The band tour the U.S. frequently in a renovated vintage Green Tortoise bus, and their live performances have featured puppet shows, pseudo-scientific scholarly presentations, and performances by members of the Butoh group inkBoat. SGM's music has been categorized as anything from avant-prog to art rock to experimental metal to RIO (Rock In Opposition). Many reviewers have remarked that the group is altogether unclassifiable.
The band uses many homemade devices as instruments, such as the viking row-boat and the spring-nail guitar. Rathbun plays a stringed bass instrument of his own construction called The Log which uses piano strings and is perhaps 7 feet long; it is played with two sticks: one in the left hand generally used as a fret, another in the right hand striking the strings. Mellender's percussion instruments consist of restaurant kitchen equipment, trash can lids, and other "found" metal objects, in addition to traditional percussion instruments.
They've announced their imminent end, as their last concerts will be held early April around California. But 2011 will still see a new album, a movie and a live DVD.
Ablutions
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum Lyrics
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Lays them down Upon the table
Wipes her mouth off as she
Tries to find another word for love
She hangs her skin up by the
Window looks to see that all the
Doors are open
The She sits alone and
I counted your lingering
I counted time between thunder
And lightning
I counted into silence, counted chickens,
Counted sheep, counted 1,2,3,4,5,6,7...
Upstairs she hears the space
Between the words you never said
She licks the tiny stone she gave herself
And swallows all her worry
Won't you leave me forever, won't you leave
For good?
The lyrics of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum's song "Ablutions" bear an overwhelming sense of longing, mystery, and enigmatic beauty. The song purveys the inner turmoil of a protagonist who is in the throes of heartbreak and struggling to make sense of her feelings. She folds her arms neatly and deliberately and places them on the table before wiping her mouth in an attempt to find another word for love. The theme of searching for the right expression for love is at the heart of the song. The singer hangs her skin like a shroud in the window and makes sure that all the doors are open before sitting alone and wondering where her lover went. Her apprehension is palpable, and she is counting everything that she can, such as the time between thunder and lightning and the silence that ensues. She even starts counting to seven, which creates an atmosphere of tension, as if she is anticipating something that will change her life forever. Perhaps it is the final part of the song that expresses her deepest fears and sadness. Swallowing all her worry, she licks a tiny stone she gave herself, questioning whether her lover will leave her forever or for good.
Throughout the song, the lyrics seem to describe the way a person might behave when they are in emotional distress. The act of folding her arms up nicely and setting them down suggest a formality or a finality, as though the singer is preparing for something important. The use of abstract images, such as the hanging of the skin in the window, also emphasize the internal struggle and turmoil that the singer is facing. This song tells a story of a person struggling to come to terms with an event in their life, and the way that they react to their feelings is both powerful and awe-inspiring.
Line by Line Meaning
She folds her arms up nicely
She prudently covers herself to protect from potential threats.
Lays them down Upon the table
She is now feeling comfortable and at ease.
Wipes her mouth off as she
She tries to remove a bad taste or a bad memory.
Tries to find another word for love
She seeks a fresh and new way to express her affection.
She hangs her skin up by the
She takes off her guard and exposes her vulnerabilities.
Window looks to see that all the
She checks that everything is secure and in place so that she can unwind.
Doors are open
She is ready for an opportunity or personal growth.
The She sits alone and
She is alone with her thoughts and emotions.
Wonders where you've gone
She misses someone that she held dear, and the absence is affecting her.
I counted your lingering
The memory of someone's presence still lingers in her mind.
I counted time between thunder
She is so lost in thought that she keeps track of time by the sound of nature.
And lightning
She is hoping for a significant change or illumination in her life.
I counted into silence, counted chickens,
She is using all sorts of methods to distract herself or calm her mind.
Counted sheep, counted 1,2,3,4,5,6,7...
More methods she uses to pass the time and alleviate melancholy.
Upstairs she hears the space
She listens closely to the emptiness for any signs of life or movement.
Between the words you never said
She is thinking about missed opportunities to communicate or to be understood.
She licks the tiny stone she gave herself
She is attempting to feel something real and substantial in her life or to reassure herself.
And swallows all her worry
She decides to relieve herself of any possible negative thinking and let go of anxiety.
Won't you leave me forever, won't you leave
She is expressing her fear of loss, abandonment, and being left behind.
For good?
She wonders permanently or temporarily and her fear of losing what brings her happiness.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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