Fu Manchu's first album, No One Rides for Free (1994), was released by Bong Load Custom Records, an independent label. No One Rides for Free marked the beginning of the band's heavy focus on muscle cars and drag racing, common themes in the stoner rock genre.
Abshire left Fu Manchu before they recorded their second album, Daredevil, in 1995. He was replaced by Brad Davis. The band promoted Daredevil with extensive touring throughout the US and Canada, and reached a wider audience thanks to an opening slot with Monster Magnet, who at the time were the commercial darlings of the stoner rock genre.
Romano and Glass left shortly after the release of Fu Manchu's third album, In Search Of... (1996), citing personal and musical differences with Hill. They were replaced by Brant Bjork and Bob Balch, respectively. Glass, Romano and Abshire soon regrouped to form Nebula, a power trio that took the jam-influenced side of Fu Manchu and expanded on it. Members of Nebula have commented that "we're all family" to fans wearing Fu Manchu shirts at their concerts.
Fu Manchu went on to release several successful albums and reinforce their reputation as a powerful live act. The band had gained this reputation over the years due to their performance when touring with notable bands such as Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Marilyn Manson, Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, White Zombie, Sevendust, and P.O.D., among others.
In 2001, the band released an album, California Crossing. Brant Bjork left the band soon after to pursue a solo career and was replaced by former Sunshine and Smile drummer Scott Reeder (often confused with bassist Scott Reeder, of Kyuss, Unida, and Goatsnake fame). In 2004, Fu Manchu released their eighth album, Start the Machine.
Fu Manchu's ninth album is called We Must Obey which was released on February 19, 2007. The band spent most of 2007 and 2008 on tour, playing several shows in North America and Europe.
In February 2008, the track "Mongoose" (from the California Crossing album) was featured in a Super Bowl ad for the Toyota Sequoia.
Their tenth album Signs of Infinite Power was released on October 19, 2009, in Europe and October 20 in North America.
On March 10, 2010, it was announced that Scott Reeder would play drums for Social Distortion for the South American tour dates in April. In June 2012, the band stated they had begun writing for a new record. In 2014, the band released its eleventh album, Gigantoid.
In December 2017, they announced their twelfth album, Clone of the Universe, which released on February 9, 2018.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Manchu_(band)
Studio albums
No One Rides for Free (1994)
Daredevil (1995)
In Search Of... (1996)
The Action Is Go (1997)
Godzilla's/Eatin' Dust (1999)
King of the Road (2000)
California Crossing (2001)
Start the Machine (2004)
We Must Obey (2007)
Signs of Infinite Power (2009)
Gigantoid (2014)
Clone of the Universe (2018)
Mongoose
Fu Manchu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
Event for the eyes
Mid day they gathered one by one
All time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
Slowly turns signals high
What happens next, all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
Look inside, day started right
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
Fu Manchu's song "Mongoose" has a somewhat mysterious quality to its lyrics. It seems to describe a moment in time, perhaps in a small town, where people are gathering on a back road. The repeated line "The mongoose flies" gives the impression of something wild and uncontrolled happening, something unexpected and even dangerous.
The lines "Removed from the times, event for the eyes" suggest that this gathering is out of the ordinary, maybe even illegal or taboo. The line "Slowly turns signals high" adds another layer of intrigue. It's unclear what is happening or where this is going, but the impression is one of excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a little bit of fear.
Ultimately, the lyrics don't provide a clear narrative or a clear resolution. It's up to the listener to imagine what might be happening, what the "story lies behind" the scene being described. The repetition of "The mongoose flies" reinforces the sense of something wild and free, something that can't be tamed or predicted.
Line by Line Meaning
Look inside, day started right
The beginning of a new day looks promising, and something good is about to happen.
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
There's a small and isolated area where time seems to stand still and daily life goes on, devoid of change or innovation.
The mongoose flies
This seemingly ordinary small animal takes flight, which is unexpected and unusual.
Removed from the times
Being disconnected from the mainstream events and developments around you.
Event for the eyes
Something worth observing because it differs from one's expectations or understanding.
Mid day they gathered one by one
A group of people gathered during the middle of the day, seemingly for a specific purpose.
The story lies behind
There is more to this scene than meets the eye, there is a hidden tale to uncover.
Out on the street they ride
People ride out on the street, suggesting mobility, freedom, and a sense of adventure.
Slowly turns signals high
A traffic sign changes slowly and deliberately, indicating that there is an upcoming change or decision that needs to be made.
What happens next, all time
The future is uncertain but whatever is about to happen will be a defining moment, and will impact everyone involved for an extended period.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN C. HILL, LOL GRAVES, TONY MESSENGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ron
Look inside, day started right
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
Removed from the times
Event for the eyes
Mid day they gathered one by one
All time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
Slowly turns signals high
What happens next, all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
Look inside, day started right
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
NiceGuyEddie
It's sad when a band this good isn't huge!!!!
Errikarta Mendiola Unamuno
Que no tenga un seguimiento mayoritario no signica que su música no sea genial.
Sensual Dad
I'll be seeing them in a couple of days. Can't wait to see them play this epic song!
Солод Снэк
And how it was gone? lol
Ron
Look inside, day started right
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
The mongoose flies
Removed from the times
Event for the eyes
Mid day they gathered one by one
All time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
Slowly turns signals high
What happens next, all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
Look inside, day started right
A back road in a dirt town lives all time
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
The story lies behind
The mongoose flies on by
Out on the street they ride
The mongoose flies on by
Terror Inc
I love how fu Manchu can mike a song about riding bicycles sound so bad ass
Shawn Gerboc
I have known about them for years. They kick ass!! Going to see them perfrom the Action Is Go! in its entireity here in a couple months!
Dan Flory
Found these guys through motorcycle mania...love it! I'm old, and it's hard to find "new" shit to listen too!
thanasis Petropoylos
P
Errikarta Mendiola Unamuno
Young spirit.