He was an accomplished instrumentalist and composer, who played keyboards, guitars, drums, bass and cellos, as well as singing vocals. His talents also extended to producer. He toured with Eddie Money before winning the Yamaha songwriting competition with his progressive rock group Giraffe. Producer Patrick Leonard was impressed with Gilbert's performance at the competition and invited him to join him in forming a new band which became Toy Matinee. During this time, Gilbert worked on the projects of several established pop musicians, including Madonna, Michael Jackson and produced Keith Emerson's album Changing States.
The lone Toy Matinee album was released in 1990 but effectively shelved by the record company, so Gilbert assembled a new backing band to promote the album, eventually getting two successful singles released: "The Ballad of Jenny Ledge" and "Last Plane Out".
Later, Gilbert was part of a songwriting collective (called "The Tuesday Music Club") that met at producer Bill Bottrell's studio in Pasadena, California. After he began bringing his then girlfriend Sheryl Crow to the sessions, the result was Crow's debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club. Gilbert co-wrote many of the songs on that album, including 1995 Grammy Record of the Year "All I Wanna Do." Crow later acrimoniously split with most of the musicians in the collective and only Bottrell was involved in her follow-up album. Meanwhile the remainder of the collective worked with singer-songwriters Susanna Hoffs and Linda Perry on two more albums.
Gilbert continued to work in television and movie soundtrack work as well as studio work and producing and eventually released his first solo album Thud(1995) as well as partially reforming Giraffe to perform the Genesis masterpiece "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" at Progfest 94. Gilbert's manager sent a copy of the recording to Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford who were searching for a new Genesis front man to replace Phil Collins. His manager was coming to Gilbert's home to tell him that he had managed to get him an audition when he discovered him dead.
Gilbert's second solo album, The Shaming of the True was released posthumously. The album was largely incomplete, but Gilbert's estate asked Spock's Beard drummer Nick D'Virgilio to complete it based on the extant tapes and Gilbert's notes. A live album (composed mostly of songs from Thud), and a compilation of Giraffe material that Gilbert had been working on and an "industrial" album with Gilbert's latest group, Kaviar have also been released in the years since his death. His estate has promised two more posthumous studio albums and a live performance from Gilbert's promotional group for Toy Matinee.
Discography:
N.R.G. - No Reasons Given (1984)
Giraffe - The Power Of Suggestion (1987)
Giraffe - The View From Here (1989)
Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee (1990; remastered & rereleased 2001)
Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club (1993)
Kevin Gilbert - Thud (1995)
Giraffe - Giraffe (1999)
Kevin Gilbert & Thud - Live at the Troubadour (1999)
Kevin Gilbert - The Shaming of the True (2000)
Kaviar - The Kaviar Sessions (2002)
Kevin Gilbert - Nuts (2009)
Kevin Gilbert - Bolts (2009)
Kevin Gilbert - Performs Toy Matinee Live (2010)
Kevin Gilbert - Toy Matinee Acoustic Rehearsal (2014)
Fun
Kevin Gilbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a lot of dispensable cash
Go downtown in my limousine
Gonna find some young hookers we can treat real mean
There's plenty of drugs ‘n' plenty of beer
To drown out the whine of self loathing and fear
We're listening to tapes of Gladys Knight and the Pips
It's fun, yeah it's a real good time tonight all right
Arsenio's here and he's all fucked up
And he's with some chick that just won't shut up
Julian's suckin' hard on a bottle of Jack
That he got with a hand job off a girl out back
I'm talking to this actress behind the bar
She thinks Leo DiCappria's gonna make her a star
So she answers his phone, washes his car
Soils his sheets, yeah, she'll go far
Cause she's fun, she's a real good time tonight all right
Now the bar is closing for the regular folk
But there's an escort to the VIP lounge brandishing coke
And we all could use another line or two
‘Cause there's still gossip to tell and slander to spew (no shit, I didn't know that)
So we're moving this party back to my place
‘Cause Richard's got a friend who's bringing base
And we're gonna play the new Madonna where she rips a fart
And then stand around talking about why it's art
It's fun, it's a real good time tonight all right
C'mon it's fun, yeah it's a real good time
Now Sheryl's in the kitchen with the L.A. Lakers
Trying to get herself laid but there ain't no takers
Cause they heard about the guy that she did with Aids
And she's callin' ‘em fags saying they're afraid
She wants fun, all she wants to do is have a real good time tonight all right
Arsenio's getting all maudlin and rude
And that chick he's with I think she's a dude
It's not like I'm bothered I mean it's no big deal
But she keeps on asking if I'd like a feel
She wants fun, she's got to have a real good time tonight all right
We're having fun, having a real good time tonight all right
So I dosed up about half an hour ago
Cause my skin was getting itchy and I was movin' too slow
Waitin' to see if my nose is gonna grow
While I'm nodding at some jerk keeps callin' me bro'
(yeah I gotta use the bathroom man)
Now the ceiling is melting cause the walls are on fire
And I'm tuttin' up with defectors from the Nazi Boys Choir
They say they're eighteen but I think they're all liars
I know that's a felony but I got no priors
It's fun, yeah it's a real good time tonight all right
All I wanna do is have fun, have a real good time tonight all right
It's fun, it's fun fun fun fun fun
It's a real good time tonight all right
The song “Fun” was released by Kevin Gilbert in 1991. It starts with the lyrics, “Lenny's got horse, and Nigel's got hash. I got a lot of dispensable cash. Go downtown in my limousine. Gonna find some young hookers we can treat real mean.” The lyrics describe the life of people who use drugs, alcohol, and commit violent acts for fun. The song tells a story of a group of people who are wealthy, bored, and looking for some fun. They indulge in drugs, sex, and blabbering about celebrities, while watching the regular folk leave the bar. Later in the song, the lyrics describe the hallucinations one can experience after being high on drugs for an extended period. It ends with them looking for more fun and drugs to continue their night.
The song demonstrates Gilbert's attempt to provide his audience with a taste of the excesses of modern life. It discusses the dangers of drugs, violence, and self-destructive behaviors. The lyrics reveal how people who are famous, wealthy, and powerful can take their good fortune for granted; they indulge in compulsive behavior because they are bored of their routine lives. The song is ironic in its tone because it is supposed to criticize its audience for indulging in self-destructive activities, but its upbeat melody and catchy refrain make it enjoyable to listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Lenny's got horse and Nigel's got hash
Lenny has heroin and Nigel has cannabis
I got a lot of dispensable cash
I have a lot of money that I can spend without worrying about its worth
Go downtown in my limousine
I am going to the city center in my luxurious car
Gonna find some young hookers we can treat real mean
I am planning to look for young prostitutes whom we can mistreat and abuse
There's plenty of drugs ‘n' plenty of beer
There is a large abundance of drugs and alcoholic beverages available
To drown out the whine of self loathing and fear
To suppress and forget the sound of self-doubt and anxiety
We're listening to tapes of Gladys Knight and the Pips
We are listening to music by a famous Motown group
I'm lickin' my teeth I'm lickin' my lips
I am eagerly anticipating and salivating at the thought of what's to come
It's fun, yeah it's a real good time tonight all right
We are having a great time partying tonight
Arsenio's here and he's all fucked up
Arsenio Hall is present and heavily intoxicated
And he's with some chick that just won't shut up
He is with a talkative woman who won't stop talking
Julian's suckin' hard on a bottle of Jack
Julian is drinking whiskey heavily and greedily
That he got with a hand job off a girl out back
He obtained it through sexual favors he received from a girl in the back
I'm talking to this actress behind the bar
I am conversing with an actress standing behind the counter
She thinks Leo DiCappria's gonna make her a star
She has the belief that Leonardo DiCaprio will help her become famous
So she answers his phone, washes his car
She caters to his every need by answering his phone and washing his car
Soils his sheets, yeah, she'll go far
She even dirties his sheets and still believes she will become successful
Cause she's fun, she's a real good time tonight all right
She is enjoyable to be around and is making the night fun
Now the bar is closing for the regular folk
The bar is shutting down for normal, non-famous guests
But there's an escort to the VIP lounge brandishing coke
There is an escort with cocaine in the VIP section
And we all could use another line or two
We could all benefit from a few more doses of cocaine
‘Cause there's still gossip to tell and slander to spew (no shit, I didn't know that)
We still have juicy rumors and harmful comments we need to share
So we're moving this party back to my place
We are relocating the party to my house
‘Cause Richard's got a friend who's bringing base
Richard knows someone who is bringing a type of recreational drug called base
And we're gonna play the new Madonna where she rips a fart
We will listen to Madonna's new song where she makes flatulence noises
And then stand around talking about why it's art
We will then have a conversation about why we think it is artistic
Now Sheryl's in the kitchen with the L.A. Lakers
Sheryl is in the kitchen with members of the L.A. Lakers basketball team
Trying to get herself laid but there ain't no takers
She is attempting to have sex but is unsuccessful
Cause they heard about the guy that she did with Aids
The Lakers know about her past sexual encounter with a person who has AIDS
And she's callin' ‘em fags saying they're afraid
She is insulting them by calling them gay and accusing them of being scared
She wants fun, all she wants to do is have a real good time tonight all right
She is only interested in having a pleasurable time and having fun tonight
Arsenio's getting all maudlin and rude
Arsenio is becoming emotional and impolite
And that chick he's with I think she's a dude
The woman with Arsenio appears to be a transgender person
It's not like I'm bothered I mean it's no big deal
I am not affected by it and don't think it's significant
But she keeps on asking if I'd like a feel
She repeatedly asks me if I want to touch her
She wants fun, she's got to have a real good time tonight all right
She desires to have an enjoyable time tonight
We're having fun, having a real good time tonight all right
We are having a great time partying tonight
So I dosed up about half an hour ago
I consumed drugs about thirty-minutes ago
Cause my skin was getting itchy and I was movin' too slow
I ingested drugs because I was experiencing skin irritation and sluggishness
Waitin' to see if my nose is gonna grow
I am wondering if my nose will expand as a side effect of my drug use
While I'm nodding at some jerk keeps callin' me bro'
I am nodding my head in agreement at a person who is calling me brother, despite not knowing them well enough to be addressed in this way
Now the ceiling is melting cause the walls are on fire
The room is so altered by drugs that the walls are ablaze and the ceiling is melting
And I'm tuttin' up with defectors from the Nazi Boys Choir
I am hanging out with people who have rejected the beliefs of the Nazi Boys Choir, a hypothetical extremist group
They say they're eighteen but I think they're all liars
They claim to be eighteen years old, but I suspect they are not telling the truth
I know that's a felony but I got no priors
I am aware that false identification and lying about one's age is a criminal offense, but I have no prior criminal record
It's fun, yeah it's a real good time tonight all right
We are having an entertaining and enjoyable experience partying tonight
All I wanna do is have fun, have a real good time tonight all right
All I desire is to engage in entertaining and pleasurable activities tonight
It's fun, it's fun fun fun fun fun
The experience is very enjoyable and entertaining
It's a real good time tonight all right
We are having an enjoyable experience tonight
Contributed by Wyatt S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@belalugrisi1614
Love this! Great cover & trubute! ☮, ❤ & 🎶/ 🌎
@rbailey1240
Yes, this song is "officially" not about any specific people, but we know. We all know.
@kimbrewer2657
Always loved the laid back groove on this.
@timwhite5647
Indeed!
@viridianloom
You guys nailed it!
@Iktius
Where is the original kevin Gilbert version?
@clarkem4119
the Estate makes damned sure that most Kevin Gilbert tunes/albums are not on streaming services. :( They tend to be anti-streaming, and they just release physical media that very few new people will be exposed to. They're shooting themselves in the foot by keeping Kevin's music away from the masses. The existing fans buy the physical albums, but it's stagnant unless you can bring more fans in. Every one of his albums should be on the streaming services.