Their subsequent LP, The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow was released in the U.S. by American Recordings after being available in the UK for over a year.
The first release written solely by Dave Callahan, The Sound features P.J. Harvey and Katherine Gifford (Stereolab) guesting on extra vocal duties. This also marked the first appearance of master saxophonist Raymond Dickaty, who more recently lent his services to Lush, Stereolab, and Gallon Drunk. Raymond stayed on as a full member and became an integral part of the new Moonshake.
Tar Baby
Moonshake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buzzard's gizzard, don't eat that
Frog in your stomach the size of a fist
Don't look away in case you miss
Bright blue fishes in the sea
Swimming backwards for you and me
Licorice eel lights up the night
Nighty nighty boat of jittling gravy
Big bear stretches, signs up with the navy
Honey-ham cub raised on white bread
Mama knew he'd be strong on what she fed
Old eagle eye picked his prey
Didn't know lady bird was in the way
He brought home the bacon she fried on the pan
He never let her forget he was the man
Always got your godly alibi
Dolphin says he can't see why
Hey, Tar Baby, I can't show you how
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
The lyrics of Moonshake's song Tar Baby invite listeners on a surreal journey through nonsensical imagery that ultimately critiques power dynamics and societal expectations. The verse consisting of, "Magpie, porkpie, don't eat that, Buzzard's gizzard, don't eat that, Frog in your stomach the size of a fist, Don't look away in case you miss," seemingly sets the tone for the rest of the song by introducing a theme of restraint or holding back. This theme returns in the chorus with the repeated phrase, "Big ol' rabbit's got you now," which could be interpreted as a warning against falling victim to the oppressors.
As the song progresses, various bizarre and fantastical images are introduced, such as "Bright blue fishes in the sea Swimming backwards for you and me" and "Nighty nighty boat of jittling gravy." These images could be seen as a critique of conformity and societal norms. The line "Honey-ham cub raised on white bread Mama knew he'd be strong on what she fed," suggests that even what we consume, both literally and metaphorically, can shape our strengths and weaknesses. The stanza about the eagle and lady bird highlights power dynamics by painting a picture of a relationship in which the male brings home the bacon, and the woman fries it up in the pan. The final verse, "Always got your godly alibi, Dolphin says he can't see why, Hey, Tar Baby, I can't show you how, Big ol' rabbit's got you now," could be seen as a message of hopelessness and acceptance of being trapped by societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Magpie, porkpie, don't eat that
Don't consume things that can cause harm, like a magpie or porkpie.
Buzzard's gizzard, don't eat that
Buzzard's gizzard is not meant for consumption.
Frog in your stomach the size of a fist
Don't be nervous, because it can feel like a frog in your stomach.
Don't look away in case you miss
Stay focused, or you may miss something important.
Bright blue fishes in the sea
The sea has many colorful fishes.
Swimming backwards for you and me
Some fishes swim backwards instead of forwards.
Licorice eel lights up the night
An eel with a licorice-like appearance that glows in the darkness.
Glowing and glowing and glowing bright
The eel's glow is very bright and noticeable.
Nighty nighty boat of jittling gravy
A boat that moves like a jelly and carries gravy.
Big bear stretches, signs up with the navy
A bear stretching its muscles enlists in the navy for its strength.
Honey-ham cub raised on white bread
A cub raised with sweet and savory food on white bread.
Mama knew he'd be strong on what she fed
The cub's mother believed her food would help her cub grow strong.
Old eagle eye picked his prey
The eagle with excellent eyesight selects its target.
Didn't know lady bird was in the way
The eagle didn't expect Lady Bird to cross its path.
He brought home the bacon she fried on the pan
The male brought back the food, and the female cooked it.
He never let her forget he was the man
The male made sure to maintain his sense of authority.
Always got your godly alibi
You have an excuse based on the will of God.
Dolphin says he can't see why
The dolphin is confused and doesn't understand.
Hey, Tar Baby, I can't show you how
I can't illustrate what I'm saying, Tar Baby.
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
You're in a difficult situation that's hard to escape, like being caught by a large rabbit.
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
You're in a difficult situation that's hard to escape, like being caught by a large rabbit.
Big ol' rabbit's got you now
You're in a difficult situation that's hard to escape, like being caught by a large rabbit.
Writer(s): Margaret Fiedler
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.