Renaldo and the Loaf was an English musical duo active in the late seventie… Read Full Bio ↴Renaldo and the Loaf was an English musical duo active in the late seventies and most of the eighties, consisting of a pathologist (David Janssen or "Ted The Loaf") and an architect (Brian Poole or "Renaldo Malpractice", most often simply "Renaldo M").

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 U.S. 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/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.

Websites:
http://www.turkeyworld.org/renaldoloaf/index.html
http://www.myspace.com/ollehollehrotcod
http://www.myspace.com/thedarkeningscale (The Loaf)
http://www.myspace.com/renaldomalpractice (Renaldo)

The Bathroom Song
Renaldo and the Loaf Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bathroom mirror's upside down
Ceiling has a crack.

Tap washer needs replacing,
Toothpaste's lost its cap.

Deodorant spray is empty,
Bath has lost its plug.

I've tried different shampoos but
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!

Bathroom mirror's fallen down,
Ceiling's on the floor.

Water's round my ankles,
Running past the door.

Deodorants pray forgiveness,
Conditioned as I am.

I've tried different shampoos but
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!

Every time I shake my head it snows!
Every time I shake my head it snows!

Overall Meaning

The Bathroom Song by Renaldo & the Loaf describes a bathroom in complete disarray. The first stanza discusses a bathroom mirror that is upside down, a ceiling that has a crack, a tap washer that needs replacing, toothpaste that has lost its cap, a deodorant spray that's empty, and a bath that has lost its plug. The second stanza takes it a step further, describing a bathroom mirror that has fallen down and a ceiling that is on the floor. Additionally, water is seen flowing past the door, and the singer himself is conditioned to apologize for the deodorant sprays.

The repetition of "Every time I shake my head it snows!" creates an amusing image of how dysfunctional this bathroom is. The line "Every time I shake my head it snows!" serves to emphasize the general neglect of the bathroom, turning into a comical image of the singer attempting to remedy the situation by shaking their head but inadvertently causing more problems. The song is a playful take on a typical bathroom experience, from small nuisances to significant malfunctions.

Line by Line Meaning

Bathroom mirror's upside down
The bathroom mirror is inverted

Ceiling has a crack.
The ceiling has a crack in it

Tap washer needs replacing,
The tap washer needs to be replaced

Toothpaste's lost its cap.
The cap from the toothpaste is missing

Deodorant spray is empty,
The deodorant spray is out of contents

Bath has lost its plug.
The plug from the bath is missing

I've tried different shampoos but
Various shampoos have been attempted but

Every time I shake my head it snows!
Anytime I move my head dandruff appears!

Bathroom mirror's fallen down,
The bathroom mirror has fallen

Ceiling's on the floor.
The ceiling is now on the ground

Water's round my ankles,
The water is at ankle-level