The first album in 1989 combining the squall of bands like The Birthday Party with elements of free jazz and musique concrète from Oxbow, Fuckfest, met with international success and created a small but loyal following that has grown ever since.
Followed in 1992 by King of the Jews. The menacing The Balls in the Great Meat Grinder Collection also appeared in 1992, and after 1995's Steve Albini-produced Let Me Be a Woman Oxbow signed to the SST label for 1997's Serenade in Red, which featured guest vocals from Marianne Faithfull.
They released a split EP with the Italian band White Tornado in 1999, followed by An Evil Heat in 2002. The compilation Love That's Last: A Wholly Hypnographic and Disturbing Work Regarding Oxbow arrived in 2006.
Wenner has also played with God and Swell.
The original lineup:
Eugene S. Robinson - vocals;
Niko Wenner - guitars, keyboards;
Dan Adams - bass guitar, keyboards;
Greg Davis - drums, percussion.
Former members:
Tom Dobrov - drums.
http://www.theoxbow.com
A Gentleman's Gentleman
Oxbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And his head is clean-shaven
And his neck is fucking bull-like
And his fingers are muscled and tight
The Duke is deluxe and delightful
And the lovers of him all say so
Before they leave and after they go, go!
And at the Duke's, eyes smile all the time
And the water and the wine flow all the time
And when the Duke talks he sounds like a mime
With his hands doing all the talking, all the talking
With his hands doing all the talking
With his hands doing all the-
With his hands doing all the-
With his hands doing all the talking
... that measure the years a dollar at a time
And there′s a lot of time
And money works over here like a cleaver
Cleaver, cleaver
Despite which the Duke draws nearer
And his corded arm draws you so you can hear a little clearer
As your free arm lifts up the beast and the burden
Like all of his men
While his hands do all the talking)
You see, the Duke's mustache is like cordite
And his head is clean-shaven
And his neck is fucking bull-like
And his fingers are muscled and tight
The Duke is deluxe and delightful
And the lovers of him all say so
Before they leave and after they go
And at the Duke's, eyes smile all the time
And the water and the wine flow all the time
And when the Duke talks he sounds like a mime
With his hands doing all the talking
"A Gentleman's Gentleman" by Oxbow is a song that uses vivid imagery to describe the character of the Duke. The lyrics describe the Duke's physical appearance in detail - his mustache is compared to cordite, his head is clean-shaven, his neck is bull-like, and his fingers are muscled and tight. The Duke is portrayed as a superior being - deluxe, delightful, and loved by all those who know him.
The lyrics suggest a certain level of opulence and pleasure at the Duke's abode. There is a constant flow of water and wine, and eyes are continuously smiling. The Duke's manner of speaking is also intriguing - he sounds like a mime and communicates predominantly using his hands.
The repeated motif of "with his hands doing all the talking" implies that the Duke is a man who is not just confident, but also persuasive. He communicates effortlessly without words, using gestures and body language. The song conveys a sense of power dynamics and hints at the Duke's charisma, leaving the listener intrigued about this mysterious character.
Line by Line Meaning
You see, the Duke's mustache is like cordite
The Duke has a mustache that resembles the smell of gunpowder
And his head is clean-shaven
The Duke has no hair on his head
And his neck is fucking bull-like
The Duke has a strong, muscular neck like that of a bull
And his fingers are muscled and tight
The Duke has strong and tight fingers
The Duke is deluxe and delightful
The Duke is grand and pleasant
And the lovers of him all say so
Everyone who loves the Duke speaks highly of him
Before they leave and after they go
People admire the Duke both when they are with him and after they leave
And at the Duke's, eyes smile all the time
People at the Duke's are always happy and smiling
And the water and the wine flow all the time
Drinks are served continuously at the Duke's place
And when the Duke talks he sounds like a mime
The Duke speaks in a way that resembles a silent performer's actions
With his hands doing all the talking
The Duke communicates mainly through hand gestures
That measure the years a dollar at a time
The Duke is wealthy and measures time by money
And there's a lot of time
The Duke has a lot of time and resources
And money works over here like a cleaver
Money is an effective and powerful tool for the Duke
Despite which the Duke draws nearer
Despite his wealth and power, the Duke approaches others closely
And his corded arm draws you so you can hear a little clearer
The Duke's strong arm pulls you closer so that you can hear better
As your free arm lifts up the beast and the burden
As you lift heavy objects with your free arm
Like all of his men
Like everyone who works for the Duke
While his hands do all the talking
While the Duke communicates mainly through hand gestures
Writer(s): Eugene S. Robinson, Niko Wenner
Contributed by Connor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.