The band from Los Angeles, California, USA, a pared-down version of the theatrical troupe The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, released eight major albums and two live compilations, each containing songs that varied from fast-paced ska to soulful jazz to emotional rock to off-kilter pop.
Starting in 1980, Oingo Boingo spent their first three albums establishing themselves as a band with quirky, bizarre, sarcastic, and anti-conformist vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation, among other things lambasting "normal" society and politics for their many hypocrisies and encouraging people to think for themselves. The band made a change toward a different sound when frontman Danny Elfman recorded So-lo in collaboration with the band and a new label, beginning a trio of "new wave"-ish albums containing ballads and songs about life and mortality, including the famous Dead Man's Party. The band went on to record Dark at the End of the Tunnel, a change toward a sort of Boingo-esqe "spirituality", and finally recorded their last album: dark, guitar-driven, hornless, influenced by the Beatles and Pink Floyd, eponymous with the new band name Boingo.
Now mostly known for their frequent contribution to movie soundtracks (including their most successful song "Weird Science"), Oingo Boingo formally broke up in 1995 after their last Halloween live concert, the reason being that 'it was time.'
Throughout the years, the following joined Elfman and Bartek as members of Oingo Boingo:
Leon Schneiderman - baritone and alto saxophones, percussion, backing vocals
John 'Vatos' Hernandez - drums, percussion
Kerry Hatch - bass, bass synthesizer, percussion, backing vocals
Sam 'Sluggo' Phipps - tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, percussion, backing vocals, flute
Dale Turner - trumpet, trombone, percussion, guitar, backing vocals
Richard Gibbs - keyboards, synthesizer, trombone, percussion, backing vocals
John Avila - bass, bass synthesizer, percussion, accordion, backing vocals
Michael Bacich - keyboards, backing vocals
Carl Graves - keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals, electronic percussion pad
Warren Fitzgerald - guitar
Doug Lacy (aka Doug Legacy) - percussion, trombone, accordion
Marc Mann - keyboards, samples
Aftermath
Since the band's dissolution, frontman Danny Elfman has continued to find success in his career writing film scores, particularly in collaboration with director Tim Burton; he almost exclusively employs Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek as orchestrator. His film scores have included Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Good Will Hunting, Men in Black, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Big Fish, and dozens more. Elfman also wrote the themes for more than a dozen TV series, including The Simpsons, Batman: The Animated Series, Desperate Housewives, Tales from the Crypt, and Sledge Hammer!.
Steve Bartek, besides working with Danny, has composed music for various TV shows, including Tales from the Crypt and Desperate Housewives, and movie scores, such as The Art of Travel, Meet the Deedles and Cabin Boy.
Vatos formed a concert show along with Sluggo, Bartek, and Avila in California. The concert show features performances of Oingo Boingo's most popular songs. This has led to speculation about a reunion. In early 2007, Danny Elfman said there would not be a reunion. He has irreversible hearing loss and is worried that playing live would exacerbate it. He stated that some members may also suffer from the condition.
The Oingo Boingo spirit is kept alive by tribute band Dead Man's Party, which performs regularly in Southern California - occasionally with original Boingos Steve Bartek, John Avila, and John Hernandez. Lead singer Robert Elfaizy sings quite impressive "Danny Elfman" vocals.
Other Projects
John Avila and Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez were two members of the trio Food For Feet. They also formed the rhythm section of Tito & Tarantula, a Los Angeles band fronted by Tito Larriva of The Plugz and the Cruzados. Avila and Hernandez also joined Larriva and guitarist Stevie Hufstetted in a one-off project band called Psychotic Aztecs. The Aztecs released one album on the Grita called Santa Sangre.
After the break-up, John Avila, guitarist Steve Bartek, drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, and saxophonist Sam Phipps (along with Doug Lacy and other musicians) formed a band called Doug & The Mystics. They recorded one album, New Hat, which included a cover of the Oingo Boingo song "Try to Believe," original songs, and covers of songs by Frank Zappa and other artists.
During the Halloween 2005 season, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez put together a tribute to the band (and to Halloween itself), joined by former Oingo Boingo members Steve Bartek, John Avila, and Sam "Sluggo" Phipps which took place at the Grove of Anaheim. Standing in for Elfman was Bt4, a young man whom many fans call "the Danny byproduct." During the Halloween 2006 season, there were two Johnny Vatos Tribute to Halloween shows, one in Los Angeles and one in Orange County, with Vatos, Bartek, Avila, Phipps, Legacy, and Bt4 once again on vocals. "Vatos" has announced his intentions of hosting yet another concert along these lines in the 2007 Halloween season, this time at the House of Blues branches on the Sunset Strip and in Anaheim.
In 2005, John Avila, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, and Steve Bartek joined the list of performers on the soundtrack of the 2003 re-imagination of the classic sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica. Richard Gibbs joined at this time as well, but is credited as both a performer and composer. Their performances can be heard in seasons two and three, and will likely be heard on subsequent seasons of the series as well.
Soundtrack Appearances
•The studio recording of "Goodbye, Goodbye" appears on the soundtrack to the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The song can only be found elsewhere on Boingo Alive and Best O' Boingo as a live recording.
•"Bachelor Party" and "Something Isn't Right" appear on the soundtrack to the 1984 film Bachelor Party. These songs can not be found on any Oingo Boingo albums. The soundtrack also includes "Who Do You Want To Be" from the album Good for Your Soul.
•In the 1984 John Hughes film Sixteen Candles, the character of Farmer Ted dances spastically to "Wild Sex (In The Working Class)" from the album Nothing To Fear.
•"Hold Me Back" and "Only A Lad" are featured during the opening and closing credits, respectively, of the 1984 film Surf II.
•"No One Lives Forever" can be heard during the bridge scene in the 1986 film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
•"Not My Slave" can be heard on the car radio during a scene in the 1986 film Something Wild.
•"Happy" appears on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Summer School. This song cannot be found on any Oingo Boingo albums.
•"Better Luck Next Time" appears on the soundtrack to the 1982 film The Last American Virgin. This song cannot be found on any Oingo Boingo albums.
•"Who Do You Want To Be" appears on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Teen Wolf Too.
•"Try To Believe" (performed by Oingo Boingo under the alias "Mosley and the B-Men") can be heard in the 1988 film Midnight Run, which was scored by Danny Elfman. This version of the song is different from the version on the album Dark at the End of the Tunnel.
•"Same Man I Was Before" can be heard in the 1988 film My Best Friend Is a Vampire.
•The studio version of "Winning Side" appears on the soundtrack to the 1989 film She's Out of Control.
•"Flesh 'N Blood" appears on the soundtrack to the 1989 film Ghostbusters II. A short snippet is played as background music during the film.
•"Skin" can be heard on the radio (though not performed by Oingo Boingo) during a scene in the 1990 Clive Barker film Nightbreed.
•Susanna Hoffs covered "We Close Our Eyes" for the soundtrack to the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The song can be heard during the closing credits.
•"No One Lives Forever" can be heard in the 1997 television film Casper: A Spirited Beginning.
•"Home Again" appeared in the John Hughes film Home Alone 3 in 1997.
•A slightly altered version of "Forbidden Zone" was the theme song to the animated television show Dilbert (1999).
•"Stay" can be heard in the director's cut of the 2001 film Donnie Darko.
•"Violent Love" can be heard in the 1990 film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.
•"Capitalism" appears on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.
•"Dead Man's Party" can be heard during a costume party in the "Witch Hunt" (2006) episode of the television show NCIS.
•The live recording of "Who Do You Want To Be" (from the album Boingo Alive) appears on the soundtrack to the 2005 video game Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. It is also featured in the 2005 Nintendo DS version of Tony Hawk's American Sk8land.
•"Dead Man's Party" is a selectable song in the 2006 Xbox video game Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 4.
•"Only A Lad" was featured in the 2007 video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the '80s.
•"Weird Science" made an appearance in Beavis and Butthead as a music video. However, the duo disliked the song because Butthead believes that "this guy (Danny Elfman) thinks he's smart." Beavis disliked it because he said that "college music sucks." The duo decided to change the channel.
•"Home Again" can be heard at the end credits of the 1986 film Wisdom, written and directed by Emilio Estevez. The soundtrack to Wisdom is also the first all electronic film score that Danny Elfman created for the film.
•"Not My Slave" plays during the 1987 film Like Father Like Son starring Kirk Cameron.
•"Dead Man's Party" is also performed by Oingo Boingo in the movie back to school staring Rodney Dangerfield.
Insanity
Oingo Boingo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who do I pray to to straighten out this problem? (problem)
Straighten out this problem (problem), straighten out my mind (Mind)
Straighten out ...this crooked tongue...(x3)
My mind has wandered, from the straight and narrow
My mind has wandered from the flock you see
My mind has wandered, the man just said so
And the flock has wandered away from me.
(Chorus 1)
All around the world now
Like a big bright cherry cloud
Traveling from home to home
TV sets and telephones
Here it comes just like a storm
Bathe in it and be reborn
Time to let the world know
Welcome madness, ...say hello...(x3)
Like a wave we cannot see
Washing over you and me
Hiding here and hiding there
Madness hiding everywhere
Such a curiosity
Here it comes to set us free
Plenty left for you and me
Say hello insanity
I am the virus, are you the cure?
I am morally(morally), I'm morally impure(Impure)
I am a disease and I am unclean
I am not part of God's well oiled machine
Christian nation(Nation), assimilate me(me)
Take me in your arms and set me free
I am part of a degenerate elite(elite)
Dragging our society into the street -yeah-
Into the abyss and to the sewer don't you see
The man just told me, he told me on TV
Do you think you're better than me
Do you want to kill me or befriend me
And the alcoholic bastard waved his finger at me
And His voice was filled with evangelical glee
Sipping down his gin & tonics
While preaching about the evils of narcotics
And the evils of sex,(sex) and the wages of sin (Sin)
While he mentally fondles his next of kin and
My mind has wandered from the flock you see
And the flock has wandered away from me
And he waved his hypnotizing finger at me
(Chorus 2)
Let's imitate reality (Insanity)
Let's strive for mediocrity (Insanity)
Let's make believe we're all the same (Now that's for me)
Let's sanitize our little brains (Insanity)
I'd love to take you home with me and tuck you into bed
I'd love to see what makes you tick inside your pretty head
I'd love to hear you laugh tonight, I'd love to hear you weep
I'd love to listen to you while you're screaming in your sleep.
Christian sons, Christian daughters
Lead me along like a lamb to the slaughter
Purify my brain and hose down my soul
White perfection, perfection is my goal
Do you think you're better than me
Do you want to kill me, or befriend me
Christian nation(nation), make us alright
Put us through the filter and make us pure and white 'cause'
My mind has wandered away from me
And the flock has wandered, away from me
Let's talk of family values while we sit and watch the slaughter
Hypothetical abortions on imaginary daughters
The white folks think they're at the top, ask any proud white male
A million years of evolution, we get Danny Quayle
(Chorus 1 & 2)
I'd love to take you home with me, I'd love to tuck you in
I wish I could protect you from the wages of our sin
I'd love to hear you scream tonight, I'd love to hear you cry
Protect you from the madness that is raining from the sky
(Chorus 2)
I'd love to take you home with me and tuck you into bed
I'd love to see what makes you tick inside your pretty head
I wish that I could keep you in a precious Chinese box
On Sundays I would pray for you so it would never stop
I'd love to hear you laugh tonight, I'd love to hear you weep
I'd love to listen to you while you're screaming in your sleep
I'd love to soothe you with my voice and take your hand in mine
I'd love to take you past the stars and out of reach of time
I'd love to see inside your mind, to tear it all apart
To cut you open with knife and find your sacred heart
I'd love to take your satin dolls and tear them all to shreds
I'd love to mess your pretty hair, I'd love to see you dead.'
The song "Insanity" by Oingo Boingo seems to be addressing the issue of conformity and the struggle between individualism and groupthink. The lyrics describe a person who feels as though they are moving away from the "straight and narrow" path of society's expectations and towards a state of madness or insanity. The person is apologizing for their departure from what is considered normal and asking for someone to help them straighten out their mind and their "crooked tongue". It is unclear who this person is addressing - perhaps a deity or a trusted friend - but it is clear that they are feeling lost and isolated from the rest of society.
The lyrics then take a turn, mocking those who try to force others into conformity in the name of Christianity, family values, and traditional morals. The song describes a "Christian nation" that wants to assimilate and "purify" those who don't conform to their ideas of perfection. The song doesn't seem to be advocating for madness or insanity, but rather expressing frustration with a society that values conformity and purity over individuality and empathy.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so sorry, please forgive me
Asking for forgiveness for the current state of mind and behavior.
Who do I pray to to straighten out this problem? (problem)
Seeking guidance and a solution to the problem at hand.
Straighten out this problem (problem), straighten out my mind (Mind)
Asking for the problem to be resolved, while also seeking a clear and focused mind.
Straighten out ...this crooked tongue...(x3)
Asking for help in controlling one's speech and actions.
My mind has wandered, from the straight and narrow
The mind has strayed from the path of righteousness and morality.
My mind has wandered from the flock you see
The mind has strayed from the group of like-minded individuals or community.
My mind has wandered, the man just said so
The singer is acknowledging that someone else pointed out the wandering of their mind.
My mind has wandered I heard it on TV
The artist heard about the wandering of their mind on television.
And the flock has wandered away from me.
The community or group has moved away or abandoned the artist.
All around the world now
Madness is present globally.
Like a big bright cherry cloud
Madness is colorful and vibrant, like a cloud of cherries.
Traveling from home to home
Madness is pervasive and affecting people everywhere.
TV sets and telephones
Madness is propagated through technologies like television and phones.
Here it comes just like a storm
Madness arrives like a powerful and destructive storm.
Bathe in it and be reborn
Succumbing to madness can bring about change and new perspectives.
Time to let the world know
Madness must be acknowledged and recognized in order to deal with it.
Welcome madness, ...say hello...(x3)
Embracing madness as a part of life.
Like a wave we cannot see
Madness can be an invisible, yet powerful force.
Washing over you and me
Madness affects everyone, without exception.
Hiding here and hiding there
Madness can be elusive and difficult to pinpoint or grasp.
Madness hiding everywhere
Madness lurks in unexpected places and situations.
Such a curiosity
Madness can be fascinating and intriguing.
Here it comes to set us free
Madness can bring about liberation and a sense of freedom.
Plenty left for you and me
There is enough madness to go around.
Say hello insanity
Acknowledging and welcoming madness.
I am the virus, are you the cure?
The singer is a source of madness and chaos, while questioning if there is a solution to mitigate it.
I am morally(morally), I'm morally impure(Impure)
The singer acknowledges a lack of moral purity.
I am a disease and I am unclean
The artist sees themselves as a cause of sickness and impurity.
I am not part of God's well oiled machine
The artist recognizes a separation from the divine and from religious institutions.
Christian nation(Nation), assimilate me(me)
The singer is appealing to a Christian majority to accept and integrate them into society.
Take me in your arms and set me free
The singer desires acceptance and freedom from a Christian majority.
I am part of a degenerate elite(elite)
The artist associates themselves with a group that is considered shameful or immoral by society.
Dragging our society into the street -yeah-
The artist is asserting that their actions and those of the degenerate elite are having a negative impact on society.
Into the abyss and to the sewer don't you see
The artist sees themselves and the degenerate elite as leading society towards chaos and degradation.
The man just told me, he told me on TV
The singer heard about the degenerate elite and their effect on society from a television source.
Christian sons, Christian daughters
The artist is addressing members of the Christian community.
Lead me along like a lamb to the slaughter
The singer is criticizing those who blindly follow religious doctrine without questioning its validity or actions.
Purify my brain and hose down my soul
The singer is asking for spiritual cleansing and purification.
White perfection, perfection is my goal
The singer is aspiring towards a state of purity and perfection associated with whiteness.
Let's imitate reality (Insanity)
Suggesting that madness is a reflection of reality, and should be embraced rather than suppressed.
Let's strive for mediocrity (Insanity)
Embracing a state of averageness or commonness, rather than striving for individuality or greatness.
Let's make believe we're all the same (Now that's for me)
Suggesting that conformity is preferable to individuality.
Let's sanitize our little brains (Insanity)
Sanitizing or purifying one's thoughts and ideas, regardless of the cost to individual identity and creativity.
I'd love to take you home with me and tuck you into bed
Expressing a desire to care for and protect an individual in a domestic setting.
I'd love to see what makes you tick inside your pretty head
Curiosity about an individual's inner thoughts and motivations.
I'd love to hear you laugh tonight, I'd love to hear you weep
Desiring a range of emotional experiences with an individual.
I'd love to listen to you while you're screaming in your sleep.
Desiring intimacy with an individual, including moments of fear and vulnerability.
Christian nation(nation), make us alright
Asking for the approval and acceptance of the Christian majority.
Put us through the filter and make us pure and white 'cause'
Asking for purification and conformity to the dominant culture's values and standards.
Let's talk of family values while we sit and watch the slaughter
Criticism of hypocrisy, where people claim to uphold family values while allowing violence and destruction.
Hypothetical abortions on imaginary daughters
Acknowledge the use of hyperbole to discuss highly emotional and controversial topics.
The white folks think they're at the top, ask any proud white male
Acknowledgment of the existence of societal privileges and biases towards white people and men.
A million years of evolution, we get Danny Quayle
The artist laments that despite human evolution and advancement, society is plagued by people of low intellect and ability in positions of power.
I wish that I could keep you in a precious Chinese box
The singer desires to protect an individual and keep them safe and pure.
On Sundays I would pray for you so it would never stop
Expressing a desire to maintain the protection and purity of an individual through religious devotion.
To cut you open with knife and find your sacred heart
Desiring to examine the innermost parts of an individual in order to attain deeper intimacy.
I'd love to take your satin dolls and tear them all to shreds
Desire to destroy material possessions or symbols of societal ideals.
I'd love to mess your pretty hair, I'd love to see you dead.
Expression of violent desires towards an individual.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANNY ELFMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kino
on make it right
I believe this line says "If I have to, then I'll fight!"
Kino
on make it right
I believe this line says "I go where I'm not wanted"