The original line-up consisted of lead singer Shannon Selberg, who later took up the bugle, guitarist Thor Eisentrager, bass guitarist Kevin Rutmanis, and drummer Sandris Rutmanis (soon to be replaced by Norm Rogers). The band had a hardcore sound characterized by blurred guitars, however the Cows took the formula a step further, creating a unique and unconventional style.
Stripping away anything that remotely resembled pop - including melody and catchy hooks and riffs - the Cows offered punk rock in its crudest form. John Dougan in All Music Guide described the group's distorted sound as "a feral racket that sounded as is if the guitars were being played with metal files". Lyrically, their songs dealt with just about anything, from losers in life to sex and bodily fluids. And Selberg's shrieking vocal style and general lunacy on stage provided the Cows with a bizarre, yet often engaging focus.
In 1987, the Cows released their debut album, Taint Pluribus, Taint Unum, landing a record deal with Amphetamine Reptile for the release of their second LP, Daddy Has A Tail. And by the time Cunning Stunts arrived in 1992, critics began to cite improvements.
However, while the Cows exhibited a more solid playing technique and greater songwriting focus, they stayed true to their punk roots and anti-commercial stance. "We play music that we like", said Eisentrager once. "We know how the world works. We're not trying to make music for mass consumption. Sometimes you get frustrated, but it's all about music. Episodically you get pissed off, but we've had a fair shake with the band, and we've had good tours. Basically we wish more people could get their hands on the records, but we know what we're doing and like what we do. It's not like somebody is trying ... to ignore us. It's just the nature of the beast".
After the release of Orphan's Tragedy in 1994, Roger decided to leave the Cows, fuelling rumors of a breakup. The rumors were silenced, however, with the release of Whorn in 1996. The album featured a new drummer, Freddy Votel.
In the wake of Whorn, talk of a band breakup emerged a second time when Selberg relocated from Minneapolis to New York City. But a new album again served as notice that the Cows were a healthy unit. Released in 1998, the eclectic Sorry In Pig Minor also saw the Cows, for the first time, exploring new ground. Although evidence of the old Cows remained, Sorry In Pig Minor was more varied in scope and texture. The opener, Cabin Man, was vintage Cows, yet tunes like the Latin-flavored El Shiksa and the jazzy Felon Of Troy proved that the group could handle more than punk.
After more than a decade of noise rock, the Cows disbanded in 1998.
They have a star on Minneapolis' First Avenue. Their singer, Shannon Selberg, has gone on with music, fronting the noise rock band The Heroine Sheiks.
Mine
Cows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you can walk upon it, it's mine
If you can come in here and put your hands on something, remember
If there's something here to swallow, it's mine
If there's something 'round to fallow, it's mine
If you can hold it up and put it in your pocket
Remember, it's mine
If something here does make it go up, it's mine
If you wanna come 'round here and help yourself to something, remember
if you can latch onto it, it's mine
If you can eat or screw it, it's mine
If you're some commie scum who wants to share it all
Remember, it's mine
If there's something here appealing, it's mine
If there's something here worth stealing, it's mine
If you want to walk in here and put your hands on something, remember
If you can lay eyes on it, it's mine
If you can walk upon it, it's mine
If it's got continents and clouds and lots of water
Remember, it's mine
The lyrics of Cows' song "Mine" are a searing commentary on selfishness, ownership, and power. The song is a fierce indictment of capitalism and greed, and a warning against those who would take advantage of others in pursuit of their own interests. The repeated refrain "it's mine" highlights the extreme possessiveness and entitlement of the singer, who sees everything as his own property to be exploited and consumed.
The lyrics are structured around a series of hypothetical scenarios, in which the singer lays claim to everything he can see, touch, or manipulate. He asserts his ownership over the land, the objects, and even the people around him, and warns others not to encroach on his territory. The song is filled with violent imagery, from the suggestion of blowing things up to the reference to eating and screwing, which underscores the singer's aggressive and domineering nature.
At a deeper level, the lyrics of "Mine" can be seen as a commentary on the inherent inequalities of capitalist society, in which some people accumulate wealth and power at the expense of others. The singer's insistence that everything belongs to him reflects a mentality that is all too common among the wealthy and powerful, who often justify their privilege by claiming that they have worked hard for it, or that they deserve it because of their intelligence or talent. The song serves as a reminder that such claims are often hollow, and that they mask a deeper reality of exploitation and oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
If you can lay eyes on it, it's mine
Anything that is visible to the eye belongs to me
If you can walk upon it, it's mine
Anything which can be walked upon is under my ownership
If you can come in here and put your hands on something, remember
In this space, anything that you touch has been claimed by me
If there's something here to swallow, it's mine
Anything edible or drinkable in this area is mine to consume
If there's something 'round to fallow, it's mine
Anything land or vegetation around here is under my proprietorship
If you can hold it up and put it in your pocket
Remember, it's mine
If an object can be held and put into someone's pocket, it has been claimed by me
If there's something here you can blow up, it's mine
Anything that is explosive in nature here is mine
If something here does make it go up, it's mine
Anything that has the ability to make something explode is under my possession
If you wanna come 'round here and help yourself to something, remember
If anyone wishes to take anything from me, they should remember that everything here belongs to me
if you can latch onto it, it's mine
Any object that can be grasped or held onto is mine
If you can eat or screw it, it's mine
Anything that can be consumed or used for physical pleasure is under my ownership
If you're some commie scum who wants to share it all
Remember, it's mine
Even if someone believes in sharing everything, they should remember that everything here belongs solely to me
If there's something here appealing, it's mine
Anything that is attractive or interesting in this area has been claimed by me
If there's something here worth stealing, it's mine
Anything that would be desirable to steal here is mine
If you want to walk in here and put your hands on something, remember
Anyone who enters this space and touches something must remember that it has been claimed by me
If it's got continents and clouds and lots of water
Remember, it's mine
Even the vast expanse of the earth and its natural wonders are under my proprietorship
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.