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.
Tarred and Feathered
Cardiacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do they include everything and they change for every season
It's only a matter of...
Time is of the essence, shall I put up some resistance?
Cursed with the awareness of my own existance
It's only a matter of...
That boxes me together forever it forms the seal
Is the knowledge of my own existance real?
I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons
Do they include everything and they change for every season
It's only a matter of...
Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail
That boxes me together forever it forms the seal
Is the knowledge of my own existance real?
A slice of life a piece of mind
Laid on a plate of my own kind
I'll take a key from the gravy
And unlock the cage that holds the ravens in
What's it like flying high?
I've a cone for a beak, but the tar makes me cry
That holds me together, tarred and feathered
Breathing home, hoping for the day
The radio and television's thrown the rest away
Oh dear me, look who's come around
Now all I have to do is hide my body in the ground
It's all I have to do
When they who to the sea go down
And in the waters ply their toil
Are lifted on the surges crown
And plunged where seething eddies boil
The lyrics of Cardiacs's song Tarred and Feathered delve into the human experience of existence and the search for meaning in life. The singer seems to understand the rules, but struggles to find the reasons behind them. The changing seasons could represent the passing of time and how the rules may change with it. The repetition of "It's only a matter of…" could signify the singer's frustration with the fleeting nature of their understanding and their own mortality.
The next verse continues the theme of time, with the realization that it passes by quicker than the nail that boxes the singer together. This could be a metaphor for the physical body and the idea that it eventually deteriorates with time. The question "Is the knowledge of my own existence real?" hints at the philosophical concept of existentialism and the idea that existence is not predetermined but a product of personal choices and actions.
The final stanza of the song shifts to focus on the singer's desire for freedom and escape. The metaphor of ravens in a cage could represent the singer's feeling of confinement or societal constraints. The reference to being tarred and feathered could suggest a feeling of being ostracized or judged by others. The last few lines add a hint of mystery with the mention of sea workers being lifted and plunged, leaving the interpretation up to the listener's imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons
Although I comprehend the regulations, I remain unable to ascertain the motives behind them.
Do they include everything and they change for every season
Do these rules apply to every situation, and do they alter based on the time of year?
It's only a matter of...
This situation will ultimately be determined by some factor that is currently unknown.
Time is of the essence, shall I put up some resistance?
As time moves on, it becomes increasingly vital that I take some form of action to resist the pressures around me.
Cursed with the awareness of my own existance
I am burdened by the knowledge that I am alive and conscious of my own identity.
Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail
The passage of time often seems to happen faster than it should, despite reality holding the opposite true.
That boxes me together forever it forms the seal
Something keeps me bound to a particular way of living, and I feel trapped by it.
Is the knowledge of my own existance real?
I struggle with the notion of whether or not my consciousness and self-knowledge are authentic.
A slice of life a piece of mind
A brief glimpse of existence, providing only some respite from the rigors of the mind.
Laid on a plate of my own kind
Like-minded individuals surround me as I take in this small taste of life.
I'll take a key from the gravy
I will take advantage of any small opportunity that presents itself to break free from my shackles.
And unlock the cage that holds the ravens in
This action allows me to release myself from the constraints that bind me.
What's it like flying high?
I am curious about experiencing freedom from my troubles, but my current situation leads me to believe that it will be painful as well.
I've a cone for a beak, but the tar makes me cry
Freedom would come at a cost, one involving losing something precious, with tears likely to flow.
That holds me together, tarred and feathered
Despite the unpleasantness, this tar serves a purpose by keeping me together, albeit in an unpalatable way.
Breathing home, hoping for the day
I yearn for the time when I can once again feel comfortable in my own skin.
The radio and television's thrown the rest away
Modern society has lost many valuable things in its pursuit of entertainment, often leading to a sense of ennui.
Oh dear me, look who's come around
A new element has entered my life, bringing with it an unknown but possibly unpleasant force.
Now all I have to do is hide my body in the ground
To avoid this new threat, I must take drastic measures to keep myself hidden and unidentified.
When they who to the sea go down
Referring to sailors or seafarers who risk their lives among the waves.
And in the waters ply their toil
Going about their daily work, encountering all manner of danger and trial.
Are lifted on the surges crown
Risen high on a swell of water, an image of both risk and triumph.
And plunged where seething eddies boil
Tossed into a maelstrom of strife and suffering, emblematic of many of life's greatest hurdles.
Contributed by Eva C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Peter Saunders
I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons
Do they include everything and they change for every season
It's only a matter of...
Time is of the essence, shall I put up some resistance?
Cursed with the awareness of my own
It's only a matter of...
Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail
That boxes me together forever it forms the seal
I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons
Do they include everything and they change for every season
It's only a matter of...
Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail
That boxes me together forever it forms the seal
A slice of life a piece of mind
Laid on a plate of my own kind
I'll take a key from the gravy
And unlock the cage that holds the ravens in
What's it like flying high?
I've a cone for a beak, but the tar makes me cry
That holds me together, tarred and feathered
Breathing home, hoping for the day
The radio and television's thrown the rest away
Oh dear me, look who's come around
Now all I have to do is hide my body in the ground
It's all I have to do
When they who to the sea go down
And in the waters ply their toil
Are lifted on the surges crown
And plunged where seething eddies boil
Dan Bull
This song makes me feel the same way as when you're walking at night and some oddball starts following you asking for a light and won't go away
ashley randall
+Dan Bull didn't expect to see you here xD
zombockerman
The people and things you find on youtube lel
Blorglbl
got light ?
Tantacrul
Hahaha. My new favourite description.
djvoid1
If this song were a feeling, it'd be running late for a job interview while stuck in traffic with explosive diahorrea
EDIT : Given how this comment has taken off, I'd just like to clarify that I really like this song and Cardiacs in general. I'd rather a song give me a strong feeling than a strong headache
Dav San
noooooo, thats a bad feel, this creates freedomm, the woerld finellee makesssensssss
Harriet Rose Jimenez
You absolutely nailed it. The ending is when you finally get to the bathroom in the building and woefully realize that it is too late to get clean.
Just Ronjay
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
diskopoko
@TheGreatMunky Once you’ve reached that point, it makes no difference who or what. The only thing that can save you is a Cardiacs song.