Tempe, AZ-based singer/songwriter Brent Babb joined with drummer/bandleader… Read Full Bio ↴Tempe, AZ-based singer/songwriter Brent Babb joined with drummer/bandleader Curtis Grippe to form the guitar-driven rock band Dead Hot Workshop in the early '90s. More than a decade (and four albums) later, the group remained one of the hardest-hitting bands on the West Coast. According to Roger Clyne of Tempe.-based band the Peacemakers, "Music people in this city get as excited about what Brent Babb does as people did about what Dylan was doing in the '60s."

While their early sound centered on the two-guitar attack of Babb and Steve Larson and Babb's working-class-oriented lyrics, Dead Hot Workshop was forced to reorganize following the departure of Larson in June 1997. They recorded their second album, Karma Covered Apple, as a trio.

Dead Hot Workshop continued to shift personnel. When Brian Scott left in June 1998, he was replaced by ex-Dialectis bassist Steve Flores, and second guitarist Chris "Whitey" Whitehouse, formerly of the Satellites, was added.

A
Dead Hot Workshop Lyrics

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Come peaceably
Arms wide
Or hands tied Who's
responsible for these things that span your attention?
Survey said
Crowd goes wild
But Uncle Sam don't want you no more

And I just saw the major with the man from Atlantis in Dallas
And now there he is with the beautiful Barbara Eden in space
After all we're all a fiery ball
The root of it all Arsenio Hall
The cattle call, it's all you can eat
It's time to take a ride on the
Allamericanelvischristmascadillac

Speak to me tongue tied
Eyes cried You set your sights a little too high
A real kind of rock 'n' roll type of suicide
Just kidding
But I'm wondering if those rules would apply

Whether you're starring in a fiction-action feature titled Satisfaction Guaranteed
Or selling some crack to some White House aide
If after all we're all a fiery ball
The root of it all a saxophone
The cattle call, it's all you can eat

Time to take a ride on the
Allamericanelvischristmascadillac

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Dead Hot Workshop's "A" appears to be a commentary on society's tendency to shift blame onto others. The lyrics "Who's responsible for these things that span your attention? Survey said, crowd goes wild, but Uncle Sam don't want you no more" suggest that while people are quick to point the finger at others, the government is no longer interested in taking responsibility for its own problems. The second verse is a bit more abstract, with references to a major and the man from Atlantis in Dallas, as well as Barbara Eden in space. These lines could be interpreted as a commentary on pop culture and its tendency to create alternate realities that distract people from real-world issues. The chorus revolves around the idea that we are all part of a larger, fiery ball (perhaps a reference to the sun or to the interconnectedness of all things) and that we are all participating in a cattle call (a metaphor for the rat race or the idea of the American Dream). Overall, the song seems to be questioning the American way of life and the values we place on consumerism and wealth.

Line by Line Meaning

Come peaceably
Come without causing harm or disturbances

Arms wide
Be open and accepting

Or hands tied Who's responsible for these things that span your attention?
Are you unable to act due to outside forces, and who is accountable for the issues that consume your focus?

Survey said
Popular opinion

Crowd goes wild
Excitement and enthusiasm from the audience

But Uncle Sam don't want you no more
The government does not need your services anymore

And I just saw the major with the man from Atlantis in Dallas
An improbable but intriguing encounter

And now there he is with the beautiful Barbara Eden in space
Another unlikely but fascinating scenario

After all we're all a fiery ball
We are all made of energy and passion

The root of it all Arsenio Hall
The core or origin of something, perhaps referring to the comedian Arsenio Hall

The cattle call, it's all you can eat
A situation where many people are vying for limited opportunities or resources

It's time to take a ride on the Allamericanelvischristmascadillac
Embrace the American dream or lifestyle

Speak to me tongue tied
Struggling to express oneself verbally

Eyes cried You set your sights a little too high
Ambition can lead to disappointment or regret

A real kind of rock 'n' roll type of suicide
Risk taking or unconventional behavior that may have dire consequences

Just kidding
Not serious, meant as a joke

But I'm wondering if those rules would apply
Questioning the validity or consistency of certain standards

Whether you're starring in a fiction-action feature titled Satisfaction Guaranteed
Describing a hypothetical scenario where one is the star of an exciting movie

Or selling some crack to some White House aide
Contrasting a movie star lifestyle with a criminal one

If after all we're all a fiery ball
Reiterating the concept that we are made of energy and passion

The root of it all a saxophone
An instrument that is fundamental to music and creativity

Time to take a ride on the Allamericanelvischristmascadillac
Again emphasizing the idea of embracing the American lifestyle or dream

Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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