The band formed in late 2000, when ex-member Brent Knopf graduated from Dartmouth College and returned to Portland to collaborate with Harris and Seim. They played their first show in July 2001, at The Meow Meow, a now-defunct all ages venue in Portland.
Menomena self-released their debut album, I Am the Fun Blame Monster!, on May 20, 2003. The album was elaborately packaged in an 80-page flipbook that Seim designed and individually hand-assembled. It later received nationwide distribution through FILMguerrero in 2004. The title is an anagram for The First Menomena Album.
In 2005, Under an Hour was released as a three-track album of instrumental music written for and performed with Monster Squad, an experimental dance company based in Portland.
In August of 2006, Menomena signed with Barsuk Records although the band still maintains a relationship with their old label, FILMguerrero. It was stated that FILMguerrero would still be involved in their old catalog and future vinyl releases.
Menomena released their next album in 2007, titled Friend and Foe. It received relative critical acclaim -- while some websites like Pitchfork Media praised the album for its effective modular pop, others like PopMatters criticized it for presenting a sense of feigned maturity. Their record release show was held in their home town of Portland, Oregon. The packaging features artwork by graphic novelist/cartoonist Craig Thompson, consisting of die-cut shapes, decoder rings, and hidden messages. It was nominated for "Best Recording Package" at The Grammy Awards.
The band's following album, Mines, was released in July 2010.
In January 2011, Brent Knopf's departure was announced. He left the band under good terms in order to focus on his other project Ramona Falls.
Without Knopf, Menomena released their most recent album, Moms in September of 2012.
The band's name was chosen for "the way it rolls off the tongue, sexually, or something" and has no specific meaning, although it is often assumed to refer to the Piero Umiliani song "Mah Nà Mah Nà", a staple of The Muppet Show.
Danny Seim also has a side project began in the late 90's titled Lackthereof.
Strongest Man in the World
Menomena Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I promise
I'll keep this
Under my control
Control
I am fused out of iron, iron [Repeat x8]
I promise
I'll keep this
Under my control
Promise to keep this
Under my control
The song "Strongest Man in the World" by Menomena consists mainly of a repeated phrase "I am fused out of iron" and a promise to keep things under control. This phrase can be interpreted in many ways, but the most common interpretation revolves around the theme of strength and resilience. The lyrics suggest that the singer is made of iron, which is one of the strongest metals on Earth, which implies that the singer is powerful and indestructible. Additionally, the emphasis on the repeated phrase, "I promise, I'll keep this under my control," suggests that the singer is self-aware and intends to maintain control over their own strength and power.
The lyrics of "Strongest Man in the World" also have a dark undertone, which is evident in the line "I promise, I'll keep this under my control." This line seems to suggest that the singer is afraid of losing control of their strength and power and may be dangerous if they do. Overall, the song is about strength, control, and the potentially dangerous consequences of having too much power.
Line by Line Meaning
I am fused out of iron, iron [Repeat x8]
I am made of strong, unbreakable material and repeat this to emphasize my strength.
I promise
I give my word
I'll keep this
I will maintain control of the situation
Under my control
I am in charge and will not let anyone take away my power
Control
Dominance over the situation or person
Promise to keep this
I pledge to maintain my dominance and control
Under my control
No one can challenge me
Lyrics © DistroKid, ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brent Knopf, Daniel Frederic Seim, Justin Andrew Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind