For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.
Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.
A Lapdog
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To rival a chihuahua or some other breed of lapdog
I sent you to Antarctica, I'm very sorry now
I sensed that I could only mean a thing to you
If I could somehow be a lapdog too
But to send you to Antarctica to face your certain death
Was a very, very heartless thing to do
You tell me in your letter
You like the friendly crunch they make
On the snow, even though there's horrible weather
You've brought your lapdog with you
It pokes its head out of your coat
The animal looks undeniably cute
With a little bark rising up in its throat
But penguins won't stop following you
They march in a long black line
It's menacing and sinister
And soon it will be night-time
And the Situationists loom very small indeed
Alongside a chihuahua or some other breed of lapdog
Perhaps if they loomed smaller they'd be cute enough to love
And maybe someday I could mean something to you
If I could somehow be a lapdog too
So do people flirt and laugh, are they photographing you?
If there were anybody there I'm sure they would do
But the last time you looked down to pat your lapdog's tiny head
Its little eyes were frozen, it was dead
And penguins won't stop following you
They march in a long black line
It's menacing and sinister
And soon it will be night-time
The Situationists and me loom very small indeed
Alongside a chihuahua or some other breed of lapdog
Perhaps if we were dumb and small enough
We'd become worthy of your love
Momus's song "A Lapdog" is a melancholy and introspective track that touches on themes of powerlessness, love, and human relationships. The lyrics describe a narrator who feels inadequate in the face of his lover's apparent love for lapdogs. He compares himself to the Situationist philosopher Guy Debord and author Andre Gide, but feels like he cannot compete with a lapdog. The singer sends his lover to Antarctica, and is plagued by the guilt of this decision. The second verse describes the lover's experience in Antarctica, surrounded by penguins, and her lapdog dying in the freezing temperatures. Throughout the song, there is a sense of desperation to belong and to be loved, which is ultimately unfulfilled.
The use of penguins as a motif throughout the song is both interesting and symbolic. Penguins are typically regarded as cute and charming creatures, but in this song, they take on a more menacing and sinister quality. They follow and watch the lover, creating an ominous atmosphere that contrasts with their typical portrayal. Additionally, the fact that the lover's lapdog dies in the freezing cold underscores the harshness of humanity's relationship with nature, and the consequences of our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Powerless, with my talk of Guy Debord and Gide
I feel powerless when I talk about thinkers like Guy Debord and Gide, who are not as important as I want them to be.
To rival a chihuahua or some other breed of lapdog
I feel unimportant compared to small, cute lapdogs.
I sent you to Antarctica, I'm very sorry now
I regret sending you to a dangerous place like Antarctica.
I sensed that I could only mean a thing to you
I feel like you only value me for what I can do for you.
If I could somehow be a lapdog too
I wish I could be small and cute like a lapdog to receive your attention and affection.
But to send you to Antarctica to face your certain death
Sending you to Antarctica was a cruel thing to do, considering the risks involved.
You're wearing your pink flip-flops
You're wearing pink flip-flops in the cold temperature of Antarctica.
You tell me in your letter
You've written a letter to me.
You like the friendly crunch they make
You enjoy the sound your flip-flops make on the snow.
On the snow, even though there's horrible weather
Despite the bad weather, you still like walking on the snow with your flip-flops.
You've brought your lapdog with you
You've taken your lapdog with you to Antarctica.
It pokes its head out of your coat
Your lapdog is peeking out of your coat.
The animal looks undeniably cute
Your lapdog looks extremely adorable.
With a little bark rising up in its throat
Your lapdog is about to bark.
But penguins won't stop following you
Penguins keep following you in a menacing way.
They march in a long black line
The penguins are walking in an organized line.
It's menacing and sinister
The penguins' behavior is threatening and creepy.
And soon it will be night-time
It's getting darker as the day is ending.
And the Situationists loom very small indeed
The Situationists seem insignificant.
Perhaps if they loomed smaller they'd be cute enough to love
Maybe if the Situationists were smaller and cuter, you would like them more.
So do people flirt and laugh, are they photographing you?
I wonder if people are paying attention to you and finding you interesting.
If there were anybody there I'm sure they would do
If anyone was there, I believe they would take photos of you.
But the last time you looked down to pat your lapdog's tiny head
The last time you looked at your lapdog,
Its little eyes were frozen, it was dead
you noticed that your lapdog had died, and its eyes were frozen.
And penguins won't stop following you
The penguins continue to follow you menacingly.
They march in a long black line
The penguins are still walking in an organized line.
It's menacing and sinister
Their behavior is still creepy and threatening.
And soon it will be night-time
It's getting darker as the day is ending.
The Situationists and me loom very small indeed
The Situationists and I feel insignificant and unimportant.
Perhaps if we were dumb and small enough
Maybe if we were smaller and simple-minded,
We'd become worthy of your love
we would be more deserving of your affection and attention.
Contributed by Michael V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aldo Charles
on Morality Is Vanity
I’ve been listening to this song last two weeks.