The band's founder and singer Craig Minowa has a degree in Environmental Science, and his environmental, political, and social awareness is reflected in much of Cloud Cult's music. (Note: Craig Minowa actually has stated he intentionally doesn't sing about environmental awareness because he lives it...he doesn't need to preach it) The band's self-created non-profit record label, Earthology Records, uses the most environmentally friendly methods available to ensure minimum damage to the environment.
After two solo LP's, The Shade Project (1995), and Who Killed Puck? (2000), Minowa's sudden loss of his two-year-old son and subsequent separation from his wife, Cloud Cult emerged with They Live On The Sun in 2003, combining concepts of Minowa with performances by cellist Sarah Young and drummer Dan Greenwood, who shortly became members of the band. This album was deeply personal and painful album for Cloud Cult and you don't often hear songs from it in concert.
Minowa continued to use music to cope with the loss of his son on the following album Aurora Borealis. This album did begin to branch out more into exploration of pain and loss instead of just feeling it.
Minowa reunited with his wife, and the next album is widely considered their crowning achievement. Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus involved collaboration from a variety of musicians and has garnered praise from critics, even being acclaimed as "a work of insane genius". This album is capped off with the "happy-go-lucky" song, Lucky Today. This album was selected by esurance to be animated into a commercial. This was a contest for the most environmentally sound band because esurance labels themselves as the paperless insurance provider.
On April 10th 2007 Cloud Cult officially released their sixth LP, The Meaning of 8 (although it was available for sale online in late January): the first single was titled "Take Your Medicine." In April 2008, the band followed it with Feel Good Ghosts.
In 2009 band announced a break till 2010, though they released limited re-releases of their albums Lost Songs from the Lost Years, They Live on the Sun and Aurora Borealis (the last two as a double-disc).
Their concerts are certainly a sight to be seen. Along with Minowa on Guitars (and other fun things), they have got bass, drums, violin and cello. There are two official band members who actually do very little music during the shows; Minowa's wife Connie and Scott are painters. They create original works of art during the show (breaking only occasionally to sing or sometimes Scott plays Trumpet). Then, at the end of the show, they silent auction these paintings off to the highest bidder.
Their official website is www.cloudcult.com.
Who Killed Puck?
Cloud Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're food for the fish so you will live again
It's the weight of your lungs when you're getting high
You'd spit it out but you'd really like to see the other side
It's the taste of her sweat when she was pulling you in
Like the mouth full of ocean that you're drowning in
And your bones, and your brains, and your skin
Are not as much yours as you thought they were
It's the ringing in your ears when you were feverish and sick
That's the sound of the other side so you better get used to it
It's the things that you see out of the corner of your eye
Everyone will tell you that it's nothing cause they've all gone blind
It's the feeling like you're falling when you first go to sleep
Like your soul's trying to separate but it can't quite break free
And your bones, and your brains, and your skin
Are not as much yours, as you thought they were
You can't come back again, back again
You can't come back again
It's your life flashing before you when you realize what you had
In retrospect it's beautiful but it's too late to go back
It's the light in the tunnel sucking you through
It's the deep regret of the things you never got to do
It's your last breath, your last luck, the end of the show
It's the spark in your eye when you finally let go
And your bones, and your brains, and your skin
Are not at much yours as you thought they were
You can't come back again, back again
You can't come back again, back again
Please don't let me go under again, under again
Please don't let me go under again, under again
The song "Who Killed Puck?" by Cloud Cult is a philosophical exploration of death and the afterlife. The lyrics describe the sensation of dying, and the various sensations and experiences that come with it. The first verse describes the feeling of drowning, and how we become "food for the fish" after death. The second verse describes the hallucinations that can occur when sick or feverish, and how they may represent glimpses of the afterlife. The chorus now seems to be an irony, as it repeats the phrase "you can't come back again", reminding us that there is no undo button on dying. Death is inevitably final.
The third verse describes the process of life flashing before one's eyes as they die, and the regret that can come with realizing all the things they never got to do. The last lines describe the final moments of life, and the release that comes with letting go. The overall message of the song seems to be to embrace life to the fullest, as death is inevitable and final.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the feel of the water as you're breathing it in
The sensation of drowning is discomforting
You're food for the fish so you will live again
Death is just a temporary pause that will lead to reincarnation
It's the weight of your lungs when you're getting high
The heaviness of the lungs during drug use is a reminder of the fragility of life
You'd spit it out but you'd really like to see the other side
The desire to experience something new, even if it's uncomfortable or dangerous
It's the taste of her sweat when she was pulling you in
The sensory experience of physical attraction is a reflection of the power of desire
Like the mouth full of ocean that you're drowning in
Being overwhelmed by emotions is like being submerged in water, unable to breathe
And your bones, and your brains, and your skin, Are not as much yours as you thought they were
Identity and the physical body are temporary and fleeting, and not entirely within our control
It's the ringing in your ears when you were feverish and sick
Illness can create a sense of disorientation and detachment from reality
That's the sound of the other side so you better get used to it
The experience of hearing strange noises is a suggestion that a deeper reality exists beyond our understanding
It's the things that you see out of the corner of your eye
The perception of strange phenomena outside of our direct vision implies that there is more to reality than we can grasp
Everyone will tell you that it's nothing cause they've all gone blind
Many people are unable or unwilling to acknowledge that there is more to reality than what they can see and understand
It's the feeling like you're falling when you first go to sleep
The sensation of falling when falling asleep is a reminder of the inherent unpredictability and uncontrollability of life
Like your soul's trying to separate but it can't quite break free
The sensation of the soul trying to escape the body implies that there is more to existence than just the physical realm
You can't come back again, back again
Death is final and irreversible
It's your life flashing before you when you realize what you had
The realization of the fleeting nature of life often comes too late
In retrospect it's beautiful but it's too late to go back
The beauty of life is often only truly appreciated when it is already gone
It's the light in the tunnel sucking you through
The presence of a light at the end of the tunnel implies that death may lead to a new and unknown reality
It's the deep regret of the things you never got to do
Death may be accompanied by a feeling of unfinished business or missed opportunities
It's your last breath, your last luck, the end of the show
Death is the ultimate conclusion of life
It's the spark in your eye when you finally let go
Death may bring a sense of peace and acceptance
Please don't let me go under again, under again
A plea to avoid the discomfort or uncertainty of death
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.