After recording their first album, which featured the single Talking to a Stranger, the band traveled to Germany to record with famed producer Conny Plank. In 1984, the band reorganized, adding a three-piece horn section and losing the second guitarist. By 1986, the band's style was moving away from the sweat-drenched rhythmic jams of their early days to a more song-centered aproach centered on Seymour (whose younger brother Nick was a member of Crowded House). Throw Your Arms Around Me was a successful single in many countries.
The band was never able to match the worldwide attention they reached in 1986, though they continued to record with considerable success in Australia, and maintained a loyal fanbase elsewhere.
They broke up in 1998, but returned to play one concert on 14 March 2009 for "Sound Relief" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis.
Mouthtrap
Hunters & Collectors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down upon all fours
We'll make it true, this is exactly what we do
When we're making true confessions
With our blood cuddles and piggy-back kisses
We make the beast with two backs and nothing ever misses
As we ride, ride, ride
Ride upon, ride upon
What is this hungry thing
What is this turgid little thing
That's crawling around in my backyard again
Into it's hole, I think my hair will fall
As it goes round and round in my backyard again
Here we go round and round this squeamish town
We are making true confessions
And if it's true it is exactly what we do
When we're making true confessions
With our blood cuddles and backyard kisses
Upon this two-backed beast and nothing ever misses
As we ride, ride, ride
Ride upon, ride upon, ride upon
Ride upon the mouthtrap
Oh big brother mouthtrap
You sit upon my knees
You sing on my confessional the things you get for free
Oh dearest spirit we are sorry for having offended thee
Because thou art so good
We will never sin again
We will just go down
Down upon all fours
We'll make it true, this is exactly what we do
When we're making true confessions
With our blood cuddles and piggy-back kisses
We make the beast with two backs and nothing ever misses
As we ride, ride, ride
Ride upon the dog-trap, deathtrap, blood trap, mouthtrap, dog-trap
Deathtrap, blood trap, mouthtrap, dog-trap
The song "Mouthtrap" by Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors is a provocative and somewhat disturbing exploration of confession, sexuality, and submission. The lyrics describe a scene where the singer and their partner engage in a ritualized act of confession, involving physical intimacy and the image of riding upon the "mouthtrap." The term "mouthtrap" seems to refer to both a literal trap for animals as well as a metaphor for the mouth as a source of temptation and sin. The song also touches on themes of guilt and punishment, with the mention of a "Big Brother mouthtrap" that keeps watch over the singer's confession and the line "We are sorry for having offended thee/Because thou art so good/We will never sin again" suggesting a religious or authoritarian influence.
The sensual and visceral imagery in the lyrics is both alluring and unsettling, with lines like "blood cuddles and piggy-back kisses" and "the beast with two backs" invoking a sense of physical abandon and animalistic passion. The repeated refrain of "ride, ride, ride" adds to the sense of a frenzied, almost ritualistic experience. Overall, the song suggests a fascination with the power dynamics of confession and submission, as well as a darker undercurrent of guilt and shame.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we go down, down, down
We're starting something exciting and going deeper into it
Down upon all fours
We're fully committing ourselves to this experience
We'll make it true, this is exactly what we do
We're being authentic and honest in our actions
When we're making true confessions
We're revealing our innermost thoughts and feelings
With our blood cuddles and piggy-back kisses
We're expressing our intimacy and connection
We make the beast with two backs and nothing ever misses
We're having passionate, unforgettable sexual experiences
As we ride, ride, ride
We're fully immersed in the experience and enjoying every moment
Ride upon, ride upon, ride upon
We're embracing the ride and going with the flow
Ride upon the mouthtrap
We're exploring the dangerous, thrilling parts of life
What is this hungry thing
Acknowledging the unknown and untamed desires within us
What is this turgid little thing
Questioning our physical and emotional responses to these desires
That's crawling around in my backyard again
The desires are present and persistent in our lives
Into it's hole, I think my hair will fall
We're willing to take risks and fully embrace these desires
Here we go round and round this squeamish town
We're exploring taboo subject matter and pushing societal boundaries
With our blood cuddles and backyard kisses
Expressing our intimacy and connection in forbidden spaces
Upon this two-backed beast and nothing ever misses
We're having passionate, unforgettable sexual experiences
Oh big brother mouthtrap
Acknowledging the dangerous and powerful nature of our desires
You sit upon my knees
Our desires are always present and within our control
You sing on my confessional the things you get for free
Our desires are liberating and empowering
Oh dearest spirit we are sorry for having offended thee
Acknowledging the potential negative impact our desires can have on others and seeking forgiveness
Because thou art so good
Recognizing the purity and goodness of others
We will never sin again
Committing to controlling our desires and not letting them harm others
We will just go down, down upon all fours
Fully committing ourselves to a physically and emotionally intense experience
Ride upon the dog-trap, deathtrap, blood trap, mouthtrap, dog-trap
Exploring the various dangerous and thrilling experiences that life has to offer
Deathtrap, blood trap, mouthtrap, dog-trap
Acknowledging the risks and dangers of experiencing intense desires and pushing boundaries
Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.