Cracker is an American alternative rock band fronted by Camper Van Beethove… Read Full Bio ↴Cracker is an American alternative rock band fronted by Camper Van Beethoven singer David Lowery, with guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their hit songs "Low" and "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)".

The band's website once noted Cracker as "The only band to ever open for both Grateful Dead and Ramones," a unique distinction which is also indicative of the band's sound and style. Cracker comfortably mixes influences and sounds ranging from classic country music, psychedelia, punk and folk into their brand of "Americana" style rock.

Lowery and Hickman are inalterable constants. The band continues to tour (as a full band, and also as the "Cracker acoustic duo").

Dixie Babylon
Cracker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We went down to the old part of town
By the stinking canal and the cotton mill
Under a ghetto palm with her bicycle shorts on
With a gesture she said to me

I really must confess
I'd like to get undressed with you
And though the thought had never really crossed my mind

Oh, but that was a lie, so we went along

We went out under the turning leaves
The fetid earth was damp and cool
Autumn's feeble light on her salty neck
All innocence, it was lost

I really must confess
I'm feeling quite distressed, my stars are always crossed

And I have always taken more than I have given back
And as a matter of fact, I've given nothing up.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cracker's song, Dixie Babylon, depict a vivid story of a spontaneous encounter between the singer and an alluring woman in the old part of town. The setting is by the stinking canal and the cotton mill, suggesting a gloomy environment that may symbolize the social and economic decay of the area. The woman is described as wearing bicycle shorts, a gesture that implies she may be a free-spirited and unconventional character. In a moment of honesty, she confesses to the singer that she would like to get undressed with him, to which he responds with hesitation but eventually gives in.

As the encounter progresses, the lyrics suggest a sense of regret and unease. The singer confesses that he is feeling quite distressed and that his stars are always crossed, indicating a belief in the forces of fate that may be working against him. He also admits that he has always taken more than he has given back, emphasizing a sense of selfishness and a lack of reciprocity in his relationships. The song ends on a somber note, with the singer acknowledging that he has given nothing up, highlighting a sense of unfulfilled potential and missed opportunities.

Overall, the lyrics to Dixie Babylon convey a sense of melancholy and introspection, exploring themes of regret, desire, and the struggle to connect with others in a world that seems to be falling apart.

Line by Line Meaning

We went down to the old part of town
We journeyed to the outdated area of the town

By the stinking canal and the cotton mill
Adjacent to the putrid canal and the cotton factory

Under a ghetto palm with her bicycle shorts on
Beneath a palm tree in a shabby neighborhood while she wore tight shorts for cycling

With a gesture she said to me
She made a movement and spoke with me

I really must confess
I sincerely need to admit

I'd like to get undressed with you
I want to remove clothing with you

And though the thought had never really crossed my mind
Although I never dreamed of it before

Oh, but that was a lie, so we went along
But, I was actually lying so we proceeded

We went out under the turning leaves
We departed below the changing foliage

The fetid earth was damp and cool
The moistened dirt was malodorous and chilly

Autumn's feeble light on her salty neck
The dim fall light shined on her perspiring neck