Known to tour the US in a converted city bus with Rathbun as the driver/mechanic, with the windshield destination banner of HELL. Besides their wild performances which embodied a "rock against rock" ethos, they were also known to defy classification with marching band routines, performing puppet shows, and playing household items as instruments (in tune). After finding few financial rewards for their increasingly complex stage show, Idiot Flesh disbanded in 1998.
Core Members:
- Captain Dragon (Gene Jun; Guitar, Percussion, Violin, Vocals, Arranger)
- Hyena Boy (Wes Anderson; 1994-1998: Percussion, Drums, Marimba, Multi Instruments, Talking, Vocals, Bassoon, Trash Cans)
- The Improver (Dan Rathbun; Bass, Multi Instruments, Saw, "Talking", Horn, Vocals, Trombone, Cello, Megaphone; Engineer)
- Pin (Nils Frykdahl; Flute, Saxophone, Percussion, Castanets, Vocals, Guitar; Cover Design/Graphics)
- Chuck Squier (1985 through 1994: Drums, Cover art)
Discography:
- (1990) Tales of Instant Knowledge and Sure Death
- (1994) The Nothing Show
- (1995) Teen Devil/Twitch (4 Song EP)
- (1997) Fancy (Nov. 11)
Not My Song
Idiot Flesh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and these are not my hands
and this is not the way I sound
this is not my face
I don't move this way
and this is not my place to say
these and these things
I wouldn't do this if you paid me
I live here?
these are not my words
I don't speak this language
I bet you made this up yourself
I bet you made this mouth
I bet you built this stage
I know these eyes don't lie
but they look the wrong way
I bet you stole this soul
and you're looking out from hell
I wouldn't do this if you killed me
I live here?
I wouldn't do this if you nailed me (to a cross)?
not my song
The lyrics to Idiot Flesh's song "Not My Song" are a commentary on the nature of identity, specifically the feeling of being disconnected from oneself or being misrepresented. The song begins with a series of statements asserting that the singer's physical appearance and actions are not their own, from their voice and hands to their face and movements. The singer also disavows ownership of the words they speak and the language they use, suggesting that they have been imposed upon them by an outside force.
The second half of the song takes a more accusatory tone, with the singer suggesting that whoever is responsible for their current state of disorientation has done so maliciously, stealing their soul and looking out from "hell." Despite this, the singer maintains a sense of agency, insisting they would not act this way even if threatened with death or torture, and ending the song with the refrain "Not my song."
Overall, the lyrics suggest a feeling of alienation and confusion, as if the singer is trapped in a body and personality that is not their own, and that the people around them are complicit in this deception.
Line by Line Meaning
this is not my voice
I am not the one singing or speaking at the moment.
and these are not my hands
The actions being depicted are not being done by me.
and this is not the way I sound
The manner of speaking or singing is not how I would normally sound.
this is not my face
The face being shown does not belong to me.
I don't move this way
The movements displayed are not my own.
and this is not my place to say these and these things
I am not the appropriate or authorized individual to make certain statements.
I wouldn't do this if you paid me
I would refuse to participate in this even if I were offered compensation.
I live here?
Is this really where I belong or is this situation not my rightful place?
these are not my words
The words being spoken are not my own.
I don't speak this language
The language being used is not one that I am familiar with.
I bet you made this up yourself
I suspect that the entire situation has been fabricated or invented by someone else, not by me.
I bet you made this mouth
You have created or manipulated the artist's or singer's mouth to deceive or manipulate others.
I bet you built this stage
You have constructed and set up this situation to manipulate and stage a particular outcome.
I know these eyes don't lie but they look the wrong way
The eyes themselves are not being deceitful, but they are not focusing on the correct object or event.
I bet you stole this soul
The singer has lost their individual identity and free will due to external forces.
and you're looking out from hell
The person or entity responsible for the situation is exerting a controlling or oppressive force.
I wouldn't do this if you killed me
I would rather die than participate in this situation.
I live here?
Reiterating the question of whether or not the current situation is where the singer belongs.
I wouldn't do this if you nailed me (to a cross)?
The singer would refuse to take part in this even if it meant enduring extreme suffering or punishment.
not my song
The situation being depicted does not align with the singer's thoughts, feelings, identity, or choices.
Contributed by Ryan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Icipher7
Thanks for all of your uploads.