Originally part of short-lived Chicago group I Rowboat, Johnson and two of his fellow Rowboat members, guitarist Dan Strack and drummer Brian Belval, created Fruit Bats as a side-project. When I Rowboat split up, Fruit Bats became Johnson's main focus. Spurred on by Califone/Perishable Records honchos Tim Rutili and Ben Massarella, the group recorded their first album, Echolocation, released in 2001.
After tours with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Modest Mouse and The Shins, Fruit Bats signed with Sub Pop in late summer 2002, recording their second album, 2003's Mouthfuls, which included new bandmate Gillian Lisee.
After relocating to Seattle, the group released their third album, Spelled in Bones, in 2005. Afterward, Eric D. Johnson played with The Shins and Vetiver. In 2008, the Fruit Bats began working together again, with revised membership of Johnson, Christopher Sherman, Ron Lewis, Graeme Gibson, and Sam Wagster. In 2009, they released The Ruminant Band and in 2011 came Tripper.
In November 2013, Eric D. Johnson announced he would be dissolving Fruit Bats. That month they played what was to be their farewell show at a sold out Aladdin Theatre in Portland, OR. The following year Johnson released an album under the name EDJ.
Reforming in 2015, Fruit Bats released their sixth official full-length LP, Absolute Loser, in 2016 via newly formed Los Angeles-based label Easy Sound.
Fruit Bats signed to North Carolina-based independent label Merge Records in 2018. Also in 2018, Johnson formed the folk group Bonny Light Horseman with Josh Kaufman and Anais Mitchell.
In 2019 Fruit Bats’ Merge debut "Gold Past Life" was released.
Fruit Bats’ 2020 album The Pet Parade was produced by Johnson's Bonny Light Horseman bandmate Josh Kaufman.
In 2021, Fruit Bats released a full-album cover of Smashing Pumpkins' 1993 record Siamese Dream.
The Fruit Bats’ double-disc, 20-year career retrospective "Sometimes A Cloud Is Just a Cloud: Slow Growers, Sleeper Hits and Lost Songs" was released in 2022.
Lives of Crime
Fruit Bats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your tears are just the creek on which you float away from me
You gotta have the heart of a lion
Hey don't you sigh, don't sigh, don't breathe
Your breath is just the air on which you drift away from me
You gotta have the lungs of a whale
Past packing day and it's okay
This one's coming down to the wire
Blind in the steam, bogged in the mire
Hey, don't you look, don't look, don't see
Your vision's just the road on which you drive away from me
You gotta have a love like a fire
Past packing day and it's okay
Past packing day and it's okay
We're just a product of these times
And must not atone for lives of crime
For lives of crime
The lyrics of Fruit Bats's song "Lives of Crime" are somewhat cryptic but can be interpreted to be about a relationship that has come to an end. The singer is advising their partner not to grieve or cry, as their tears are just a means of separating from the singer. The analogies of the creek and the air represent how tears and breath can be seen as a natural flow or movement of emotion away from someone. The next lines suggest that to cope with this kind of heartbreak, one needs the strength of a lion and the lungs of a whale to keep going.
The chorus repeats the phrase "past packing day and it's okay," which could mean that the pair have already parted ways, but maybe not permanently. The next line "This one's coming down to the wire" could indicate that they are trying to work on the relationship and it will either succeed or fail soon. The following lines "Blind in the steam, bogged in the mire" can convey the sense of being stuck or unsure of how to proceed in the relationship.
The final verse touches on the theme of seeing, with the singer telling their partner not to look or see that their vision is just the road. This metaphor implies that they need to focus on where they’re going and not dwell on the past. The love they need to have is compared to fire, which can either bring warmth or destruction. The last lines of the song "We're just a product of these times and must not atone for lives of crime, for lives of crime" suggest that the issues they are experiencing could be attributed to societal norms and expectations, and that they shouldn't blame themselves for failing.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, don't you grieve, don't cry, don't weep
Hey, don't feel bad, don't shed tears, don't be sad
Your tears are just the creek on which you float away from me
Your sadness is only a temporary escape from me
You gotta have the heart of a lion
You need to be brave and strong to handle this situation
Hey don't you sigh, don't sigh, don't breathe
Hey, don't show disappointment, don't exhale
Your breath is just the air on which you drift away from me
Your breath is just a way for you to move on from me
You gotta have the lungs of a whale
You need to have a lot of endurance to handle this situation
Past packing day and it's okay
The deadline for leaving has passed and it's alright
This one's coming down to the wire
This situation is becoming critical and intense
Blind in the steam, bogged in the mire
Unable to see through the confusion, stuck in a difficult situation
Hey, don't you look, don't look, don't see
Hey, don't pay attention, don't observe
Your vision's just the road on which you drive away from me
What you see is just a way for you to leave me behind
You gotta have a love like a fire
You need to have passion and intensity to handle this situation
We're just a product of these times
Our actions are a result of the current circumstances
And must not atone for lives of crime
We shouldn't feel guilty for what we've done to survive
For lives of crime
For the actions we've taken to get by
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC D. JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bigdirtyjames
This song led to me buying a sub pop mix cd, and changing my taste in music over the next 20 years.
Stephen Johnston
Everyone is commenting on the beatlesque nature of this song, but nobody seems to care that this is an amazing video!
Kris Shred
really good song
Stephen Johnston
Yes, and it's aged really well!
weltercat
a great little number from the fruit bats. Eric Johnson is just great, too bad he is now with the Shins. His solo stuff is so much better.
Dan Will
First comment in 8 years!!
Viva subpop acquired taste!!
Stephen Johnston
Ha, ha! Love this band.
Sirrr
They should tour with Wilco. They sound a lot alike when I hear this song.
Ariel Morgan
it is illegal to hate the Beatles.
Nicholas Degges
i downright hate the Beatles. but i love the fruit bats.