… Read Full Bio ↴The Crash Test Dummies is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The band is most identifiable through Brad Roberts (vocals, guitar) and his distinctive bass-baritone voice. The band members have fluctuated over the years, but its best known line-up consisted of Roberts, Ellen Reid (co-vocals, keyboards), Brad's brother Dan Roberts (bass guitar, backing vocals), Benjamin Darvill (harmonica, mandolin), and Mitch Dorge (drums, percussion). The band is best known internationally for their 1993 single "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and best known in Canada for the 1991 single "Superman's Song".
After a multi-year hiatus, the band returned in 2015 with a tour and the new charity single "Promised Land" which was a collaboration with Marc Mysterio[1] following up his remix of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm".
The origin of the Crash Test Dummies is tied to the history of two Winnipeg nightspots, the Spectrum Cabaret and the Blue Note Cafe, owned by Curtis Riddell.
In the mid-1980s, Riddell joined with Brad Roberts to form the decidedly less-than-serious bar band Bad Brad Roberts and the St. James Rhythm Pigs. Over time, the band evolved into the Crash Test Dummies, a name suggested by a friend of the band who was in medical school. The diagnostic mannequin, known colloquially as a crash test dummy, was known to the public already by this time. Ellen Reid and Benjamin Darvill became permanent additions. George West, the original bass player, quit and was replaced by Dan Roberts, Brad's brother. Riddell was replaced by Vince Lambert, who was fired and replaced by Mitch Dorge just before the release of The Ghosts That Haunt Me.
After signing with BMG Records in 1991, the band signed with manager Jeff Rogers (Swell).
In the summer of 2017, the full band, except Benjamin Darvill, reunited for a show in Winnipeg and Brad Roberts went on a tour of South Africa in early 2018.
In July 2018, a reunited photo of Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts, and Mitch Dorge was posted on the official Crash Test Dummies Facebook page, along with the announcement of Canadian Tour Dates for the fall.
Throughout their career, Crash Test Dummies have experimented with many different styles and genres of music. These styles include the acoustic folk rock of The Ghosts That Haunt Me, the electric alternative rock of A Worm's Life, the urban influences of Give Yourself a Hand, and the optigan-based compositions of Oooh La La!.
Crash Test Dummies recorded as a full five piece band from their debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me until Give Yourself a Hand. At this time, the most notable instrumentation of the band's music included Brad Roberts' lead guitar, Ellen Reid's keyboards, and Benjamin Darvill's harmonica. Another notable element of Crash Test Dummies' music are the contrasting harmonies between Brad Roberts' deep lead vocals and Ellen Reid's backing vocals in the higher register.
Beginning with I Don't Care That You Don't Mind in 2001, the band's albums were recorded primarily by Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, and a rotating roster of session musicians.
One of the biggest influences for Brad Roberts was the band XTC and Andy Partridge in particular. The band even went on to cover two of XTC's songs: "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" for the soundtrack to the film Dumb and Dumber, and "All You Pretty Girls" for the XTC tribute album A Testimonial Dinner.
In The Days Of The Caveman
Crash Test Dummies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Foraging the forests like a primate
Using sharpened tools instead of hotplates
Your thumb and forefinger supposed to show you're not a wild beast
You can hear their noises at night time
They don't have to keep a certain bedtime
Leftover parts from apes and monkeys
Sometimes when I lie awake I hear the rainfall on my tent fly
I think of all the insects that are sleeping
And wonder if the animals are dreaming
See in the shapes of my body
Leftover parts from apes and monkeys
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
And when I finally get to sleep, I dream in technicolor
I see creatures come back from the Ice Age
Alive and being fed inside a zoo cage
See in the shapes of my body
Leftover parts from apes and monkeys
[Repeat x2]
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
The song "In The Days Of The Caveman" by Crash Test Dummies takes the listener on a journey into the primitive days of human history. The lyrics describe the experience of going on a camping trip and being transported back in time to a period when humans relied on basic tools for survival and lived alongside wild animals. The song acknowledges the physical similarities between modern humans and their ancient ancestors, suggesting that we are all "leftover parts from apes and monkeys."
Through the verses, the song paints a vivid picture of life in prehistoric times, referencing the challenges faced by early humans in finding food, avoiding predators, and surviving harsh weather conditions. The repeated chorus emphasizes the central theme of the song, that in earlier times, humans were much more in tune with nature and lived simpler lives compared to modern society with its technology and medical advancements.
The dream-like quality of the song's final verse, with its images of creatures from the Ice Age being kept in a zoo, serves as a reminder of how far humans have come since those primitive times. The song seems to suggest that, despite our many new advantages and luxuries, there is still something to be learned from the simplicity and closeness to nature of our distant ancestors.
Line by Line Meaning
When you go on camping trips you're stuck right out in nature
When going on a camping trip, you are completely surrounded by the natural environment
Foraging the forests like a primate
Collecting food from the forests through primitive means, like early humans did
Using sharpened tools instead of hotplates
Using sharpened tools for cooking instead of modern appliances such as a hotplate or microwave
Your thumb and forefinger supposed to show you're not a wild beast
Having opposable thumbs and fingers, which differentiates humans from animals
You can hear their noises at night time
Hearing the natural sounds of animals in the forest at night
They don't have to keep a certain bedtime
Animals do not have scheduled sleep patterns like humans do
See in the shapes of my body
Noticing the physical similarities between humans and primates
Leftover parts from apes and monkeys
Retaining physical characteristics from the ancestors of modern humans such as apes and monkeys
Sometimes when I lie awake I hear the rainfall on my tent fly
Occasionally hearing the sound of raindrops hitting the tent while trying to sleep
I think of all the insects that are sleeping
Reflecting on the nocturnal habits of insects and other small creatures in the forest at night
And wonder if the animals are dreaming
Contemplating whether or not animals have a capacity for dreams during their sleep
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Referring to the early stages of humanity, where mammoths and glaciers used to exist
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
Humans subsisted on insects and vegetation during prehistoric times, without the need for clothing or medical professionals
And when I finally get to sleep, I dream in technicolor
Experiencing vivid, colorful dreams while asleep
I see creatures come back from the Ice Age
Dreaming of ancient animals that lived during the Ice Age
Alive and being fed inside a zoo cage
Imagining if these extinct creatures were to exist today, they would be kept in captivity in a zoo
See in the shapes of my body
Noticing the physical similarities between humans and primates
Leftover parts from apes and monkeys
Retaining physical characteristics from the ancestors of modern humans such as apes and monkeys
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Referring to the early stages of humanity, where mammoths and glaciers used to exist
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
Humans subsisted on insects and vegetation during prehistoric times, without the need for clothing or medical professionals
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRAD ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sérgio Ferreira de Souza
When you go on camping trips you're stuck right out in nature
Foraging the forests like a primate
Using sharpened tools instead of hotplates
Your thumb and forefinger supposed to show you're not a wild beast
You can hear their noises at night time
They don't have to keep a certain bedtime
See in the shapes of my body
Leftover parts from the apes and monkeys
Sometimes when I lie awake I hear the rainfall on my tent fly
I think of all the insects that are sleeping
And wonder if the animals are dreaming
See in the shapes of my body
Leftover parts from the apes and monkeys
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
And when I finally get to sleep, I dream in technicolors
I see creatures come back from the Ice Age
Alive and being fed inside a zoo cage
See in the shapes of my body
Leftover parts from the apes and monkeys
In the days of the caveman and mammoths and glaciers
Bugs and trees were your food then; no pajamas or doctors
Shelley Hartley
Love this entire album. Brings back wonderful memories from a very happy time. Great the way music transports you back in time.
D. Pinit77
I agree . As a young teen , my parents and an aunt and uncle loved this album. My parents had it on often while I didn’t understand it nor like it then , busy with nirvana , Metallica, Pearl Jam etc… hearing it now brings me to one of the greatest chapters of my life filled with family and friends which In return helped me to appreciate this unique , odd but beautifully crafted album .
Jason Schmidt
I agree
OJ
Yes, it's as though we are actually there...like on demand living past family joys. Could be so. Mysterious ways! ❤
K Thayer
This album is 🔥 🔥 FIRE 🔥 🔥
Ameulos
Very well said my friend
Mike Bennett
I was a teen all through the 90's and loved this band! Corny lyrics but that's actually partly why I liked them a lot. They were very different from anything else. They were fantastic musicians with wonderful harmonics.
Mike Spearwood
Corny & deep lyrics at the same time.
joe carolan
@Mike Spearwood i find their lyrics rather biting.
Michael Brewer
Try an allegorical interpretation of the lyrics rather than a literal one and the lyrics won't be nearly as corny. I used to think they were corny until I got a deeper understanding of the artistic aspect of songwriting. It's very much poetry along with great music.