Early on, Jucifer shared stages with many underground legends, including Lubricated Goat, Bloodloss (Mark Arm/Mudhoney), Melt-Banana, Melvins and Eyehategod. Years based in Athens, Georgia, United States from 1991 until 2001 were pivotal both for Jucifer and the Southern scene itself, which has evolved to strongly reflect bands such as Jucifer and contemporaries Harvey Milk.
Early Jucifer performances were best categorized as doom or drone, relying on ultra-low tunings and plodding tempos at chest-caving volumes. Although there were always some faster grind parts during Jucifer's sets (i.e. Fall of the Bastille and Queen B, both played often throughout the 90's) the turn of the century saw the band begin to incorporate more speed. In 2008 guitarist Gazelle Amber Valentine began tuning much higher than ever before, and has said this was done to support audibility of notes at faster tempos. Current sets incorporate elements of doom, drone, sludge, black metal, death metal, grind, thrash, and hardcore.
While Jucifer's live performance has always been a brutal, bludgeoning exercise in high volume riff worship accompanied by massive and maniacal drumming by Edgar Livengood, their studio work extends far beyond that aesthetic. Both members may augment recordings with unexpected instrumentation (cello, violin, banjo, piano) and much softer, more pop inflected songs than would ever be heard at a show. Valentine's vocals in the live setting are primarily growls and gut-wrenching screams, but on albums she stretches out into beautiful harmonies and intimate solo vocals.
Jucifer has spent the better part of its decades-long existence on the road. Homeless since 2001, they tour all year.
In 2010 they formed their own record label, Nomadic Fortress, whose first release was the album Throned In Blood. Jucifer has also recently issued material via Alternative Tentacles, Choking Hazard, Grindcore Karaoke, Mutants of the Monster, and Relapse Records.
In 2013 Jucifer celebrated "Twenty Years Slaying Ears" with the release of their latest album, за волгой для нас земли нет. The double album is a concept album about the Russian city Volgograd, site of the WWII Battle of Stalingrad.
http://www.jucifer.net
Superman
Jucifer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
lost
slowly turning endless as the sea
how you shimmer, glitter dark prize
how i long to cut you down to
size
I wanna be your
show me (x2)
loser
cheater
slowly entertain them to the grave
I wanna be your superman
I wanna be your
show me (x2)
heheheh!
now we are kissing
now we're making love
I wanna be your superman (x2)
superman (x3)
show me (x2)
swimming in the grip of your death (x4)
show me (x2)
The lyrics to Jucifer's song "Superman" paint a picture of a toxic and dysfunctional relationship where the singer seems to be completely enthralled by their partner, no matter how damaging they may be. The first stanza sets the stage, with the words "wicked" and "lost" creating a sense of darkness and aimlessness. The image of something "slowly turning endless as the sea" evokes a feeling of hopelessness and being overwhelmed. Despite this, the singer still finds their partner alluring - they "shimmer, glitter dark prize" - but at the same time, they also long to "cut [them] down to size." This seems to reveal a certain level of frustration or anger towards the partner for their negative impact on the singer's life.
The chorus - "I wanna be your superman, I wanna be your show me" - is repeated multiple times throughout the song and seems to be both a plea and a demand. The singer wants to be seen as a hero by their partner, someone who can come in and save them from whatever problems they're dealing with. But at the same time, they're also telling their partner to "show me," as if to say that they need proof of their love and devotion.
The second stanza continues with the same themes of dysfunction and darkness, with the words "loser" and "cheater" painting a bleak picture of the partner's behavior. The line "slowly entertain them to the grave" suggests that the partner is leading the singer and possibly others down a destructive path. But even with all of this negativity, the chorus remains the same - the singer wants to be their partner's hero.
Overall, the lyrics to "Superman" paint a complex picture of a complicated relationship. The singer seems to be simultaneously in love with and frustrated by their partner, and they're desperate to be seen as a hero despite the darkness that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
wicked
You are evil or morally wrong.
lost
You feel confused and unable to find your way.
slowly turning endless as the sea
You are becoming more and more hopeless and stuck in a never-ending cycle.
how you shimmer, glitter dark prize
You are alluring and attractive despite being dangerous.
how i long to cut you down to size
I am tempted to try and diminish your power and control.
I wanna be your superman
I want to be the hero that saves and protects you.
I wanna be your
I want to be yours completely and without reservation.
loser
I am inferior and unworthy.
cheater
I have deceived or betrayed in some way.
slowly entertain them to the grave
I am quietly leading others to a destructive end.
now we are kissing
We are engaging in a physical and intimate act.
now we're making love
We are passionately and emotionally connecting.
superman (x3)
I want to embody the heroic strength and ability of Superman.
show me (x4)
I want you to demonstrate your strength and power to me.
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.