The band eventually broke up over a combination of creative differences and financial difficulties. Their failure to secure a record deal in the US certainly didn't help matters, despite critical acclaim in America. Rolling Stone's review of "Foxheads Stalk This Land" called it "first-rate guitar pop from a top-shelf band. Close Lobsters could have been just another jangle group, but they have a lot more going for them than just chiming Rickenbackers."
The band reunited briefly in 1991 for a few live gigs before disbanding more permanently.
The Close Lobsters song "Let's Make Some Plans" was covered by the Wedding Present on the b-side of the "California" single in 1992.
Andrew Burnett is a lecturer in the Business faculty at the University of Paisley and guitarist Graeme Wilmington is an Audio Technology lecturer at Stow College, Glasgow.
The band became active again in the 2010s, releasing multiple EPs and an LP, Post Neo Anti - Arte Povera In the Forest Of Symbols in 2020.
Sewer Pipe Dream
Close Lobsters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What could I do but spit it out?
I had a sewer pipe down my throat
What could I do but let you choke?
And you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
Blue brown eyes
And you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
Oh, I first sipped the waters of sin
What could I do but dip my hand in?
I fell into a sonic hole dream
What could I do but sleep with sin?
And you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
Blue brown eyes
Green brown eyes
And you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
I had a corpse between my teeth
What could I do but start to shriek?
I bit into cold dynamite
What could I do but shake with fright?
Then you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
Green brown eyes
Big brown eyes
And you look at me with those
And you look at me with those
Sometimes I think it's not true
Only when I'm lost in you
The lyrics of Close Lobsters' song Sewer Pipe Dream are open to interpretation, but one possible reading is that the singer is wrestling with dark thoughts and experiences, perhaps related to addiction or trauma. The repeated refrain of "And you look at me with those blue brown eyes / Green brown eyes" suggests that there is a person (or people) in the singer's life who is a source of both comfort and conflict. The references to death and destruction ("dead body in my mouth," "corpse between my teeth," "cold dynamite") suggest a sense of overwhelm or powerlessness, but the final line, "Sometimes I think it's not true / Only when I'm lost in you," hints at a glimmer of hope or connection.
The imagery of a sewer pipe and a sonic hole dream could represent feelings of being trapped or suffocated, while the water of sin and dipping a hand in it could symbolize temptation or moral compromise. The lines "I fell into a sonic hole dream / What could I do but sleep with sin?" could be read as an admission of succumbing to desire or temptation.
Overall, the lyrics of Sewer Pipe Dream are evocative and haunting, suggesting a complex emotional landscape in which the singer feels simultaneously drawn to and threatened by something or someone.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I had a dead body in my mouth
I felt overwhelmed and burdened by something unpleasant
What could I do but spit it out?
I had to get rid of that burden no matter how unpleasant it was
I had a sewer pipe down my throat
I was stuck in a situation that made me feel dirty and uncomfortable
What could I do but let you choke?
I was forced to bear the shame and unpleasantness that came with the situation
And you look at me with those
Despite my struggles, you're still here with me
Blue brown eyes
Your eyes remind me of a comforting ocean
Green brown eyes
Your eyes remind me of a peaceful forest
Oh, I first sipped the waters of sin
I was introduced to something new and dangerous
What could I do but dip my hand in?
I was curious and wanted to explore this new sensation
I fell into a sonic hole dream
I got lost in something surreal and strange
What could I do but sleep with sin?
I gave in to temptation and indulged in something forbidden
I had a corpse between my teeth
I was carrying a heavy weight that was difficult to handle
What could I do but start to shriek?
The burden was too much and it caused me to become overwhelmed
I bit into cold dynamite
I took on something extremely dangerous and explosive
What could I do but shake with fright?
I was terrified of the potential consequences of my actions
Sometimes I think it's not true
At times, I question the reality of my situation
Only when I'm lost in you
But when I'm with you, I feel safe and grounded
Contributed by Daniel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ron Petersen
i love this stuff!