The band recorded several singles for independent labels in the early 90's as well as contributing to several compilations. In 1995, they released their only full-length album, "Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped on and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over" (better known as "Shmap'n Shmazz") on the tiny Man with Gun label.
The band broke up in July 1995, shortly after "Shmap'n Shmazz"'s release, on the night of a show at Little Rock's Das Yutes a Go-Go. In 1998, the Jade Tree label assembled a double-disc Cap'n Jazz retrospective titled "Analphabetapolothology" which compiles the band's complete recorded works: Shmap'n Shmazz, early singles, material from split releases, compilation tracks, unreleased demos and outtakes and several tracks from their farewell performance in Chicago.
After the band's split, the band members formed several new bands including The Promise Ring, American Football, Make Believe, Ghosts and Vodka, Owen, Joan of Arc and Owls
Cap'n Jazz reunited for a four-song set on January 22nd, 2010 at Chicago's Empty Bottle, which eventually led to a full tour in the second half of the year.
Planet Shhh
Cap'n Jazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
belittle my little attempts at growth. go on go on.
head right down that headlight's stare.
take my wind and blow it back at me. we've done this before.
halo my middle a hoola hoop hug. squeeze to warm and ribs stab heart.
hey god, i dare you to say it to my face.
hey god, i'll pull you outta the sky and make you 14 again. you'll never say another word about blame.
we bit lips. we saucer eyes.
halo my middle a hoola hoop hug. squeeze to warm and ribs stab heart.
now the taste of my teeth reminds me, have i called you today?
yesterday i called you never.
"Planet Shhh" presents a complex set of feelings that oscillate between bitter irony, nostalgia and self-depreciation, filtered through cryptic and poetic language. The opening line, "we're being too honest", may suggest a degree of introspection and painful self-awareness, but it also sets up a confrontational tone. The singer accuses their partner of hindering their growth, of not supporting or supporting them so much that it becomes patronizing. The repeated phrase "halo my middle a hoola hoop hug" seems to convey a mix of intimacy and aggression, a paradoxical attempt at embracing and suffocating the other person. The expression "squeeze to warm and ribs stab heart" adds to this sense of ambivalence, as if the singer is both craving and fearing closeness.
As the lyrics progress, they further blur the lines between different emotions and memories. The mention of God and the challenge to "say it to my face" might imply a rejection of religion or a more specific pain caused by a faith that is threatening or unresponsive. The idea of making God "14 again" seems to suggest a desire to erase the past and the mistakes that led to pain and disillusionment. The lines "we bit lips. we saucer eyes" add a sense of vulnerability and helplessness, as if the singer is struggling to express something that is being held back or repressed. The mention of the magazine Sassy introduces another layer of nostalgia and longing, evoking a time when things were simpler or more innocent.
Overall, "Planet Shhh" captures a mixture of contradictory feelings and impulses, conveyed through elliptical and vivid imagery. The song seems to express a deep sense of dissatisfaction with the present, but it also hints at a desire to reconnect with the past and find a way to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
we're being too honest. i push you to pull me.
We have been open with each other but I always make you share more than you are comfortable with.
belittle my little attempts at growth. go on go on.
You always invalidate my efforts to improve myself and it hurts.
head right down that headlight's stare.
You're not afraid to face challenges and confront them head-on.
take my wind and blow it back at me. we've done this before.
You always seem to use my vulnerabilities against me and this is not the first time.
halo my middle a hoola hoop hug. squeeze to warm and ribs stab heart.
You bring me comfort and affection but your actions sometimes hurt me deeply.
hey god, i dare you to say it to my face.
I challenge the idea of a higher power because I struggle to accept that things happen for a reason.
hey god, i'll pull you outta the sky and make you 14 again. you'll never say another word about blame.
I wish I could go back in time and confront a higher power about the unfairness of some situations instead of just accepting them as fate.
we bit lips. we saucer eyes.
We were nervous or anxious about something we were discussing.
i can't shake the shapeless memories every time i read sassy.
Certain things trigger traumatic memories that I cannot seem to forget.
halo my middle a hoola hoop hug. squeeze to warm and ribs stab heart.
You give me mixed signals and while you make me feel good, sometimes your actions cause me pain.
now the taste of my teeth reminds me, have i called you today?
I have a feeling that I am forgetting something important.
yesterday i called you never.
I did not talk to you at all yesterday.
Contributed by Tyler I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.