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.
Precious
Cap'n Jazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a starved stomach
On Sunday afternoons
I've got tobacco allergies
And a bloody tongued cat lick ticking
The lil' piggy peeping out of
A size and a half ago shoe
All the fish died for Friday's fish fry
I'm watching a sunken ship
One Sunday
Like a likable bully
He pulls to a picnic and builds a fire
December embers trickle up
Set roots in a soil sky as January's stars
The lyrics in Cap'n Jazz's song "Precious" are highly poetic and abstract, and they require some deciphering to understand their meaning. It seems to be a narrative of a person who is feeling disconnected, disoriented and troubled, observing the world around them with a sense of detachment and melancholy. The opening lines suggest a sense of longing and frustration, with "peanuts and kiddie Molotov cocktails" evoking a sense of childish rebellion, while "starved stomach" suggests a lack of nourishment or fulfillment. The mention of "tobacco allergies" further reinforces the idea of being limited and restricted in some way.
The next lines describe a physical sensation or condition, with the "bloody tongued cat lick ticking" suggesting a combination of pain or discomfort with a small, persistent aggravation. The image of the "lil' piggy" peeping out from a shoe that is too small adds to the vivid, surreal quality of the lyrics. The next lines get even more abstract, with the singer watching themselves in a "fishtank mirror" and reflecting on the fish that have died for a fish fry. The metaphorical shift to a "sunken ship" and "likable bully" creates a sense of menace or danger, and the fact that it "pulls to a picnic and builds a fire" adds to the feeling of unpredictability.
Finally, the last lines of the song provide a sense of resolution or closure, with the "December embers" evoking a sense of warmth and hope, and the "soil sky" and "January's stars" suggesting a new beginning or renewal. Overall, the lyrics of "Precious" are highly metaphorical and obscure, but they create a powerful sense of mood and emotion that resonates with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Peanuts and kiddie Molotov cocktails
I engage in childlike behaviors, such as throwing makeshift explosives and snacking on peanuts.
On a starved stomach
I am doing these things while hungry and possibly impoverished.
On Sunday afternoons
This is a regular occurrence on weekends.
I've got tobacco allergies
I am allergic to tobacco.
And a bloody tongued cat lick ticking
My tongue is sore and probably bleeding, due to being licked by a cat.
The lil' piggy peeping out of
My foot is too big for my shoe, which is old and worn out.
A size and a half ago shoe
My shoes are too small for me and probably hand-me-downs.
I watch myself in the fishtank mirror in the corner
I spend time looking at myself in a small mirror near a fish tank.
All the fish died for Friday's fish fry
The fish in the tank were probably meant to be eaten on a prior Friday.
I'm watching a sunken ship
I am looking at something that has failed or gone under, possibly myself.
One Sunday
This is happening on a particular Sunday, but could refer to any Sunday.
Like a likable bully
I enjoy acting in a forceful or dominating manner, but in a friendly way.
He pulls to a picnic and builds a fire
I go to a picnic and start a fire, possibly to cook food.
December embers trickle up
The fire is burning slowly and with little heat.
Set roots in a soil sky as January's stars
The embers of the fire appear like stars in the night sky, but are not as bright or as significant.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Lee Gore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind