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.
The Ruminant Band
Fruit Bats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like little sad Tad who was living on beetles and grubs
He had a blue-eyed merle
and loved an Indian girl
Lived alone in the warm wet fields in this corner of the world
You'll always eat bread if you always have seeds to sow
Like old Zen Ben who lived with a murder of crows
And a belt of weeds
Slept alone in the warm wet fields on a bed of mustard seed
You won't lose the beat if you just keep clapping your hands
Like sweet sweet Pete who clapped for the Ruminant Band
He had a broken lung
And a bit-off tongue
Lived alone in the warm wet fields under moon and sun
The song "The Ruminant Band" by Fruit Bats is a whimsical and nostalgic reflection on the simplicity of life and the idea that sometimes all it takes to be happy is a little love, some seeds to sow, and a rhythm to clap along to. The first verse tells the story of a character named Tad who lives a simple life in the fields, surviving on beetles and grubs, but is content as long as he has his loyal dog and his love for an Indian girl. The second verse tells the story of Zen Ben, who lives with crows and wears a crown of beans and a belt of weeds, but still manages to find joy in life by planting seeds and sleeping on a bed of mustard seed. The final verse brings it all together with the story of Pete, whose broken lung and bit-off tongue do not stop him from joining in the rhythm of the Ruminant Band and finding happiness in the warmth of the fields.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll always have smokes if you always give buckets of love
If you always give love generously, you'll always have someone who cares for you.
Like little sad Tad who was living on beetles and grubs
Tad was a miserable person who lived in poverty and subsisted on insects.
He had a blue-eyed merle and loved an Indian girl
His only companion was a dog with blue eyes and he was in love with a girl from India.
Lived alone in the warm wet fields in this corner of the world
He lived isolated in wet fields and was cut off from society.
You'll always eat bread if you always have seeds to sow
If you invest in planting seeds, you'll be able to reap the benefits of a constant food supply.
Like old Zen Ben who lived with a murder of crows
Zen Ben was a hermit who lived among a group of crows.
He wore a crown of beans and a belt of weeds
He decorated himself with plants as a way of connecting with nature.
Slept alone in the warm wet fields on a bed of mustard seed
He slept outside in lush fields on a bed of small yellow seeds.
You won't lose the beat if you just keep clapping your hands
If you continue to persist and repeat a task, you won't lose your rhythm and flow.
Like sweet sweet Pete who clapped for the Ruminant Band
Pete was supportive and encouraging towards the Ruminant Band, a group he admired.
He had a broken lung and a bit-off tongue
Despite physical limitations, he found ways to continue showing his support and love for music.
Lived alone in the warm wet fields under moon and sun
He lived in solitude in fields, cherishing the beauty of nature both day and night.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wanderboy
You'll always have smokes if you always give buckets of love
Like little sad Tad who was living on beetles and grubs
He had a blued-eyed merle
And loved an Indian girl
Lived alone in the war wet field in this corner of the world
You'll always eat bread if you always have seeds to sow
Like old Zen Ben who lived with a murder of crows
He wore a crown of beans
And a belt of weeds
Slept alone in the warm wet fields on a bed of mustard seed
You won't lose the beat if you just keep clapping your hands
Like sweet sweet Pete who clapped for the Ruminant Band
He had a broken lung
And a bit-off tongue
Lived alone in the warm wet fields under moon and under sun
MattHatter
This album was/is so phenomenal. In the summer of 2009, I walked into Ameoba Music on Sunset and they were playing this over the speakers and I immediately went up to the counter to ask who it was. Took the CD home, put on the headphones and was in a complete state of bliss from the album's start to it's finish.
Wanderboy
You'll always have smokes if you always give buckets of love
Like little sad Tad who was living on beetles and grubs
He had a blued-eyed merle
And loved an Indian girl
Lived alone in the war wet field in this corner of the world
You'll always eat bread if you always have seeds to sow
Like old Zen Ben who lived with a murder of crows
He wore a crown of beans
And a belt of weeds
Slept alone in the warm wet fields on a bed of mustard seed
You won't lose the beat if you just keep clapping your hands
Like sweet sweet Pete who clapped for the Ruminant Band
He had a broken lung
And a bit-off tongue
Lived alone in the warm wet fields under moon and under sun
Chazzy Wotsits
I don't understand why this song isn't in everybody's life ever.
J Whitlow
Maybe not everyone has heard it. They should!
adventurerneil
Epic characters, epic setting! The lyrics are also pretty un-pass-up-able. Loves it. :)
MsSmokeybacon
great song,great music,great funeral
styleomatic
Jeeez, subpop does it again... love it!
Kane Laing
This is the reason i subscribed to subpop. because sometimes magic happens.
slugdogcaps
If The Beatles and Led Zeppelin ever had a child, this would be it.
Sweet Native Rain
slugdogcaps haha 6 yrs later & still a great comment.