As well as Smith, around 23 musicians were part of the Cardiacs over the years, including Smith's brother, Jim, and multi-instrumentalist, Sarah Cutts, who married Tim Smith in 1983.
Their music combined the excitement and energy of punk with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British progressive rock, a combination sometimes referred to as pronk, although frontman Smith disavowed this classification.
Cardiacs released eight studio albums plus a number of live albums, compilation albums and singles between 1980 and 2007, and are best known for the 1988 minor hit single "Is This the Life?" They are also noted for attracting strongly diverse responses: they have remained one of Britain's leading cult rock bands during their four-decade-spanning career, but have also attracted virulent critical attack (including a lengthy editorial ban from the British music magazine New Musical Express).
On the 30th June 1990, Cardiacs played at Salisbury Arts Centre (a former church). The show was recorded and initially the video of it was released on VHS tape under the name "All That Glitters Is A Mare's Nest". The video helped Cardiacs achieve a cult following, with pirated copies of the video, being highly sought after. The audio from the show was released on CD in 1995.
The band was on hiatus following the 2008 hospitalisation of Tim Smith after a heart attack and series of strokes which affected his speech and movement.
Commenting on his condition, in 2017, Smith wrote: “Imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you, with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”
In 2018, fundraising was set up for Tim Smith, which included the comment “This condition has affected Tim’s movement, his dexterity, his ability to speak, and it has added painful muscle tone and spasms that are a permanent feature of his life these days.”
On Tuesday 21st July 2020, at around 10.30 pm, Tim Smith passed away at his home, as a result of a heart attack.
Cardiacs final album, "LSD" remained unfinished at the time of Tim Smith's death. At the time of his death, Cardiacs still remained a cult following, their recordings were not, for example, available on Spotify. For many years there were few new copies of Cardiacs albums in circulation. Later on, re-releases became available on CD and then vinyl.
Horsehead
Cardiacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His horsey head made him soft for his man
All he wants to do is quietly breathe
They spoilt him by breaking him snip off and snap
Calm things that make him and never grow back
In the mirror and in the reflection
His horsey head made him soft for his man
The lyrics to "Horsehead" by Cardiacs can be interpreted as a metaphor for someone who feels degraded and broken down by their partner or society. The line "His horsey head made him soft for his man" suggests that the singer has allowed themselves to be controlled and manipulated by someone who sees them as inferior. The line "They spoilt him by breaking him snip off and snap" furthers this interpretation, implying that the singer has been stripped of their individuality and become a shell of their former self.
However, the latter half of the chorus seems to offer a glimmer of hope. The line "Calm things that make him and never grow back" hints at the possibility of regaining what was lost, through finding inner peace and strength. The repetition of the line "In the mirror and in the reflection" could also suggest a sense of self-reflection and introspection, which may lead the singer to break free from the control of others and reclaim their sense of self.
Overall, "Horsehead" is a haunting and thought-provoking song that speaks to the struggles of maintaining individuality in the face of societal pressure and manipulation.
Line by Line Meaning
In the mirror and in the reflection
Looking at his own reflection, he sees a familiar sight that he cannot escape.
His horsey head made him soft for his man
His physical appearance, resembling that of a horse, made him vulnerable and submissive towards his lover.
All he wants to do is quietly breathe
He desires to simply exist peacefully and without any disturbance.
They spoilt him by breaking him snip off and snap
Others have mistreated him and caused him harm, breaking him into pieces both physically and emotionally.
Calm things that make him and never grow back
The peaceful aspects of his life that have been taken away from him can never be restored, leaving him forever scarred.
In the mirror and in the reflection
Once again, he is confronted with the painful sight of his own reflection.
His horsey head made him soft for his man
Despite his efforts to resist, his submissive nature towards his lover remains unchanged due to his horse-like appearance.
Contributed by Zachary F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.