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.
My Bob
Cows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time to visit my friend Bob
Pretty soon they'll lock him in
In this hick town that is the law
But I run, I make it there on time
It's four dollars ninety, keep the dime
I smuggle him home in the dark
Bob's my best friend - that's no lie
My Bob, he always looks surprised
My Bob makes me one of the guys
My Bob, one friend who never lies
My Bob, he can no longer see
My Bob lost face to technology
My Bob, he opens up to me
My Bob, he's smarter than he looks
My Bob gave better than he took
My Bob, we kiss until I puke
My Bob is always cold to me
But it is not because he's mean
I always take him how he comes
I have to cuz he's cheap
Sir Bobs and I'm almost there
My friends, they all want me to share
They curse me as I throw him out
But Bob's all mine, so I don't care
My Bob he's sitting right on top
My Bob, can't see him 'til he pops
My Bob, he's always in my thoughts
My Bob, he takes the easy route
My Bob, he slips into my mouth
My Bob, he always knocks me out
My Bob, he always makes me think
My Bob looks better when I drink
My Bob, he is the missing link
My Bob, he's hard to keep lit
My Bob, he's making me talk shit
My Bob, everything he does is tits
My Bob, he always understands
My Bob, he makes me ejaculate
My Bob, he makes me handsome, yeah
My Bob, he never stays too late
My Bob, he's filling, he tastes great
The lyrics to Cows' song My Bob may seem puzzling at first, but they are in fact an ode to a beloved drug, most likely marijuana. The singer of the song is preparing to visit their friend Bob before he is locked up for the night in their small town. They pay $4.90 for their drug, and smuggle it home in the dark. The singer extols the virtues of Bob throughout the song, describing how he makes them feel included ("One of the guys"), smarter than they look, and even handsome. Bob is portrayed as a loyal friend who never lies, but who is also a little hard to keep lit - another reference to smoking marijuana.
The singer also describes a sexual component to their relationship with Bob - they "kiss until I puke" and Bob "makes me ejaculate." Despite humorous elements like these, the song ultimately portrays a deep sense of affection for the drug Bob - "he always makes me think" and "he is the missing link." The repeated refrain of "My Bob" underscores the singer's emotional bond with the drug.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems it's almost eight o'clock
The singer realizes it's nearly time to visit Bob
It's time to visit my friend Bob
The singer plans to visit their friend Bob
Pretty soon they'll lock him in
Bob will be locked up soon due to the law in their town
In this hick town that is the law
The law that Bob will be locked up due to is specific to their small town
But I run, I make it there on time
The artist rushes to make it to Bob's before he is locked up
It's four dollars ninety, keep the dime
The singer pays a specific amount of money to smuggle Bob out
I smuggle him home in the dark
The singer sneaks Bob out and brings him home secretly
Bob's my best friend - that's no lie
The artist considers Bob to be their best friend
My Bob, he always looks surprised
Bob has a surprised expression on his face often
My Bob makes me one of the guys
Bob makes the artist feel included and part of the group of friends
My Bob, one friend who never lies
The singer trusts Bob because they believe he never lies
My Bob, he can no longer see
Bob has lost his eyesight
My Bob lost face to technology
Bob lost his eyesight due to technological advances
My Bob, he opens up to me
Bob confides in the singer and shares his thoughts with them
My Bob, he's smarter than he looks
Bob is more intelligent than he appears
My Bob gave better than he took
Bob was a generous person who gave more than they received
My Bob, we kiss until I puke
The relationship between the artist and Bob is physical and intense
My Bob is always cold to me
Bob is emotionally distant and unresponsive towards the singer
But it is not because he's mean
Bob's coldness is not due to him being mean
I always take him how he comes
The artist accepts Bob the way he is
I have to cuz he's cheap
The artist cannot afford to have a better friend than Bob
Sir Bobs and I'm almost there
The artist and Bob have a close relationship and are almost at their destination
My friends, they all want me to share
The singer's friends want to be included in the relationship between the singer and Bob
They curse me as I throw him out
The artist's friends are upset when the artist throws Bob away
But Bob's all mine, so I don't care
The singer values their special relationship with Bob more than their friends' opinions
My Bob he's sitting right on top
Bob is close to the singer and they are physical together
My Bob, can't see him 'til he pops
Bob is not visible until he is ready to be used
My Bob, he's always in my thoughts
The artist thinks about Bob often
My Bob, he takes the easy route
Bob tends to choose the easiest option
My Bob, he slips into my mouth
Bob is a drug that the singer uses
My Bob, he always knocks me out
Bob makes the singer pass out
My Bob, he always makes me think
The artist's drug use causes them to think differently
My Bob looks better when I drink
The artist enjoys using Bob more when they are consuming alcohol
My Bob, he is the missing link
Bob is something that the artist needed in their life
My Bob, he's hard to keep lit
Bob is difficult to use effectively
My Bob, he's making me talk shit
Bob is causing the artist to speak poorly or disrespectfully
My Bob, everything he does is tits
The singer is very satisfied with their use of Bob
My Bob, he always understands
The singer feels like Bob is the only one who truly understands them
My Bob, he makes me ejaculate
Bob creates a physical response in the singer
My Bob, he makes me handsome, yeah
The artist believes that Bob makes them more attractive
My Bob, he never stays too late
Bob's effects do not last for very long
My Bob, he's filling, he tastes great
The singer enjoys the sensation of using Bob
Contributed by Micah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.