The band's current configuration is Isaac Brock (vocals, guitar), Tom Peloso (strings, horns, bass, keyboards), Jim Fairchild (guitar), and Eric Judy (bass)). Plummer has recently become the new drummer for The Shins.
Brock came up with the name "Modest Mouse" when he read the Virginia Woolf stream of consciousness essay The Mark On the Wall in which the author described the working middle class as "modest mouse-coloured people"
Brock frequently moved around with his mother when he was a child. Around this time, his mother left his father for his father's brother (Brock's uncle). Brock's mother's house flooded and forced them to move into his mother's new husband's trailer, but there was no room for Brock. Brock stayed behind, living in the second story of the flooded house, until he was eventually evicted by police. He then moved into a shed next to his mother's house and it is said this is where Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy first began playing music.
In 1994, the band recorded their debut EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?, at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios, which was then released on Calvin's record label K Records. Then followed a single with Sub Pop that was recorded by producer Steve Wold at Moon Studios. Wold, who in the mid-2000's would begin to perform under the name Seasick Steve, would also perform on the band's albums, but was never an official member of the band. After moving to Up Records Modest Mouse put out several releases recorded at Moon Studios, including 1996's This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About. This double LP was produced and recorded by Steve Wold. The next offering on UP was Interstate 8; also produced by Steve Wold. 1997's The Lonesome Crowded West, (also recorded at Moon Studios, by Scott Swayze) turned out to be the band's breakthrough album. The Lonesome Crowded West gained the band a cult following and is now widely considered by many critics to be one of the defining albums of mid-90s indie rock.
In 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon And Antarctica, their first album on a major label (Epic Records). The band enjoyed some success on alternative radio with the singles "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything." Lead singer Isaac Brock has since put out an album with his side project Ugly Casanova on Sub Pop Records.
In 2003, drummer Jeremiah Green quit the band; the official word was that he was quitting to work with his side project, Vells. He was replaced with two members, drummer Benjamin Weikel (who also drummed for The Helio Sequence) and guitarist Dann Gallucci (Murder City Devils). Weikel being new to the band and Gallucci returning to the band for the first time since This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. On April 6, 2004, Modest Mouse released the platinum-selling Good News For People Who Love Bad News, which scored two hits with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty". In 2004 Jeremiah Green returned to the band, and Benjamin Weikel now drums exclusively for The Helio Sequence. Dann Gallucci left the band in August, and they toured with Hutch Harris of The Thermals during the fall of 2004.
Modest Mouse was mentioned by name in the 2005 Supreme Court decision in the case of MGM v. Grokster. Justice Souter wrote that on the Grokster P2P network, "Users seeking Top 40 songs, for example, or the latest release by Modest Mouse, are certain to be far more numerous than those seeking a free Decameron, and Grokster and StreamCast translated that demand into dollars."
In 2005, multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, who already played various instruments on Good News For People Who Love Bad News, officially joined the band. In 2006, Johnny Marr, former guitarist for The Smiths, became an official member of the band.
On March 20, 2007, the band released their fifth album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Four singles were released from the album: "Dashboard", "Missed the Boat", "We've Got Everything" and "Little Motel". The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. James Mercer of The Shins provides backing vocals on three songs.
In 2009, they released No One's First And You're Next, an EP of unreleased songs from around the time Good News and We Were Dead were recorded, and two songs that had already been released, "I've Got It All (Most)" and "King Rat". The video for King Rat was directed by late actor Heath Ledger.
In 2009, Johnny Marr left the band and was replaced by Jim Fairchild, formerly of Grandaddy. The band performed at several festivals throughout 2009 and 2010, including the main stage of the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2010.
After an 8 year wait, the band's latest full-length is "Strangers To Ourselves", released March 17th, 2015- two weeks after the original release date, March 3rd, 2015. The album art is an aerial photo of an RV resort located in Mesa, Arizona. Five singles were released before the album, "Lampshades on Fire", "Coyotes", "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box", "The Best Room", and "Of Course we Know".
Drummer Jeremiah Green passed away from cancer on December 31, 2022 at the age of 45.
Baby Blue Sedan
Modest Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I am doing the best that I can
All the eunuchs, they were standing in rows
singing, "Please stud us out just as fast as you possibly can."
Sad song, last dance and no one knows who the band was
And Henry, you danced like a wooden Indian
Except this one mattered and I felt it had a spirit
And I shot the story because I didn't hear it that way
And it's harder as anything else
And I'm lonesome when you're around
And I'm never lonesome when I'm by myself
And I miss you when you're around
The Modest Mouse song "Baby Blue Sedan" tells the story of a man who is struggling to find his place in the world. The first verse describes his appearance - a nice heart, a white suit, and a baby blue sedan - and the fact that he is trying his best. The second verse introduces a group of eunuchs who are asking to be "stud out" as quickly as possible, which creates a bleak and desolate image. The chorus reflects on the difficulty of being human, and the man's loneliness both with and without the person he misses.
The third verse introduces the idea of a sad song and last dance, but nobody knows who the band was. This could represent a feeling of time passing and the inability to hold on to certain memories or moments. The song then turns to a specific person, Henry, who is described as dancing like a wooden Indian. However, this particular moment has a spirit and significance that the singer can feel. The final line of the verse reveals that the singer did not hear the story the same way that it was presented, indicating a disconnect between his interpretation of events and the reality of the situation.
Overall, "Baby Blue Sedan" captures a feeling of loneliness and confusion in the face of the challenges of life. The references to eunuchs and a sad, unknown band contribute to a sense of hopelessness, while the moments of significance described in the third verse create a sense of poignancy and bittersweet nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
A nice heart and a white suit and a baby blue sedan
Despite having a kind heart, dressing nicely, and owning a fancy car, the singer still feels inadequate and struggles to keep up with societal expectations.
And I am doing the best that I can
The singer is trying their hardest to succeed and be happy, but constantly feels like they are falling short.
All the eunuchs, they were standing in rows / singing, "Please stud us out just as fast as you possibly can."
The singer sees others around them sacrificing their individuality and dignity in the pursuit of success, and feels pressured to do the same.
Sad song, last dance and no one knows who the band was / And Henry, you danced like a wooden Indian
The artist reflects on a past experience where they felt disconnected from those around them, and unable to fully engage with the moment.
Except this one mattered and I felt it had a spirit / And I shot the story because I didn't hear it that way
Despite feeling disconnected, there was one moment that felt meaningful to the artist, and they have saved it as a personal memory, rather than how others may have interpreted it.
And it's hard to be a human being / And it's harder as anything else
Being a human being comes with its own challenges, but adding any other burdens to that can make life even more difficult.
And I'm lonesome when you're around / And I'm never lonesome when I'm by myself
The singer feels lonely in the presence of others, but finds comfort and happiness in being alone with their own thoughts and experiences.
And I miss you when you're around
Despite feeling isolated, the artist still longs for human connection and the presence of others, even if it brings discomfort.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC JUDY, ISAAC BROCK, JEREMIAH GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind