Made Out of Babies was a band from New York, NY, United States, formed in 2… Read Full Bio ↴Made Out of Babies was a band from New York, NY, United States, formed in 2004.
As their playfully gruesome name suggests, Made Out of Babies are not a demure or delicate band, but a vehicle of cathartic assault; as evocative as The Jesus Lizard, as imaginative and impassioned as Björk, as disturbingly frank and unnerving as Big Black, the quartet conjures a wholly unique sense of claustrophobic fury, undermining the listener's sense of order and rationality.

Having signed to Neurot in 2005 - probably the most outright rock act to have yet done so - Made Out of Babies released their debut "Trophy" to immediate critical acclaim, with Revolver describing vocalist Julie Christmas as "Courtney Love, PJ Harvey and Karen O rolled into one whirling, wailing dervish," while Kerrang suggested that "it's not just her yelping and screaming that gets ingrained in your soul, but her whole essence.

While Christmas attracts the attention of bewitched critics, a band comprised of guitarist Brendan Tobin, bassist Cooper (Players Club) and drummer Matthew Egan generate the industrial energy behind Made Out Of Babies' churning hardcore rush, summoning a slithering pit of churning, caffeinated noise-rock reminiscent of greats like Steel Pole Bathtub, Unsane and Silverfish. Neurot has confounded expectations with the signing of Made Out Of Babies, but their superficial differences to bands commonly associated with the label belie their fundamental coherence with the Neurot ethic: to release music that challenges the mind while expressing intense passion and belief.

September 2006 saw the release of Made Out of Babies second album, "Coward". Continuing where "Trophy" left off, "Coward" was produced by Steve Albini, and manages to encapsulate the band's grinding, cathartic assault within a devastatingly efficient package. A captivating and intense record that disposes of the comforting illusions of contemporary Western society with each vicious and accurate slash, "Coward" is a stomach-churning illustration of Made Out of Babies latent force, and an indicator that they chime perfectly with the stark, awesome power for which Neurot is known.

After recently moving to The End records, their third album, "The Ruiner", was released on June 24, 2008, combining all the disconcerting sound of their last two releases with the natural evolution of their sound.

In 2012, Julie announced on her Facebook page the end of Made Out of Babies.

Members:
Julie Xmas - vocals
Brendan "Bunny" Tobin - guitars
Cooper - bass
Matthew Egan - drums

The Major
Made Out of Babies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

down the street on one leg,
a major with a mouth,
is standing on a corner,
near a train to somewhere south,
he whistles when he speaks,
it's the only time he does,
a petty two-bit thief,
always in and out of love.

his eyes are bloody red,
it's part of his routine,
home for Sunday dinner,
with a widow from beneath,
a silver serpent tongue,
a face meant for a mother's love,
a murder in his pocket,
with no skin to cover up.

ride, he rides,
two-bit thief,

train down South
serpent tongue

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Made Out of Babies' song The Major are mysterious, but they tell the story of a man who is a major, but also a petty two-bit thief. He stands on a street corner near a train to somewhere south, and when he speaks, he whistles. His eyes are bloody red, and he has a silver serpent tongue. He is always in and out of love, and he seems to have a murder in his pocket with no skin to cover up. Despite his flaws and shady character, he goes home for Sunday dinner with a widow from beneath. The lyrics suggest that the major is a complex and troubled character who may have a dark past.

One possible interpretation of the song is that the major represents a fallen hero, someone who was once respected and revered for his bravery and service, but who has since fallen from grace and become a criminal. The fact that he is a major suggests that he may have been in the military, but his whistling when he speaks and general air of dishevelment suggest that he may have suffered from trauma or mental health issues. He seems to be torn between good and evil, love and hate, and his silver tongue and murder in his pocket suggest that he may be manipulative and dangerous. The song does not offer any solutions or resolutions, but simply presents a portrait of a troubled man.

Line by Line Meaning

down the street on one leg,
The major is limping down the street on one leg.

a major with a mouth,
The major has a loudmouth and seems to be in a position of authority.

is standing on a corner,
He is standing on a street corner.

near a train to somewhere south,
The train going south is near him.

he whistles when he speaks,
Whenever he talks, he whistles.

it's the only time he does,
Whistling is the only time when he makes noticeable sound.

a petty two-bit thief,
The major is an insignificant thief.

always in and out of love.
He tends to have many romantic relationships and never stays in one for long.

his eyes are bloody red,
The major has red, blood-shot eyes.

it's part of his routine,
Having red eyes is a regular occurrence for him.

home for Sunday dinner,
He goes home for dinner on Sundays.