Of all the groups that the Residents signed to their Ralph Records, Renaldo & the Loaf were the closest to their label heads in sound. Twisted, high-pitched vocals, child-like melodies, an atmosphere of menace and unease with a stripped-down approach to instrumentation characterised their output.
By their own assertion, they achieved their unique sound in part by striving to get unnatural synthesizer-like sounds using only what instruments they had available (acoustic ones.) To that end they routinely used muffled and de-tuned instruments, and often to striking effect, tape loops/manipulation. The two released four full-length albums, one collection, various songs on compilation albums, and several self-produced demos. They were "discovered" by The Residents when Brian dropped off a tape at Ralph Records headquarters in San Francisco, during a visit to the US. After being signed to Ralph, they collaborated with The Residents on Title in Limbo.
By 1989, the collaboration had lost its steam, and the duo disbanded after recording a sea shanty, "Haul on the Bowline," which appeared only on a Ralph various artists release. Brian Poole ("Renaldo") contributed to sporadic recordings in the 1990s. In 2006 upon the launch of the new Renaldo & the Loaf web site, the duo were reunited for the first time in the better part of two decades.
In October of 2016 they released their first studio album in 29 years, entitled "Gurdy Hurding". Vienna Label Klanggalerie has since re-issued all their albums. In June 2018 Renaldo & The Loaf played their very first genuine live show at Klanggalerie's 25th anniversary in Vienna, documented in the album "Long Time Coming."
External Links:
Website
Renaldo & the Loaf Myspace
The Loaf's Myspace
Renaldo's Myspace
There's a Cap on the Lawn
Renaldo & the Loaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
they are rendering the wall
one of them has lost his hat
it just blew off in a squall
it's landed in a distant garden
to all intents it is forlorn
the cat eyes it suspiciously
curly kale is green with envy
tomatoe's blushing red instead
in shame of a hat that is so naked
devoid of a human head.
favourite hat come back to me
my pate is suffering from cold
i'm so dizzy without you
i'm so dizzy...vertigo!
At first glance, the lyrics of Renaldo & the Loaf's song "There's a Cap on the Lawn" may seem absurd or nonsensical. However, upon closer inspection, the song can be interpreted as an exploration of human attachment to objects and the emotional significance we place on them.
The opening lines introduce two men who are working on the wall outside the singer's window. One of the men's hats blows off in the wind and lands in a neighboring garden. The hat becomes anthropomorphized as the singer notes the suspicious stare of a nearby cat. The second verse describes the reactions of the garden's plants to the hat's presence, with the curly kale appearing "green with envy" and the tomato blushing "red with shame."
The final verse reveals the emotional attachment the singer has to the lost hat. The hat is implored to return to the singer, as the absence of the hat causes the singer to feel "dizzy" and suffer from "vertigo." This sense of dependence on the hat to provide warmth and comfort highlights the power of human attachment to objects, even something as simple as a hat.
Line by Line Meaning
there are two men at our window
Two men are working on the wall near our window.
they are rendering the wall
They are plastering the wall to make it smooth.
one of them has lost his hat
One of the men's hat has been blown off by the wind.
it just blew off in a squall
The hat was blown off by a sudden gust of wind.
it's landed in a distant garden
The hat has landed in a garden far away from the window.
to all intents it is forlorn
The hat appears to be abandoned and alone.
the cat eyes it suspiciously
A cat is staring distrustfully at the hat.
sitting cross-legged on a lawn
The cat is sitting with its legs crossed on the grass.
curly kale is green with envy
The vegetable called curly kale is jealous of the hat.
tomatoe's blushing red instead
The tomato is turning red with embarrassment over the hat's nudity.
in shame of a hat that is so naked
The tomato is embarrassed by the nakedness of the hat.
devoid of a human head
The hat looks empty and lifeless without a head in it.
favourite hat come back to me
The owner of the lost hat is calling out for it to come back.
my pate is suffering from cold
The owner's head is cold without the hat to keep it warm.
i'm so dizzy without you
The owner feels disoriented or unbalanced without the hat.
i'm so dizzy...vertigo!
The owner feels so off-balance without the hat that they are experiencing vertigo.
Contributed by Brody R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SantaDog81
there are two men at our window
they are rendering the wall
one of them has lost his hat
it just blew off in a squall
it's landed in a distant garden
to all intents it is forlorn
the cat eyes it suspiciously
sitting cross-legged on a lawn.
curly kale is green with envy
tomatoe's blushing red instead
in shame of a hat that is so naked
devoid of a human head.
favourite hat come back to me
my pate is suffering from cold
i'm so dizzy without you
i'm so dizzy...vertigo!
Sebastian Corbin
they kCoR