Live Camper Van Beethoven. In 2002, they released Tusk. Allegedly recorded in 1987, it had all the same tracks as the Fleetwood Mac album of the same name, and a parody of the original album's cover art. A series of reunion tour dates followed with many of the band's former members. The group officially reformed in 2004 to record New Roman Times, their first official studio album in 15 years. A live concert disc was also released entitled In The Mouth of the Crocodile, capturing a 2004 reunion performance in Seattle. Also, segments of a 2004 performance in Chicago were released the following year as Discotheque CVB: Live In Chicago, which was only available at a limited number of record stores. The band continue to play live and co-host the Annual Cracker Camper Van Beethoven Campout, a 3-day alternative music festival in Pioneertown, CA held every September.
CVB's 1985 staple "Take the Skinheads Bowling" was covered by Teenage Fanclub and used as the title track for the 2002 Michael Moore film Bowling for Columbine. A portion of the original Camper Van Beethoven recording can be heard as an introduction to the DVD release of the film. The song has also been covered by many other artists, most notably Manic Street Preachers and Sugarlust, who play it in every show they do; they all have skinheads and it has become their signature cover song.
Members of Camper Van Beethoven collaborated with Eugene Chadbourne on a number of records under the name Camper Van Chadbourne.
The band's official site is campervanbeethoven.com
One Of These Days
Camper Van Beethoven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you figure, figure it all out
Well be sure to let me know
Well I'll be waiting right here
Come and whisper in my ear what it is I want to know
One of these days, gonna get into it way on over our heads
And you'll find that there's no place to hide
But if you fight and if you fail, don't fall back into yourself
One of these days
When you figure it, figure it all out
Put your lips against my ear
Tell me it all
Or tell me just a little bit, you know
You know it's what I want to hear
One of these days
When you figure, figure it all out
Well be sure to let me know
Well I'll be waiting right here
Come and whisper in my ear what it is I want to know
One of these days
When you figure, figure it all out
Put your lips against my ear
Tell me it all
Or tell me just a little bit, you know
You know it's what I want to hear
The song "One of These Days" by Camper Van Beethoven seems to be about the uncertainty of the future and the desire to have someone to rely on when things go wrong. The lyrics suggest that the singer is waiting for someone to figure out a solution to a problem they face, and is willing to be a support system when they do. The repeated invitation to whisper in the singer's ear implies a close relationship and a willingness to listen and be there for the other person. The lines "And you'll find that there's no place to hide / But if you fight and if you fail, don't fall back into yourself / You can fall back on me" underscore the idea that the singer is someone who can be counted on in difficult times.
The song also displays a juxtaposition between the uncertainty of the future and the comfort of a close relationship. The use of the phrase "one of these days" suggests an unknown future, but the repeated invitation for communication implies a level of commitment and trust. By speaking to the uncertainty of the future and the comfort of love and support, the song provides a sense of hope and stability in the midst of ambiguity.
Line by Line Meaning
One of these days
At some point in the future
When you figure, figure it all out
When you finally come to understand everything
Well be sure to let me know
Make sure to tell me
Well I'll be waiting right here
I'll be ready and waiting for your message
Come and whisper in my ear what it is I want to know
Share with me the information that I am eager to learn
One of these days, gonna get into it way on over our heads
In the future, we will take on something too difficult for us to handle
And you'll find that there's no place to hide
You'll realize that there is no escape from the situation
But if you fight and if you fail, don't fall back into yourself
Even if you struggle and don't succeed, don't give up on yourself
You can fall back on me
You can rely on me for support and comfort
Put your lips against my ear
Speak closely and confidentially to me
Tell me it all
Share with me everything
Or tell me just a little bit, you know
Even if you can only share a small amount of information, that's okay
You know it's what I want to hear
You're aware that the information is important to me
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHRIS PEDERSON, DAVID LOWERY, GREG LISHER, JONATHAN SEGAL, VICTOR KRUMMENACHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind