History
Founded by three former members of the groundbreaking Boston band Think Tree, Count Zero recorded their debut CD "Affluenza" in 1996. With the addition of a full-time bassist and keyboardist, they played their first show in March of '96 at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA, and have been entertaining an expanding congregation of devoted fans ever since.
Personnel
Peter Moore: vocals
Will Ragano: guitars
Eric Paull: drums
Izzy Maxwell: bass
Joel Simches: keyboards
Sound
An obsessively creative mashing of many classic and modern styles of popular music are found in any given Count Zero song, from retro-groove to indie-rock to electronic pop to country twang. Raw sounds intermingle with lush Radiohead-esque orchestrations and unexpected sound/sample manipulations, affording a unique listening experience known for grabbing even the most jaded ears. Their distinctive sound combines the flair for melody and complexity of Flaming Lips and later Blur, the brains of Talking Heads/ Brian Eno and the raw power of Zeppelin and Sly Stone.
Why you should care
• They tastefully present inordinately infectious melodies
• They ingeniously engineer durable, socially-observant yet heartfelt lyrics
• They create sophisticated, yet unpretentious arrangements
• Their live performances are vigorous, exuberant and challenging
• They probably won't go away........ever
What they are up to
Count Zero toured North America with The Dresden Dolls for six weeks in the Fall of 2004 to much acclaim. Their most recent release (their 3rd CD) Little Minds is a melody-riddled songfest, with lilting, melancholic lap-steel intermingling with an array of exotic synths, samples, odd turns and intense beats. With songs on both Guitar Hero 1 & 2 (one of the most popular video games in recent history), their fanbase is growing quickly.
Shake
Count Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thought I had you pegged
On the prowl for men who look money
You'd find one, delight his eye
He'd bite, you'd pull the reel in
He'd buy a round of drinks
All your friends would blink in envy
And said: "Let's see you shake!"
"Look, I'd believe this if you came here more on your own accord.
Not just to win a bet with yourself. Or a ring.
Not just to seize the tension, or be adored.
"See, at 19, to be a wiser boy, I hid beneath the radar's range.
I met sisters who, with hearts destroyed,
Made all men look like junked John Waynes.
"Since no cries of Ecstasy have convinced me,
I've no idea what it's gonna take to change this mindset
I've had ever since and can't seem to shake."
And you replied: "Hell, let's both un-zip our souls,
And run through fields with the goat-hoofed gods,
And swim, all star-lit, in lonesome lakes."
And I said "Right! How long you think the ride there's gonna take?"
(Go on shake)
(Shake up. Shake down. Shake up. Shake down. Shake somehow.)
The opening lyrics of Count Zero's "Shake" portray a story about a man who initially had preconceived notions about his encounter with a woman. He believed that she was on the lookout for a man with money, and would use her charm to captivate him into buying drinks. However, she surprised him by heading straight for him and dragging him to the dance floor. She seemed to be genuine in her desire to get to know him and see him "shake."
As the song progresses, the man becomes skeptical of her advances and wonders if she really likes him or if she has ulterior motives. He recalls a time in his past where he met women who had been hurt so badly that they made all men look like "junked John Waynes." He expresses the difficulty he has in changing his mindset and allowing himself to be vulnerable to love again. The woman responds by suggesting that they both let down their guard and run free with the "goat-hoofed gods" and swim in "lonesome lakes."
Overall, the lyrics of "Shake" appear to delve into the complexities of relationships and love. The man's initial skepticism and disbelief in the woman's intentions show how past experiences can shape our attitudes towards new ones. The woman's response of wanting to break down their walls and be vulnerable with each other highlights the importance of openness and communication in any relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I had you pegged
I had a preconceived notion about you
On the prowl for men who look money
Looking for rich men
You'd find one, delight his eye
You would attract his attention
He'd bite, you'd pull the reel in
He would hit on you, and you would draw him in
He'd buy a round of drinks
He would treat everyone to drinks
All your friends would blink in envy
Your friends would be jealous
Instead, you headed straight for me, dragged me gratefully to the floor
Rather than doing all that, you chose me and pulled me down to dance with you happily
And said: "Let's see you shake!"
You challenged me to dance
"Look, I'd believe this if you came here more on your own accord.
I would believe you more if you came here because you want to
Not just to win a bet with yourself. Or a ring.
And not just to prove yourself or get a prize
Not just to seize the tension, or be adored.
Or just to feel the thrill, or to be worshipped
"See, at 19, to be a wiser boy, I hid beneath the radar's range.
When I was 19, I tried to stay unnoticed and out of trouble to be wise
I met sisters who, with hearts destroyed,
I met girls who were heartbroken
Made all men look like junked John Waynes.
Who made all men seem like washed-up cowboys
"Since no cries of Ecstasy have convinced me,
Even though people have tried, I haven't been convinced
I've no idea what it's gonna take to change this mindset
I don't know what needs to happen to change my perspective
I've had ever since and can't seem to shake."
That I've had for a long time and can't seem to get rid of
And you replied: "Hell, let's both un-zip our souls,
You responded, let's open up to each other
And run through fields with the goat-hoofed gods,
And run through the fields with mythological creatures
And swim, all star-lit, in lonesome lakes."
And swim under the stars in deserted lakes
And I said "Right! How long you think the ride there's gonna take?"
I agreed and asked how long it would take to get there
(Go on shake)
Keep dancing
(Shake up. Shake down. Shake up. Shake down. Shake somehow.)
Continue dancing energetically
Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
antione debusei
trying to learn to play this on drums omfg pick a time signature you bastards :(