The studio core comprises Spike Slawson on vocals, bassist Fat Mike, Joey Cape on guitar and backing vocals, Dave Raun on drums, and Chris Shiflett on guitar (his brother Scott of Face To Face/Viva Death fills in for Chris on tour). Touring members have included Brian Baker (Bad Religion/Minor Threat), Barry DaLive (Crosstops/RKL), Eric Melvin (NOFX), Matthew MacNasty (bagpipes player from the Real McKenzies), and Warren Fitzgerald (The Vandals).
Originally a themed 7" singles project, now each of their full length albums covers a different genre of music spanning the 50's to the 90's. Their first release in 1997 was entitled Have a Ball, followed by Are a Drag in 1999. In 2001 they released Blow in the Wind and two years later released Take a Break. Almost immediately after the release of Take a Break the released a live album Ruin Johnny's Bar Mitzvah The genres they've butchered now include country, on Love Their Country featuring covers of songs made popular by The Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash and others. Their most recent release is a collection of B-sides from their album Have a Ball, simply titled Have Another Ball.
The Gimme Gimmes perform to entertain themselves as much as for the entertainment of their fans. Their albums and concerts are some of the most lighthearted and off the wall musical experiences in the punk world. Concerts are often interrupted between songs to freshen cocktails at the on stage tiki bar. CD liner notes relate the hardships of recording such as Fat Mike getting so caught up in "Wild World" that he believed he was Fat Stevens, a guitar-toting Islamic Extremist, so that when Spike sang "All My Lovin" he mistook it for "Allah my Lovin" and condemned Spike to death for heresy.
The Gimmes are also known for their costumes. Each album has a 'theme' for which they all dress up for the cover art and live shows. Some themes include red suits, metallic suits with fezzes, cheerleader outfits, drag (each Gimme dressed as a character from a musical they took songs from on the cover of Are a Drag: Chris Shiflett was Columbia and Spike was Dr Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror, Joey Cape was Annie, Fat Mike was Sandy from Grease and Dave Raun was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz). During a Warped Tour they dressed as AFI, to the confusion of many fans. Most recently they have been dressing as cowboys, but are possibly best known for their lurid Hawaiian shirts.
Or their live album, "Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah", the band performed for a crowd of 30 at a Bar Mitzvah. The CD contained video of the actual event and the liner notes were written by attendee Benjamin Rosenblatt who describes the events: "They made a lot of mistakes. They even started a song then stopped, then started again." -track 7 "Strawberry Fields Forever" on the CD.
Karma Chameleon
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Lyrics
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If I listened to your lies would you say
I'm a man without conviction
I'm a man who doesn't know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Didn't hear your wicked words every day
And you used to be so sweet I heard you say
That my love was an addiction
When we cling our love is strong
When you go you're gone forever
You string along, you string along
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Every day is like survival
You're my lover not my rival
Every day is like survival
You're my lover not my rival
I'm a man without conviction
I'm a man who doesn't know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
The song "Karma Chameleon" by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes appears to be a cover of Culture Club's original hit, but provides its own interpretation of the lyrics. The song revolves around a relationship that is characterized by deception, addiction, and emotional turmoil. The singer struggles to understand their partner's motivations and laments their inability to maintain a consistent identity or set of values. The chorus emphasizes the cyclical nature of the relationship, with the titular chameleon representing the inconsistent behavior of the partner.
The first two verses delve into the external appearances of the partner and their tendency to say things that aren't true. The singer acknowledges their lack of conviction and inability to resolve the contradictions in their partner's behavior. The chorus featuring the repeated mantra "Karma Chameleon" serves as a reminder that what goes around comes around, suggesting that the partner's inconsistency and deceit will eventually catch up with them. The final verse focuses on the emotional toll the relationship has taken, with the singer likening each day to a struggle for survival. Despite this hardship, the singer still views their partner as a lover rather than a rival, indicating their willingness to continue with the relationship despite its difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Desert loving in your eyes all the way
I feel your deep infatuation towards me like an endless expanse of desert in your eyes.
If I listened to your lies would you say
If I actually believed the lies you tell me, will you acknowledge it?
I'm a man without conviction
I'm a weak-willed person.
I'm a man who doesn't know
I lack knowledge or awareness.
How to sell a contradiction
I can't convincingly argue or present opposite sides of a concept simultaneously.
You come and go, you come and go
You are inconsistent in your actions towards me.
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon
The cycle of cause and effect, the balance of nature, that which transforms, is represented by the ever-changing nature of love.
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream
It would be effortless to love you if you were exactly the way I imagined you to be.
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Specifically, if you possessed the colors of passion, wealth, and life (red, gold, and green).
Didn't hear your wicked words every day
I wasn't always aware of the cruel things you said to me.
And you used to be so sweet I heard you say
You used to be loving and kind, but I remember you saying something hurtful.
That my love was an addiction
You claimed that my affection towards you was unhealthy and that I was fixated on you like a drug.
When we cling our love is strong
When we are close and intimate, our love is powerful and unbreakable.
When you go you're gone forever
When you leave, you are permanently out of my life.
You string along, you string along
You play with my emotions and lead me on without any intention of committing.
Every day is like survival
Living every day with you is extremely challenging and feels like a test of my will to survive.
You're my lover not my rival
Despite the difficulties we face, you still hold a place in my heart as a romantic partner rather than a competitor.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: George Alan O'Dowd, Jonathan Aubrey Moss, Michael Emile Craig, Roy Ernest Hay, Philip Stuart Pickett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind