Background
In the beginning, Mikal Moore [(real name: Michael Moorhead; High School Nickname: "Gimme")] and Randy Cross conceived Mutha's Day Out through infleunce of the Beastie Boys. Mutha's Day Out was originally intended to be a Beastie Boys knock-off, and they had three vocalists (Mikal, Brice, and Randy). The name was thought up by Brice and comes from a daycare center in Batesville that kids could go to for pre-school in Methodist churches. Jeff had been kicked out of a band he and Chuck were in before Mutha's Day Out because he did not have a car. Right after that occurred, Mikal asked Jeff to be in a band that would sound like "Faith No More, Beastie Boys, and Ozzy Osbourne." When the band first came together, Lance was 21 years old, Mikal was 20 years old, Brice was 18 years old, Chuck was 17 years old, Rodney was 17 years old, and Jeff was 15 years old. In the early days, the band would work on farms working hard hours during the day and do Mutha's Day Out by evening. Chuck was just a guitar technician at first for the band and would drive them to gigs. In April 1992, the band traveled to Memphis in search of a cheap recording studio. They found the studio they were looking for that belonged to recording engineers named Doug Easley and Davis McCain. After producing Mutha's Day Out's first in studio, dubbed the Original Demo 1992, which consisted of over 16 tracks, Doug was so inspired by their work that he booked the band to play in the Crossroads Music Festival the very same week. In the same performance, Mutha's Day Out's first, a representative from Chrysalis Records named Karen DuMonte was present, and was there to see and sign another band. However, after seeing MDO's performance, she liked Mutha's Day Out so much they were offered to go to the studio the next day, while receiving a record contract the next day, as well. They became the youngest rock band to be signed by such a major label in years.
The album
They went to the studio to record their only album, My Soul is Wet. However, Randy Cross left the band the day after they got the record label and Lance was kicked out a week afterwards. The band kicked Lance out of the band after the record company said he did not fit the image of the rest of the band because of his weight and his stage presence he did not move around on the stage he just stood in one place. So they replaced him with Chuck Schaaf. Halfway through the production of the album, Greenforth Pham, a Vietnamese kid who was a close friend of Mikal and Brice's, committed suicide, and thus the album was dedicated in his memory. The album was finished and then released on October 19th, 1993. Many of the people who lived in Batesville, which is surrounded with gospel and country music influence, did not like Mutha's Day Out and their music. They received little or no support from their hometown. Yet many of the songs written by Mutha's Day Out contain religious elements and impressions of their childhoods.
The tour
Mutha's Day Out toured the United States and Europe from late 1993 to late 1994. They were opening for such bands as Jackyl, King's X, Overkill, Sugartooth, and the Bullet Boys. The band increased the tempo of all of their songs live. Jeff, at one point during the tour, was in a leg brace having dislocated his knee the night before at a club gig in Birmingham, Alabama, but was still insistent on playing. Even with the leg brace on, he was still moving around on stage. During their tour in the United States, they stayed in cheap hotels to lower the cost of the record company's tour bill. Many people who met and saw them on tour thought that their friendliness and youth were refreshing. People in Paris enjoyed and liked them so much, that when they played there, extra security had to be called in. A live E.P. of the show at the Virgin Megastore in Paris was released, but in limited quantities. It was actually taped at a different gig in Paris, but released under the Virgin Megastore name. It is so rare that, to this day, only Chuck has a copy of it.
The big break
Mutha's Day Out received their big break when they appeared in the 1995 movie Mortal Kombat, during Scene 2, inside the techno bar, while Sonya searches for Kano amongst a large crowd moshing to them. They received a call on tour and were asked to take a few days to go to Hollywood and film their scene. Brice said they took two weeks to film the scene, however, their scene turned out to be a lot shorter. Their song, "What U See," is featured on the soundtrack to Mortal Kombat. It is looped three times to form a four minute song. The looped song also features a short cowbell intro and the removal of the foul language the song had originally contained. The movie grossed over 100 million dollars and the soundtrack went platinum in 10 days.
The break-up
Mikal left the band in September of 1994, but this had been discussed and dealt with already with Chrysalis before the album even came out. They asked him to do the tour for the album, and he agreed. He wanted to pursue a Christian rock band and Mutha's Day Out was not his taste. The band brought in another singer from Kansas City, but a few weeks after that happened, the band dissolved. Nothing came of the switch. Jeff confirmed that the band broke up due to their record label. They kept making them act in ways and do things which they didn't want to be a part of. Due to their youth, the band didn't realize that having a major record deal would be so difficult to pursue. They got sick of doing things they didn't want to do, so they called it quits and returned to their hometown. There was a rumor posted on the Internet that there is a second Mutha's Day Out album out there, with new material, and a live version of "Locked." However, this has been disproved by Jeff Morgan himself, and does not actually exist, although they did write an unreleased song called "I Am Dead," the name of the "second" MDO album.
Today
Mikal Moore is married with two daughters and in a christian rock band called Gazer. Brice Stephens returned to Batesville after a 2-year stay in Florida and is currently jamming with Jeff Morgan in a band called All Called Liar. He was at last known to be washing dishes at a local eatery and to be living with his mom. Chuck Schaaf played in Jeff's band Rwake until 2002 and has since then formed a band called Deadbird in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with his brother, Phillip Schaaf. Jeff Morgan has just recently returned to Batesville and plays drums for a band called Rwake and All Called Liar. Lance Branstetter owns his own recording studio in Batesville and helps run a large farming operation owned by his family. Randy Cross is currently a loan officer at a bank in Batesville and teaching banking and accounting classes at a local college. Rodney Moffitt returned to Batesville and worked for the city mowing yards , and now works for a contractor hanging dry wall.
Other facts
* Brice Stephens is the one pictured on the album cover in the background, and the girl in front is a friend of his. The Batesville police even tried to stop the shooting of the Locked video because they thought, since she was in a white dress, they were recording a child pornography video.
* The preacher speaking in the songs "My Soul is Wet," "Through Mine," and in the background of "I Thirst" is, to this day, unknown to any of the band members. Chuck's amp received radio signals in studio, and there was a preacher talking to a crowd. They thought it was interesting, so they pressed record.
* In their Mortal Kombat appearance, the director filmed them playing and headbanging silently so they could later edit in the song "What U See" in the background. The scene was actually filmed in an old bomb shelter in Hollywood.
* "What U See/We All Bleed Red" was the very first song ever written by Mutha's Day Out.
* In "Memories Fade," the drummer for Survivor provided the drum parts.
* "Ding-Ding Man" is actually based upon a guy who would drive a Hostess Ding Dongs 18-wheeler truck and would make the band go away whenever they loitered in a parking lot near his bakery.
Ugly
Mutha's Day Out Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where it's pretty and neat
There's a whole lotta ugly
Up and down the street
An ugly boy
An ugly girl
In an ugly home
There's not much pretty
An ugly house falling down
So pretty you think
With ugly people washing dishes
In the kitchen sink
The scene is sad maybe tearful
But it still needs love
There's still warmth and kindness
Shining down from above
Well, there's a whole lotta people
All around the world
And there's at least one love
For every boy or girl
The majorities ugly though I
Don't know why
Every ugly has some pretty in
It's own little eye
What's ugly to you might be
Pretty to me
So I keep my eyes open to see
What I can see
I see through a bottle
To make it more clear
There's a whole lotta ugly
But the pretty's still there
[Chorus]
Whole lotta ugly
Ugly people need love too
No rest for the ugly
What's an ugly one to do
Ugly to the east
And ugly to the west
And I've ran from ugly
I must confess
I've seen ugly, seen pretty
Seen rich, seen poor
And ugly so tough
It knocks you to the floor
The ugly don't care
They live and they walk
And I'll bet your last dollar
That your one to talk
See the ugly's in charge
And that's no mistake
So sit yourself down
By your ugly date
[Chorus]
What's ugly to you might be
Pretty to me
So I keep my eyes open to see
What I can see
I see through a bottle
To make it more clear
There's a whole lotta ugly
But the pretty's still there
The lyrics of "Ugly" by Mutha's Day Out are a commentary on the societal norms that determine beauty and how these norms can be exclusionary to certain individuals who do not fit into these unrealistic standards. The song starts by describing a neighborhood or society that values external, superficial beauty more than anything else, neglecting the beauty of individuality and uniqueness. The opening verse speaks to this aesthetic division, noting that among the houses and people that appear to be perfect and attractive, there are also ones that stand out as ugly or unworthy. The song uses these examples of the ugly house and the ugly people to illustrate how even those who are deemed unattractive by mainstream standards still have inherent value and require love and kindness.
The second verse takes a more pointed approach and addresses the listener directly, asking them to consider the fact that the majority of people are not conventionally attractive. The song suggests that people's perception of beauty is subjective and can differ from person to person. Therefore, even if someone looks ugly to one person, that same person could appear beautiful to another. The lyrics urge the listener to keep their minds open to different perspectives and to look beyond surface-level appearances to find the beauty in the uniqueness of each individual.
The chorus reiterates the message that ugly people also deserve love, and just because someone is considered ugly by societal standards, that does not mean they should be ignored or rejected. The final verse invites the listener to sit down with their "ugly date" and appreciate their own and each other’s unique beauty.
Overall, "Ugly" by Mutha's Day Out is a powerful message against the societal obsession with external beauty and a call for acceptance and love for all people, regardless of how they look.
Line by Line Meaning
For a land of beauty
In a place known for its beauty
Where it's pretty and neat
Where everything is orderly and attractive
There's a whole lotta ugly
Despite this, there are many things that are unattractive
Up and down the street
Everywhere you look
An ugly boy
A boy who is not traditionally attractive
An ugly girl
A girl who is not traditionally attractive
In an ugly home
Living in a house that is not well-maintained
There's not much pretty
There's not much that is attractive in their surroundings
Where the ugly roams
In areas where people who are not conventionally attractive are common
An ugly house falling down
An unattractive home that is also in disrepair
So pretty you think
Perhaps it has potential to be attractive
With ugly people washing dishes
Despite this, people who are not considered conventionally attractive still have to do everyday things like washing dishes
In the kitchen sink
In the place where they typically wash dishes
The scene is sad maybe tearful
It could be emotionally difficult to witness this situation
But it still needs love
However, despite its flaws, it still deserves compassion and care
There's still warmth and kindness
There is still the potential for love and positivity to exist in this environment
Shining down from above
Perhaps this love and light is coming from a spiritual or divine source
Well, there's a whole lotta people
There are many individuals
All around the world
From all over the globe
And there's at least one love
Each of them has the potential to receive affection
For every boy or girl
Regardless of their appearance or personality
The majorities ugly though I
Many people are not conventionally attractive, although
Don't know why
It's unclear why this is the case
Every ugly has some pretty in
Even people who are not considered conventionally attractive have positive qualities
It's own little eye
It just depends on one's perspective
What's ugly to you might be
Something that you find unattractive might be appealing to someone else
Pretty to me
Because we all have different tastes and preferences
So I keep my eyes open to see
I remain open-minded and observant in order to
What I can see
Notice the good in people and situations
I see through a bottle
Perhaps this is through the lens of substance use
To make it more clear
Allowing for a different perspective
There's a whole lotta ugly
There are many things that appear unattractive or unpleasant
But the pretty's still there
However, there are still positive qualities that exist despite the negative ones
[Chorus]
Ugly people need love too
Even if someone is not conventionally attractive, they still desire and deserve love and affection
No rest for the ugly
Perhaps it's difficult for people who are not traditionally attractive to catch a break
What's an ugly one to do
What is someone who is not conventionally attractive supposed to do in order to be accepted?
Ugly to the east
Perhaps there are geographic areas where people who are not considered conventionally attractive are more common
And ugly to the west
Or maybe it's simply a universal experience
And I've ran from ugly
Perhaps the songwriter has tried to distance themselves from unappealing things or people
I must confess
They admit this openly
I've seen ugly, seen pretty
They've witnessed both the good and the bad
Seen rich, seen poor
They've encountered both people of wealth and those who are struggling financially
And ugly so tough
Perhaps there are some things or situations that are particularly difficult to look at
It knocks you to the floor
Metaphorically, these things might be so challenging to witness emotionally that it feels debilitating
The ugly don't care
People who are not considered conventionally attractive may not be bothered by this fact
They live and they walk
They still have lives to live and places to go
And I'll bet your last dollar
The songwriter is quite certain about this fact
That your one to talk
They might be addressing someone who is criticizing or judging others based on their appearance
See the ugly's in charge
Perhaps people who are not considered conventionally attractive are the majority or have some other influence
And that's no mistake
This is simply the way things are
So sit yourself down
The songwriter is telling the listener to take a seat and pay attention
By your ugly date
Perhaps this is a reference to attending some type of event with an unattractive partner or being seen in public with someone who is not considered conventionally attractive
[Chorus]
What's ugly to you might be
Once again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Pretty to me
And different people will have different opinions
So I keep my eyes open to see
Therefore, it's important to remain open-minded
What I can see
And look for the good in people and situations
I see through a bottle
Perhaps this is still in reference to substance use
To make it more clear
Using this lens might help them see things in a different, more positive light
There's a whole lotta ugly
Despite the fact that there are many negative things or situations
But the pretty's still there
It's still possible to find positive qualities and experiences
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF MORGAN, MICHAEL MOREHEAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hemi2005ram
one of the best bands in the 90's.my soul is wet album is one of my fave albums ever
@germsincognito8329
90’s best kept secret
@halfdeath9259
Year 94...me,walk man and bmx
@futureclaypool
Fuck it. I'm seriously tired of listening to the crap they spew today. These guys are phenomenal!
@beelzebubb15
Wholy SHIT this takes me back. AWESOME!!!!
@officechair
this..ACTUALLY sounds like a casual hit. theres NO way they never went popular! there cant be!
@trailcamtrent
Right. Its a damn good albumn.
@tomdick7168
these guys should have been way bigger..
@hatebreed516
well there IS still good music out today, the problem is theres alot of garbage out there that people seem to give a shit about more so then the good stuff these days, and yeah, the 90s, just about EVERYthing was cooler, music, movies, entertainment, TV, etc. the attitude was cooler, grunge and alternative boom, which was more about i guess u could say sex drugs and rock and roll, is being kinda pushed asside everyone wants to be a emo/scene kid, or follow other pop star garbage now
@armchairradical2665
please point me in the direction of good contemporary rock, i am lost