History
E solo records
In 1991, Everett signed a contract with Polydor and released A Man Called E under the name E a year later. The single "Hello Cruel World" was a minor success. Touring to support the album, E opened for Tori Amos. A Man Called E was followed by Broken Toy Shop in 1993. This year also marked the beginning of E's collaboration with drummer Jonathan "Butch" Norton. After Broken Toy Shop, E was released from his record deal with Polydor. E has performed two of the songs from Broken Toy Shop ("The Only Thing I Care About" and "Manchester Girl") for his own live shows with the Eels.
Beautiful Freak
Eels were officially founded when Butch and E met Tommy Walter. The name "Eels" was chosen so that the band's records would be close to E's solo records in an alphabetical ordering, although it was too late once they realized that numerous Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire releases were in between. Eels became one of the first groups to sign a record deal with DreamWorks Records, followed by Elliott Smith.
In 1996, the band released their debut album Beautiful Freak. The singles "Novocaine for the Soul", "Susan's House" and "Your Lucky Day in Hell" achieved modest national and international success, with the band winning the Best International Breakthrough Act award at the 1998 BRIT Awards. In 1996 and 1997, Eels toured extensively to support the album, building their name as a live act in the United States and Europe. In September 1997, Walter quit the band.
Released in May 2001, the motion picture soundtrack for the movie Shrek included the song "My Beloved Monster".
Electro-Shock Blues
Following the success of Beautiful Freak, E experienced a difficult time in his personal life. His sister committed suicide, and his mother was diagnosed with cancer. These events inspired Eels' second album, 1998's Electro-Shock Blues. The album deals with many difficult subjects, including cancer, mental illness, suicide and death. The tragedy of Everett's father's death became prominent once more in the context of his mother's impending death and his sister's suicide, and as a result the song "Baby Genius" is written for his father Hugh Everett III. Contributions to the album were made by Jon Brion, Lisa Germano, Jim Jacobsen, Grant-Lee Phillips, Dust Brother Michael Simpson, and T-Bone Burnett.
The single "Last Stop: This Town" saw minor success, while "Cancer for the Cure", the second single from the album, appeared on the soundtrack for American Beauty (1999).
Still a three-piece band on stage, Tommy Walter was replaced by Adam Siegel. Part of the American leg of the tour was cancelled after the death of E's mother. They returned to tour Europe later in the year, to open for Pulp.
Daisies of the Galaxy
In 2000, Eels released Daisies of the Galaxy. The album, which was recorded almost entirely in E's basement, is lighter and more upbeat than its predecessor. Everett noted, "if Electro-Shock Blues was the phone call in the middle of the night that the world doesn't want to answer, then Daisies of the Galaxy is the hotel wake-up call that says your lovely breakfast is ready". He was joined in the studio by Michael Simpson (Dust Brothers), Grant-Lee Phillips (Grant Lee Buffalo), and Peter Buck (R.E.M.).
The first single, "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues", was co-written by Simpson. The song was not intended to be on the album, but the record company insisted on its inclusion. Therefore, it was not featured on the track listing but was instead listed on the cover sticker as a bonus track, separated from the rest of the album by 20 seconds of silence.
To promote Daisies of the Galaxy, another tour took place across the United States and Europe, with the band also playing their first concerts in Australia. For these performances, Eels were transformed into a 6-piece orchestra, including Lisa Germano and Probyn Gregory. E also played some solo shows, opening for Fiona Apple.
Souljacker and Shootenanny!
In 2001, Souljacker was released, an album with a heavier feel and more rock-oriented sound than Daisies of the Galaxy. John Parish, previously of PJ Harvey's band, co-wrote most of the songs and played guitar on the album and first part of the tour. After Parish became a father, he was replaced with Joe Gore for the American leg of the Bus Driving, Band Rocking Tour. Koool G Murder played bass and keyboards and joined Eels on tour.
2003 marked the release of the album Shootenanny!. E now refers to the album as a break from recording the following Blinking Lights album. It was recorded live in the studio in only ten days. "Saturday Morning" was released as a single.
Butch was replaced on drums by Puddin'. In 2003, Eels embarked upon another big tour, called the Tour of Duty. The live band consisted of E, Goldenboy (guitar), Koool G Murder (bass) and Puddin' (drums). Later that year, E composed the score for the film Levity.
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations and Eels with Strings
Eels' next album, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, was released on April 26, 2005, and was the band's first release for new label Vagrant Records. It is a 33-track double album. Contributions were made by Tom Waits, Peter Buck, John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful), Jim Jacobsen, and Butch.
The first tour in support of the Blinking Lights album, billed as Eels with Strings, featured primarily performances by E on acoustic guitar, organ or piano, backed by Allen "Big Al" Hunter on piano and upright bass, Jeffrey Lyster (also known as Chet Atkins III or "The Chet") on guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, musical saw and drums, and a string quartet consisting of violinists Paloma Udovic and Julie Carpenter, violist Heather Lockie and cellist Ana Lenchantin. The tour resulted in a live album, Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall, recorded in New York City. The performance includes tracks from all of their albums, and was released on CD and DVD on February 21, 2006.
Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Vol. I and Useless Trinkets
In early 2008, Eels released their first "greatest hits" compilation as well as a compilation of B-sides, rarities, soundtrack singles and unreleased tracks. Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Vol. I spans the first decade of the Eels, including singles from all their albums, as well as a DVD featuring music videos and one live performance video. Useless Trinkets contains 50 B-sides and rarities and a DVD of their Lollapalooza 2006 performances. To promote the releases, the band went on a world tour, An Evening With Eels. This time, only the Chet joined E on stage, both playing a broad cross-section from the Eels repertoire on a variety of instruments. The concerts also featured the Chet reading excerpts from E's 2008 autobiography, Things the Grandchildren Should Know. On this tour, the band released a live CD/DVD package of Eels' 2006 performance at the London Astoria, Live and in Person!, documenting a show from the second tour in support of Blinking Lights and Other Revelations.
The soundtrack of the 2008 comedy film Yes Man features nine songs by Eels, including "Man Up", a brand new song.
Concept album trilogy: Hombre Lobo, End Times, and Tomorrow Morning
Hombre Lobo, the seventh Eels studio album, was released on June 2, 2009. The album comprises twelve new songs. "Hombre Lobo" is Spanish for "wolf man" or "werewolf" and references E's unusually long beard, which he originally grew when writing the song "Dog Faced Boy". On March 31, 2009, the band made the track "Fresh Blood" available on Spinner, explaining that the song would be the lead single for the album. A Jesse Dylan-directed music video was released on April 29, 2009 as well. The album was released as a single-disc CD and a deluxe edition with a DVD. In September 2009, Eels released a music video for "That Look You Give That Guy", featuring Bobby Jr., E and Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi.
While promoting this album, Eels released the live EP The Myspace Transmissions Session 2009 on October 14, 2009. That same day, the band's website announced that a new Eels album entitled End Times would be released on January 19, 2010. It was largely recorded on a four-track recorder and is based on the themes of broken love. Three album tracks—"Little Bird", "In My Younger Days", and "A Line in the Dirt"—were made available as music videos or promotional downloads prior to the release of the album. Once again, Butch contributed drums to "A Line in the Dirt". On January 19, 2010, End Times was released. E made no comment on touring and there was no tour scheduled to begin.
A second album was announced on May 20, 2010: Tomorrow Morning was described as the "final installment of a trilogy that began with Hombre Lobo and End Times." The three albums respectively explore themes of desire, loss, and redemption. A world tour, the first since 2007's An Evening With Eels tour, was announced at the same time. This tour once again featured the Chet on various instruments, alongside Koool G Murder on bass, trilogy drummer Knuckles on drums and a new member, P-Boo, on guitar.
Wonderful, Glorious and The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett
On February 5, 2013, the 10th Eels studio album was released, entitled Wonderful, Glorious. The first single from the album, "Peach Blossom", premiered on SoundCloud on November 6, 2012. A month later, on December 4, 2012, the official video was released on Stereogum. The second single, "New Alphabet", was streamed pre-release on December 12, 2012 on Spinner
On March 25, 2013, the band released a parody music video called "Cold Dead Hand" through Funny or Die, with Jim Carrey replacing E on vocals. The song and video, set as a musical act during the variety program Hee Haw, lampoons American gun culture, and specifically former NRA spokesperson Charlton Heston.
Eels' eleventh studio album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, was released on April 21, 2014 on E Works Records. In April 2015, the band released the DVD and double live album Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
In 2015, Eels created their own version of Melanie De Biasio's track "I Feel You" for the album Gilles Peterson Presents - No Deal Remixed. The track was later used to promote the 2017 film Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, and appears during the entire in-universe short movie Meet Walter starring Michael Fassbender.
The Deconstruction and Earth to Dora
On January 17, 2018, Eels announced their 12th studio album, The Deconstruction, to be released on April 6, 2018, their first in nearly four years. They also announced a supporting tour throughout the United States and Europe, beginning in Pomona, California on May 28, 2018. The album travels through many styles sonically, but its lyrics primarily deal with rebuilding one's life and looking back on what went wrong. Singles include (in release order) the title track, "Today Is the Day", "Premonition", and "Bone Dry". Styles present on the album include orchestral pop, power pop, psychedelic pop/rock, indie/alternative rock and post-modern pop.
The band's next release was the single "Baby Let's Make It Real"/"Who You Say You Are", announced on September 1, 2020. These songs were featured on the subsequent studio album, Earth to Dora (2020).
Extreme Witchcraft
On September 21, 2021, it was announced that the 14th Eels album would be called Extreme Witchcraft and would be released on January 28, 2022. The album was produced by E and John Parish in their first collaboration since 2001's Souljacker.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eels_(band)
Studio albums
As E
A Man Called E (1992)
Broken Toy Shop (1993)
As Eels
Beautiful Freak (1996)
Electro-Shock Blues (1998)
Daisies of the Galaxy (2000)
Souljacker (2001)
Shootenanny! (2003)
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (2005)
Hombre Lobo (2009)
End Times (2010)
Tomorrow Morning (2010)
Wonderful, Glorious (2013)
The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett (2014)
The Deconstruction (2018)
Earth to Dora (2020)
Extreme Witchcraft (2022)
Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
Eels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The load on the road brings a tear to the Indian's eye
The elephant won't forget what it's like inside his cage
The ringmaster's telecaster sings on an empty stage
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
The girl with the curls
And the sweet pink ribbon in her hair
She's crawling out her window
'Cause her daddy, he just don't care, come on
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
The clown with the frown
Driving down to the sidewalk fair
Finger on the trigger
Let me tell you, gave us quite a scare
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
The kids flip their lids
When their ids hear that crazy sound
My neighbor digs the flavor
Still, he's moving to another town
And I don't believe he'll come back
Goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
Well, I don't know
How you take in all the shit you see
No, don't believe anyone
And most of all don't believe me
Believe you
Goddamn right it's a beautiful day (believe you)
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
Goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day
Uh-huh
The lyrics in "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" by Eels are poetic and metaphorical, reflecting on the good and beautiful moments in life despite the negative and oppressive surroundings. The song begins with a description of industrialization and pollution, with the "smokestack spitting black soot into the sooty sky." The load on the road, which refers to the heavy goods being transported, brings a tear to the Indian's eye, indicating the pain that progress can bring to those affected by it. The elephant in the cage is a metaphor for our own entrapment and inability to forget the struggle and confinement we face. The ringmaster's telecaster, singing on an empty stage, suggests that even in the absence of an audience, we must continue to find beauty in our own art.
The chorus repeatedly states "Uh-huh, goddamn right it's a beautiful day," expressing a sense of defiance and perseverance despite the struggles and pain that exist in the world. The following lyrics describe a girl who feels trapped and neglected by her father, a clown with a frown who is dangerous and unpredictable, and kids who are excited by the "crazy sound" of music. The song concludes with a message of self-reliance and individualism, telling the listener not to believe anyone, including the artist himself, but to believe in oneself.
Overall, the song is an affirmation of the beauty and wonder of life, even in the face of adversity and struggle. It is a call to perseverance and self-belief, and a reminder that despite the many negative aspects of the world, there is always a glimmer of hope and beauty to be found.
Line by Line Meaning
The smokestack spitting black soot into the sooty sky
The industrial pollution is causing environmental harm by spewing toxins into the air.
The load on the road brings a tear to the Indian's eye
The negative impacts of modern society, such as consumerism and urbanization, are causing sadness and grief among traditional cultures.
The elephant won't forget what it's like inside his cage
Animals are aware and impacted by their captivity, and their memories of confinement persist even after release.
The ringmaster's telecaster sings on an empty stage
The show must go on, even if there are no audience members to witness it. The entertainment industry may continue to create content regardless of the reception.
The girl with the curls and the sweet pink ribbon in her hair
A young woman with an innocent appearance and charming accessories is enduring a difficult situation at home.
She's crawling out her window 'cause her daddy, he just don't care, come on
The girl is escaping her home due to neglect or abuse from her father, who is unaware or indifferent to her struggles.
The clown with the frown driving down to the sidewalk fair
Even performers who bring joy to others can experience sadness or frustration, as exemplified by a melancholic clown traveling to a busy event.
Finger on the trigger, let me tell you, gave us quite a scare
The clown's visible distress and possible weapon usage is alarming and jarring to others, despite his usual reputation as a harmless entertainer.
The kids flip their lids when their ids hear that crazy sound
Youthful enthusiasm and impulsiveness is often provoked by exciting or unconventional noises and stimuli.
My neighbor digs the flavor, still, he's moving to another town
Even if someone enjoys a certain aspect of their environment or community, other factors may prompt them to leave or seek out a change of scenery.
And I don't believe he'll come back
The singer has doubts about their neighbor's intentions or ability to return to their original home or situation.
Well, I don't know how you take in all the shit you see
The artist is unsure how others cope with or process the negative or overwhelming sights and experiences around them.
No, don't believe anyone and most of all don't believe me, believe you
The singer encourages individual thought and perspective, and skepticism towards external influences, including their own words and actions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mark O. Everett, Michael S. Simpson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrEvolution513
In 2000 I was 33 and discovered this song. It's still one of the greatest songs I've ever known.
Rory Slaine
I was born in 1991 but you're goddamn right.
JD
I was 37 in 2000 and the song has always rocked!
Shagbabyyeah
I was born in 2001 haha, grew up on all the 80’s 90’s stuff, TNMT, TRANSFORMERS, fresh prince of bel air. Good times
B
I was only four or five, I can't remeber. It was 2000 and I remeber my dad always played this in the car, some of the best memories of my life were driving along with my dad with this song playing. I had the pleasure of seeing them live in Oxford in 2007
Mace Thorns
You discovered? Or heard it in Road Trip?
the lovely nobody
This was on my mom's iPod, I used to listen to it all the time when I was 11. It was always labeled as 'track 04' by an unknown artist. Years later, I've found this!!
2 lost soul swimming inna fish bowl
that track 04 😢😢😢😢😢 i miss my old wooden pentium 4 pc with holybased music
Zubo
this song awakens some crazy nostalgia for me, I was 2 years old when it released
Ruth Dixon
one of E's catchiest pop gems, and typical of his foul mouthed enthusiasm for life "goddamn right it's a beautiful day."