The band is named after the album "Master of Reality" by Black Sabbath.
After its first incarnation - which consisted of Chris Goss, Tim Harrington, Vinnie Ludovico and Googe - broke apart in 1989, the band developed into a band with alternating lineups. Masters of Reality resurfaced making headlines when former Cream drumming-legend Ginger Baker joined the band on their second album Sunrise on the Sufferbus which was recorded in 1992. Although the band landed a Top 10 chart hit with the single "She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)" Baker left the band only one year later. Victor Indrizzo, at that time drummer for Circus of Power, was asked to join and fill the vacant spot and agreed.
Goss' connection to Queens of the Stone Age resulted from producing Kyuss albums and in the collaborative CD Deep in the Hole in 2001, and two years later, in the release of the subsequent live album Flak 'n' Flight.
Since their formation, Masters of Reality has made very different kinds of music, ranging from Stoner metal over progressive art rock to Beatlesque pop music.
Besides his involvement with this "project", frontman Chris Goss is also a very important producer (Kyuss, Soulwax, Melissa Auf der Maur, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster etc.) and has contributed to many other bands in the Palm Desert Scene and beyond.
Rabbit One
Masters of Reality Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Birds can fly
I wish I was a bird
Birds can fly
I'd be 14 thousand miles away
Before you say goodbye
I wish I was a rabbit
I wish I was a rabbit
Rabbits can run
I'd be 15 thousand miles away
Before you shoot your gun
I wish I was a bird
Birds can fly
I wish I was a bird
Birds can fly
I'd be 15 thousand miles away
Before you say goodbye
The lyrics to Masters of Reality's song "Rabbit One" convey a sense of desiring to escape from a situation one finds themselves in. The repetition of the lines "I wish I was a bird, birds can fly" and "I wish I was a rabbit, rabbits can run" emphasize the desire for freedom, perhaps from a relationship or situation that's holding the singer back. The imagery of being thousands of miles away before saying goodbye or before shooting a gun reinforces this idea of wanting to be far removed from whatever is causing the singer to feel trapped.
The song's lyrics also suggest a sense of powerlessness in the face of external circumstances, but the desire to escape is still present. The song is open to interpretation, but one possible explanation is that the singer is in an abusive relationship or dangerous situation, hence the reference to shooting a gun. The repetition of the first two lines of each verse, and the slight modification to the third, reinforces the idea of wanting to escape and highlighting the specific ways in which birds and rabbits are able to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I was a bird
I desire to have the freedom and ability to soar in the skies like a bird.
Birds can fly
I envy the fact that birds have the innate capability to fly, unlike humans who are confined to the ground.
I'd be 14 thousand miles away
If I were a bird, I could easily traverse vast distances and be far away from my current location in no time.
Before you say goodbye
I could leave before anyone has the chance to bid me farewell, thus avoiding any emotional response.
I wish I was a rabbit
I wish to possess the agility and speed of a rabbit, allowing me to escape danger with ease.
Rabbits can run
Rabbits are known for their remarkable sprinting ability, which enables them to quickly move away from predators.
Before you shoot your gun
If I were a rabbit, I could flee before someone takes a shot at me, effectively avoiding death.
I wish I was a bird
I reiterate my earlier desire to have the power of flight at my disposal.
I'd be 15 thousand miles away
As a bird, I could travel even further than before, putting even greater distance between myself and any potential threat.
Before you say goodbye
I could depart before anyone has the chance to say farewell, avoiding any emotional attachment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ALLEN GOSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind