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.
The Thunderclown
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has sent you down
Deep in the blankey-bo
You will see, believe you me
More than you can know
To catch your kiss
Odysseus
Must swim through blood and snow
In the deep nook where Captain Cook
Is hooked on the blankey-bo
And Errol Flynn could not begin
To swash and buckle you
To win your throne
Napoleon must march through wind and snow
For the thunderclown must have somewhere to go
Undo your gown, glissando down
The slope of the junior piste
Pistachio that grows below
Will shortly be my feast
To catch your kiss
Odysseus must swim through blood and snow
For the thunderclown must have somewhere to grow
All I have is the thunderclown
Deep in the blankey-bo
All pumped up and ready for the snow
The Thunderclown by Momus is a song that talks about a mythical figure called the Thunderclown who is responsible for sending people deep into the blankey-bo. The blankey-bo can be interpreted as a metaphor for the unknown or the subconscious mind. Once you find yourself in the blankey-bo, you will see things that are beyond your understanding. To catch the kiss of the Thunderclown, Odysseus must swim through blood and snow. This implies that one must go through trials and tribulations to reach the unknown.
The Thunderclown is said to have somewhere to go and the only way to get there is by going through the deep nook where Captain Cook is hooked on the blankey-bo. Even Errol Flynn could not begin to swash and buckle you to win your throne. To win the throne, Napoleon must march through wind and snow. This implies that the path to the unknown is not an easy one and only those who are willing to go through the difficulties will find what they seek.
The song also talks about the need to undo your gown and glissando down the slope of the junior piste. Pistachio that grows below will shortly be my feast. This line implies that one should be willing to let go of their inhibitions and take a chance. In conclusion, The Thunderclown by Momus is a song that encourages listeners to take risks and embrace the unknown in search of what they seek.
Line by Line Meaning
When the thunderclown
The start of an event where you will experience something new.
Has sent you down
You are being introduced to a new environment.
Deep in the blankey-bo
A place you are new to and unsure of.
You will see, believe you me
You will witness something amazing and unbelievable.
More than you can know
What you will experience will exceed your expectations.
To catch your kiss
To win your love.
Odysseus
A reference to a Greek hero who has faced many challenges.
Must swim through blood and snow
The extreme lengths one must go to for love.
For the thunderclown must have somewhere to go
The event is happening for a reason and has its own purpose.
In the deep nook where Captain Cook
A reference to a historical figure in a new and unfamiliar place.
Is hooked on the blankey-bo
Adjusting to the new environment.
And Errol Flynn could not begin
Another reference to a historical figure who is unable to handle the situation.
To swash and buckle you
To impress or win over the listener.
To win your throne
To gain your love and affection.
Napoleon must march through wind and snow
The extent one must go to gain love and affection.
Undo your gown, glissando down
Suggestive language to impress and seduce.
The slope of the junior piste
A new and thrilling experience.
Pistachio that grows below
A reference to the beauty and excitement of a new place.
Will shortly be my feast
The listener will be impressed and won over.
All I have is the thunderclown
The event is important and meaningful.
Deep in the blankey-bo
The new environment is still important in the overall meaning.
All pumped up and ready for the snow
The event is exciting and ready to begin.
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sternklang8no
I must say that Momus´ latest songs presented on youtube is brilliant! I Can´t wait to get my hands on a Momus vinyl release. Greetings from Norway
@SixOneCynic
Once again I'm moved to a state of abandonment, it's this sound, these bouncy, synthy expressions of telling us how you feel that is just so effective and memorable, I recall Hypnoprism's thin crooners like Charm Song and the title track immediately. Very impressive use of the samples, the end is nice when all the multi-coloured harmonies come together.
@Ocker3
such strange, off-temp sounds, combined with warped reversed video sequence (of Momus himself?) riding through an interesting town. Very worth watching.