Officially the band started in 1991 and started playing shows in 1992. However, they only played a small number of shows at this stage and decided to concentrate their efforts on practicing. In 1993 the band started playing regularly in venues around Calgary.
In 1996 Chixdiggit! were signed to Sub Pop records. They released their first self-titled album on the record label, however they only lasted a short time on the label. The band left the label as they felt as though they didn't fit in with the record label's ideals. As stated by Mike from the band: "the people that actually had to sell our records and deal with us on a day to day basis were not quite so fond of us".
At this stage Chixdiggit was touring worldwide. They were quickly picked up by Honest Don's Records, a Fat Wreck Chords subsidiary from San Francisco.
After the release of 2000's From Scene to Shining Scene, the band took a hiatus, from which they returned in 2003 and in 2005 the band started writing and recording its fourth full length album, Pink Razors. The album was released April 19, 2005 on Fat Wreck Chords in North American and Bad Taste Records in Europe.
Founding member Mike Eggermont left the band in 2002 and started Blatant Media, a software company. In 2003, drummer Dave Alcock (owner of Sundae Sound recording studio) left the band, and was replaced by the band's original drummer, Jason Hirsch.
On October 31st, 2007, the band released a re-recording of their debut album, Chixdiggit!, on Bad Taste Records. The re-recorded album was titled Chixdiggit! II.
Jimmy the Con
Chixdiggit! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you and me shared a rye and coke
you camapigned
you shook hands at the Crow
it's a shame you didn't win
would have been a better place if you got in
despite what they say
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
people say you got one kid
for each of the seventy years you lived
and just as many wives
who didn't know about each other
and all the girls under your spell
do you spend all your rotten life in jail
now you're gone
now you're gone
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
Jimmy the con
The lyrics to Chixdiggit!'s song "Jimmy the Con" tell a story that seems to be about someone the singer knew named Jimmy, who was a con artist. The first verse of the song suggests that Jimmy might have been a political candidate at one point. The singer reminisces about sharing a drink with Jimmy and campaigning with him before a local event known as "the Crow." The second line of the verse suggests that Jimmy didn't win the election. Despite his loss, the singer believes that Jimmy belonged in a cage because of his criminal activities.
The second verse is more focused on Jimmy's personal life. It emphasizes that people talk about the many children and wives he had, suggesting that he was a notorious womanizer who was never faithful to any of his partners. The verse also suggests that Jimmy had a great deal of charm and manipulation skills, having all of the women he was involved with under his spell. The final lines of the verse suggest that Jimmy spent most of his life in jail, and he's now gone.
Overall, the song seems to paint a picture of a charismatic but ultimately deceitful and destructive character. It suggests that despite Jimmy's charms, he was a criminal at heart, and his actions left a trail of broken relationships and ruined lives.
Line by Line Meaning
first time I got to vote
I remember back when I was first given the right to vote
you and me shared a rye and coke
You and I enjoyed some drinks together
you campaigned
You ran for office, trying to win the support of voters
you shook hands at the Crow
I recall seeing you greet people at the Crow, a popular local gathering spot
it's a shame you didn't win
It's unfortunate that you were not successful in your campaign
would have been a better place if you got in
I believe that things would have been better had you won the election
despite what they say
Even though others may have negative opinions about you
you belonged in a cage
You were a criminal who deserved to be locked up
Jimmy the con
You, Jimmy, were a con artist who tricked and manipulated people
people say you got one kid
Rumors suggest that you had at least one child for every year of your life
for each of the seventy years you lived
Assuming you lived to be 70 years old, that would mean you fathered 70 children
and just as many wives
Furthermore, it's rumored that you had a wife for each of those children
who didn't know about each other
These wives were likely unaware of each other's existence
and all the girls under your spell
There were also women who were under your influence and control
do you spend all your rotten life in jail
I wonder if you spent your entire corrupt existence behind bars
now you're gone
You are no longer with us
Jimmy the con
Once again, referring to you, Jimmy, as a con artist
Contributed by Brayden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.