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.
Shitbeard
Cows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It don't respect the clock
Into my home it creeps
To wreck me in my sleep
It climbs, oh it climbs, it climbs
All over me
It climbs, oh it climbs, yes it climbs
It climbs, the cold black vine
It leaves me all undone
It does it just for fun
Its roots break up my bones
It won't leave me alone
It climbs, oh it climbs, it climbs
All over me
It climbs, oh it climbs, yes it climbs
It climbs, the cold black vine
It cuts me right in half
It does it just for laughs
It's got me in it's claws
It's my one true applause
It climbs, oh it climbs, it climbs
All over me
It climbs, oh it climbs, yes it climbs
It climbs, the cold black vine
It climbs on me
The song "Shitbeard" by Cows portrays the inner struggles of a person represented as their old friend that doesn't respect the clock and keeps creeping into their home to wreck them while they sleep. This old friend is represented as a cold black vine that climbs all over them, leaving them feeling undone just for fun. The vine's roots break their bones and as much as they try to get rid of it, it won't leave them alone. The person feels like the vine is cutting them in half just for laughs and yet, they cannot help but feel a sense of approval and applause from it. The last lines of the song show how the vine has completely taken over the person, and it climbs all over them.
The cold black vine in the song could be seen as a metaphor for addiction, depression, or any other inner struggles that people face. It's a powerful and thought-provoking representation of how something that one cannot control can take over their lives and control them. The lyrics show the darker side of life and how people can become a victim of their inner demons.
Line by Line Meaning
My old friend likes to talk
The subject of the song is compared to an old friend who loves to talk and never respects the time.
It don't respect the clock
The subject does not care about time and shows up at all hours.
Into my home it creeps
The subject enters the singer's personal space without permission and uninvited.
To wreck me in my sleep
The subject causes destruction while the artist is helpless and defenseless in their sleep.
It climbs, oh it climbs, it climbs
All over me
The subject climbs over the artist and takes control of their surroundings.
It leaves me all undone
The subject leaves the singer feeling helpless, unresolved, and incomplete.
It does it just for fun
The subject does not have any motive or reason, it just enjoys causing destruction and chaos.
Its roots break up my bones
The subject's influence is so strong that it is causing physical harm to the artist.
It won't leave me alone
The subject is persistent and does not allow the artist to have any peace of mind or freedom from its grasp.
It cuts me right in half
The subject causes the artist's pain and despair to the point where it feels like they are being split in half.
It does it just for laughs
The subject has no compassion for the singer's pain and continues to cause harm for its own amusement.
It's got me in its claws
The subject has a tight grasp on the artist and controls their every move.
It's my one true applause
The subject's only reward is the pain and suffering it causes the singer.
It climbs on me
The subject continues to exert its control and domination over the singer.
Contributed by Sarah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.