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.
Frilly Military
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your long-haired lover from France
I'll meet you at an electronic Liverpool
At an electronic dance
Wearing padded shoulders in a padded cell
Throwing phone numbers down a wishing well
I'll join the frilly military, what the hell
It's got to be good for a laugh
Last one to the blackboard is a hairy pig
Hairy like a pig in the zoo
Bet that I can scare you in a fairy wig
Playing on a strawberry kazoo
'Cause I'm the big sister that you never had
Beating up on brother making fun of dad
The best big bully that you never had
You can pull on my pony tail
If you want to spend your life in jail
Flirty's what they call me at the convent school
Dirty's what I'm called on the street
Puffing on a spliff on Alexanderplatz
Or a bergamot cheroot
Long haired lovers from Liverpool
Truckers made of sugar by the swimming pool
I'll join the frilly military, what the hell
You can pull on my pony tail
But you'll have to spend your life in jail
Wearing padded shoulders in a padded cell
Throwing phone numbers down a wishing well
I'll join the frilly military, what the hell
It's got to be good for a laugh
See you in the acid bath
Momus's song Frilly Military is a whimsical, irreverent take on the idea of controlling relationships through conformity and submission. The lyrics depict the singer as a woman who is willing to join the "frilly military" in order to please her lover and participate in the excitement of a subversive, anarchic lifestyle. The first verse sets the scene for the meeting, with the woman described as a "frilly military lady" with long hair from France. The second stanza introduces the idea of madness and absurdity, with padded shoulders in a padded cell and throwing phone numbers down a well. The chorus repeats the mantra of joining the frilly military for the sake of a good laugh, but the final line is a dark counterpoint - "see you in the acid bath" suggests that there may be unintended consequences to this kind of reckless rebellion.
The second verse brings in more playful imagery, with the singer portrayed as a "big sister" who beats up her brother and makes fun of her dad. The use of a strawberry kazoo adds to the sense of whimsy, but the line "if you want to spend your life in jail" brings back the warning that there are real-world consequences to this kind of behavior. The final stanza takes us to the streets and public spaces, with the singer puffing on a spliff and interacting with various characters, from long-haired lovers to sugar truckers. The chorus repeats, but with the added twist that pulling on the singer's ponytail will also result in jail time.
Overall, Momus's Frilly Military is a tongue-in-cheek satire of countercultural rebellion, exploring themes of conformity, rebellion, and the clash between societal expectations and individual desires. The song's lyrics and imagery are both entertaining and unsettling, reminding us that there are real-world consequences to our actions even as we strive to break free from societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be your frilly military lady
I will be your unconventional partner, who is stylish and fashion-forward
Your long-haired lover from France
I will be your romantic lover, characterized by their long hair and French origins
I'll meet you at an electronic Liverpool
We will rendezvous at a music festival in Liverpool featuring electronic music
At an electronic dance
We will dance together at this electronic music event
Wearing padded shoulders in a padded cell
I will be dressed in a distinctive style, reminiscent of the padding often found in mental institutions
Throwing phone numbers down a wishing well
I will be carelessly discarding contact information from suitors in a superstition-based act of wish-making
I'll join the frilly military, what the hell
I will join an unconventional, non-traditional group, as it aligns with my demeanor and sense of humor
It's got to be good for a laugh
This experience will be enjoyable and amusing
See you in the acid bath
An ironic, jokey reference to a violent, dangerous metaphorical situation
Last one to the blackboard is a hairy pig
A taunt suggesting that the person who is slowest will be derogatorily compared to a hairy pig
Hairy like a pig in the zoo
Reinforcing the comparison that slow people are as hairy as a zoo animal
Bet that I can scare you in a fairy wig
A challenge, that even while wearing a whimsical costume, I can still instill fear in others
Playing on a strawberry kazoo
An instrument choice that is unconventional, strange, and fits the unconventional nature of the song
'Cause I'm the big sister that you never had
I'll be the older sister figure, that you wish you had in your life
Beating up on brother making fun of dad
I will playfully tease and make fun of others, particularly male family members
The best big bully that you never had
I will be the type of bully that would be looked back on with fondness, if I had been your bully, due to the joy and laughter that comes with my teasing
You can pull on my pony tail
You are allowed to treat me like someone who is conventionally attractive, and perhaps slightly aloof
If you want to spend your life in jail
A conditional consequence for those who take liberties with me, which will likely result in an exaggerated or impossible punishment
Flirty's what they call me at the convent school
A nickname given by the conservative institution that is more concerned with conforming to social norms
Dirty's what I'm called on the street
A nickname that reveals my more unconventional, rebellious nature, and one that is given by regular people, rather than a formal institution
Puffing on a spliff on Alexanderplatz
Smoking marijuana in a public square in Berlin, a notorious place for residents and travelers to buy and use drugs
Or a bergamot cheroot
Smoking cigar made from the bergamot citrus fruit, typically the preference of older or more distinguished individuals
Long haired lovers from Liverpool
A reference to a popular song, which hints that our long-haired love story may be influenced by popular culture
Truckers made of sugar by the swimming pool
A nonsensical line that emphasizes the playful nature of the song, and the whimsical world this universe exists in
You can pull on my pony tail
Again, you can treat me with the same infatuated attitude that people often have towards those with conventionally attractive characteristics
But you'll have to spend your life in jail
However, if you take too many liberties, you will incur an exaggerated or impossible punishment
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICHOLAS CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Schizopantheist
For some reason i have the line 'See you in the acid bath' stuck in my head. You get some strange things stuck in your head when you listen to Momus.
John Polishimpossible2say
Is there a better quality version of this floating around somewhere else? I been obsessed with the song for awhile.
cynthia koala
i love momus! momusu yeah!!!
lefa
momus is always the best of the best!!! MOMUS FOREVER as the future president of the musical world...
Wolfcub W
Momus, I love you.
Ben Lawrence
the late Benjamin Lo-Fi is in this video, with a slice of cool cheese on toast in his breast pocket, and we are still unearthing the late Benjamin's tunes, and posting 'em up on our channel here, for ears to hear...
Bianca J
I remember cops yelling at me for riding my bike down the same arcade.
Maarttttt
I think he may have removed his own eye. For the same reason van Gogh cut off his ear.
network for art HOME
Sanjokai in Kyoto Japan.
English Voodoo
@emtecbri2 any chance you happen to know what that vid was?