One of Scarling.'s many definitions is the smallest mark left on your heart - yet after hearing Scarling. the band, you'll agree their sound is anything but small. With the release of 2004's critically acclaimed "Sweet Heart Dealer" (Produced by Chris Vrenna), an album that ultimately led them to a Short List Award Nomination, Scarling. has been capturing the hearts of their steadily growing cult fanbase, with their knack of redefining noise and chaos within the context of pop songs and expanding the ventricles of gloomsters and fey indie rockers alike. In 2004, Robert Smith handpicked Scarling. as one of the seven acts to tour with his Curiosa Festival, along with Interpol and Mogwai. When asked about how she felt being able to play with one of her long time favorites, Jessicka simply replied: "The Cure has always been one of the only bands I found worthy of surrendering everything in exchange for nothing. They have yet to break my heart."
Although The Cure's influence is evident, it's the collision of their collective diverse influences as well as the ability to properly utilize feedback and noise that gives Scarling. their signature sound. A sound created roughly six years ago in Los Angeles, when noise theorist Christian Hejnal and surname-free singer Jessicka bonded over an unbridled hatred of the legion of clinging parasites and soulless zombies choking the life out of music. After a series of 7" singles on Sympathy, Scarling. announced in early 2005 that their second album "So Long, Scarecrow" would appear later that year; it was preceded by the single "We Are the Music Makers", and was released on October 23, 2005.
The critical reception for Scarecrow was generally strong: Alternative Press gave the album a [5/5] rating and described Hejnal as a "guitar physicist who holds court over these atmospheric rockers’ second album, approximating everything from space-station climates to sperm whales rollin’ on E, all the while delivering solid songs."
The Independent noted “Scarling. work up a wonderfully hazy guitar swirl, reminiscent of post-My Bloody Valentine noise-pop from the Britain of the early nineties.”
And Bust (magazine) described the album as "the musical equivalent of an Edward Gorey illustration: ominous and shadowy, but not without a certain sense of morbid joy. Sly lyrics and sarcastic insights pepper Scarecrow’s dystopian soundscape."
SLS's first single "City Noise/Staring To The Sun" was released on 6-6-06 and is featured on the compilation "Alright, This Time Just the Girls Vol. 2" and in the documentary The Treasures Of Long Gone John. Scarling.'s music has been featured on Showtime's The L Word television series, and an episode of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy is entitled Band Aid Covers The Bullet Hole. In 2006 Scarling. continue to tour in the US and Europe and are expected to begin working on their third full length album in 2008.
On February 2, 2021, Jessicka announced on Twitter that she was no longer a part of the music industry, stating that she was now "finding other ways to release my negative emotions while trying to be kinder to myself."
Caribou and Cake
Scarling. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm Etta James
No need to worry, I'm just bad with names
No need to tell her
Yeah Yeah
No need to tell her
Yeah Yeah
She's Cinderella
Yeah Yeah
Yeah Yeah
The candles are blown out – BABY - at the party in your head
You're making me so nervous from all the things you've said
You should close your eyes; honey let the moments melt away
Jesus loves your mouth Sugar, just not the things you say
You're caribou
I'm cake
It got so heavy thought the ground would shake
Come closer darling
Yeah Yeah
Come closer Darling
Yeah Yeah
You're no Prince Charming
YEAH YEAH
YEAH YEAH
YEAH YEAH
The candles are blown out BABY at the party in your head
You're making me so nervous from all the things you said
You should close your eyes; honey let the moments melt away
Jesus loves your mouth sugar, just not the things you say
I'm Kentucky, You're Queens
Two nasty tantrums, One twice as mean
And when you tell them
YEAH YEAH
burn down the kingdom
YEAH YEAH
The candles are blown out – BABY - at the party in your head
You're making me so nervous from all the things you said
You should close your eyes; honey let the moments melt away
Jesus loves your mouth sugar, just not the things you say
YEAH YEAH
The opening lines of Scarling.'s song "Caribou and Cake" set up a contrast between the two characters, Klaus Nomi and Etta James. The lyrics suggest that the singer and their partner are different in many ways - perhaps in terms of taste, style, or even gender - but that these differences don't really matter. The singer even jokes that they're bad with names, implying that they might not remember which of them is Klaus and which is Etta. The refrain of "no need to tell her" reinforces this idea that the specifics of their identities are not important, as long as they can come together and enjoy each other's company.
The second verse extends this contrast to a broader context, as the singer describes a party in the other person's head. Here, the other person's words are making the singer nervous or uncomfortable, and the singer encourages them to "close your eyes" and let the moments "melt away." This suggests a desire for escape or release from the pressures of the outside world. The final verse adds another layer of contrast, this time between the "nasty tantrums" of the singer's and their partner's respective hometowns. The lyrics build to a dramatic crescendo with the call to "burn down the kingdom," suggesting a willingness to rebel against societal norms and expectations.
Overall, Scarling.'s "Caribou and Cake" uses vivid imagery and playful metaphors to explore themes of identity, connection, and rebellion. The lyrics suggest that it's possible to find common ground and even love with someone who is very different from ourselves, and that sometimes it's necessary to break the rules in order to achieve true freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
You're Klaus Nomi
You are unique and different like Klaus Nomi.
I'm Etta James
I am talented and soulful like Etta James.
No need to worry, I'm just bad with names
I tend to forget names often, so don't take it personally.
No need to tell her Yeah Yeah
No need to inform anyone about anything.
She's Cinderella Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
She is a beautiful girl that deserves to be treated like a princess.
The candles are blown out – BABY - at the party in your head
The party in your head is over and it's time to focus on reality.
You're making me so nervous from all the things you've said
You are making me anxious with your words and actions.
You should close your eyes; honey let the moments melt away
You should relax and enjoy the moment while it lasts.
Jesus loves your mouth Sugar, just not the things you say
You have a talent for speaking, but sometimes you say things that shouldn't be said.
You're caribou
You are a unique, wild animal in your own way.
I'm cake
I am sweet, pleasurable, and enjoyable to be around.
It got so heavy thought the ground would shake
The situation became emotionally overwhelming to the point where it felt like the world was shaking.
Come closer darling Yeah Yeah
Come here and let's be closer together.
You're no Prince Charming YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH
You are not perfect, but I still like you for who you are.
I'm Kentucky, You're Queens
We come from different places but we are both someone.
Two nasty tantrums, One twice as mean
We both can get mad, but sometimes one of us can be twice as angry.
And when you tell them YEAH YEAH burn down the kingdom YEAH YEAH
When you feel frustrated, you tend to lash out and create chaos.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind