… Read Full Bio ↴Hepcat are a third wave ska band formed in southern California in 1989.
Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave.
Hepcat's debut album, "Out of Nowhere" was released in 1994 on New York-based ska label Moon Records. Two years later, they followed it up with "Scientific" on BYO Records. In 1998, after signing with Epitaph Records subsidiary HellCat Records, they released "Right on Time," scoring a modest hit with the swinging "No Worries" and scored a spot on the Vans Warped Tour. 2000 saw the release of "Push n' Shove," their first album without founding members Raul Talavera and Alex Désert, although the latter appears as a guest vocalist on two tracks.
The band went on indefinite hiatus after 2000, and no new material has surfaced since. Trumpeter Kincaid Smith formed Soul Traffic, a five-piece funk band. Drummer Scott Abels has played with the Rancid side project Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards and the southern California reggae act The Aggrolites. Vocalist Alex Desert has had a successful career in film and television, appearing in the movies PCU, Swingers, and High Fidelity; and the television show Becker.
In early 2004, a remastered version of Out of Nowhere was released with two additional bonus tracks, an early version of "Nigel" and "Club Meditation," both of which appeared on their first single. Occasionally, Hepcat reconvenes to play a few shows a year in the California area. Often, this lineup is that which performed on "Scientific."
They take their name from a term for a 1940s-50s jazz musician.
Earthquake and Fire
Hepcat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the only place for a man like me
Earthquake and fire
May woman comes fe take me home
Earthquake and fire
She beneath me began to moan
Earthquake and fire...
What can I do, she's on fire
Oh my god, that girl's on fire
Go get the bucket and-a fill it with some sheet
This place is coming down, all around me
Earthquake and fire
This is the only place for a man like me
Earthquake and fire
My woman come-fe come-fe come-fe come-fe
Earthquake and fire
She beneath me began to moan
Earthquake and fire...
An angry mother and a father after me
When all I did was make the girls so happy
You're not complaining much, so why come after me
We move, we groove, she move
And all that kind of stuff,
A-yeah a-why a-go a-say a-hey a-ho
Earthquake and fire
Turn out the lights, let me finish it
Earthquake and fire
And when the musics done,
I'll go quietly...
The Hepcat's song Earthquake and Fire is a reggae-ska track that tells a story of a man who is living life on the edge, amidst the chaos and danger in a city plagued by natural disasters. The lyrics describe the man's dire situation where the only place he feels at home is among the destruction caused by earthquakes and fires. He seeks refuge in the arms of a woman who shares his passion for danger and adventure, and together they ride out the storms that plague their city.
The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and danger as the singer describes the chaos brought about by the catastrophic events that surround him. The metaphor of an earthquake and fire is used to symbolize the turmoil in his life as well as the passion and intensity that he feels. The tone of the song is upbeat and vibrant, with an infectious rhythm that invites the listener to dance along.
The lyrics also touch on themes of rebellion and defiance, as the singer describes his run-ins with authority figures who disapprove of his lifestyle. The singer is unapologetic about his choices and refuses to be held down by societal norms and expectations.
Overall, the song Earthquake and Fire is a celebration of life in the face of adversity, of finding joy and love amidst chaos and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Earthquake and fire
The singer is experiencing intense emotions and sensations such as an earthquake and fire.
This is the only place for a man like me
The singer feels like he belongs in this wild and unpredictable environment.
May woman comes fe take me home
The singer is open to finding someone who understands and accepts his desire to be in this environment.
She beneath me began to moan
The singer is engaged in a sexual encounter with a woman who also enjoys this environment.
We sunk it deep and she start to shake, you say
The singer and his partner are engaged in intense physical activity that causes the earth to shake.
What can I do, she's on fire
The singer is swept away by his passion for this woman and can't resist her allure.
Oh my god, that girl's on fire
The singer is amazed by the intensity of his feelings for this woman and her ability to match his passion.
Go get the bucket and-a fill it with some sheet
The singer is suggesting taking action to control the chaos and excitement of the moment.
This place is coming down, all around me
The singer feels like everything is falling apart and he is caught up in the chaos and excitement of this moment.
An angry mother and a father after me
The singer is being pursued by disapproving parents who don't understand his love for this environment and the women in it.
When all I did was make the girls so happy
The singer just wants to enjoy himself and make others happy, but is being punished for it.
You're not complaining much, so why come after me
The singer doesn't understand why he is being targeted when the women he is responsible for seem to be enjoying themselves.
We move, we groove, she move
The singer and his partner are dancing and enjoying the music in this wild environment.
And all that kind of stuff, a-yeah a-why a-go a-say a-hey a-ho
The singer is enjoying the energy and spirit of the moment and is caught up in the excitement.
Turn out the lights, let me finish it
The singer wants to enjoy the moment and finish what he has started.
And when the musics done, I'll go quietly...
The singer is content to enjoy the moment but also knows that it will eventually come to an end.
Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.