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.
Babydoctor
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thank you Thank you Babydoctor
Babydoctor Thank you
And you count out the years you have been here in this foreign land
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Fourteen years Here Jalal Jalal Babydoctor
And you count out the years you've been deprived of your hand
Thirteen years Stroke
Staggering walker it takes you two lights to cross the street
Traffic is backed-up here at the place where the cars and people meet
The very fast and the very slow
Beg for a ride and choke out a stream of words as I drive
A mantra of thanks and counting out years that buries me alive
In the light of your humble and proud handful of mispronounced words
And I fall to my knees in the shade of a tree and cry Thank you
I look into the sun until it blinds me
I look into the sun until I go blind
I am raped by the light of the light until I am the son of the sun
I am replaced
Hail and praise the all-seeing eye of Pelton & Crane
I open my mouth to the all-seeing eye of Pelton & Crane
Pelton & Crane I am replaced
Thank you
The Sleepytime Gorilla Museum's song "Babydoctor" opens with the repeated chant of "Thank you Babydoctor". The song's lyrics describe a conversation with Babydoctor, who is counting out the years he has spent in a foreign land - 14 years to be exact. He also counts out the years he has been deprived of one of his hands - 13 years. The song then goes on to describe Babydoctor's physical condition, as he uses a staggering walker to cross the busy street where cars and people meet. The singer of the song offers Babydoctor a ride, and they drive together while Babydoctor repeats a mantra of thanks and counting out years.
The phrase "Three ways of staring at the sun" appears in the song's chorus, which is repeated at various points throughout the song. This phrase can be interpreted in several ways - it could refer to the physical act of looking at the sun, which can cause blindness or disorientation. It could also be interpreted as a metaphor for seeking truth or enlightenment. The mention of the all-seeing eye of Pelton & Crane adds a layer of complexity to this interpretation, as the eye of Pelton & Crane is a reference to a dental equipment manufacturer. This could suggest that the search for truth and enlightenment is a mundane or even futile endeavor.
Line by Line Meaning
Thank you Thank you Babydoctor
Expressing gratitude towards Babydoctor.
Babydoctor Thank you
Repeating thanks to Babydoctor.
And you count out the years you have been here in this foreign land
Drawing attention to Babydoctor's years spent in a foreign country.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Reciting the number of years Babydoctor has been in the foreign land.
Fourteen years Here Jalal Jalal Babydoctor
Confirming that Babydoctor has been in the foreign land for fourteen years.
And you count out the years you've been deprived of your hand
Calling attention to the number of years Babydoctor has been without their hand.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Counting the number of years Babydoctor has been without their hand.
Thirteen years Stroke
Confirming that Babydoctor has been without their hand for thirteen years since their stroke.
Staggering walker it takes you two lights to cross the street
Describing Babydoctor's difficulty in crossing the street.
Traffic is backed-up here at the place where the cars and people meet
Explaining the reason behind the delay in traffic.
The very fast and the very slow
Referring to the people passing by as either very fast or very slow.
Beg for a ride and choke out a stream of words as I drive
Describing the person giving Babydoctor a ride while they talk non-stop.
A mantra of thanks and counting out years that buries me alive
Explaining how overwhelmed the singer feels with Babydoctor's gratitude and counting of years.
In the light of your humble and proud handful of mispronounced words
Praising Babydoctor's attempt at speaking despite mispronouncing words.
And I fall to my knees in the shade of a tree and cry Thank you
Expressing the singer's overwhelming gratitude towards Babydoctor.
I look into the sun until it blinds me
Metaphorically staring into the sun.
I look into the sun until I go blind
Continuing the metaphor of staring into the sun until going blind.
I am raped by the light of the light until I am the son of the sun
Metaphorically becoming the son of the sun due to prolonged exposure to the sun.
I am replaced
Becoming a new person through this experience.
Hail and praise the all-seeing eye of Pelton & Crane
Giving recognition to a company.
I open my mouth to the all-seeing eye of Pelton & Crane
Acknowledging Pelton & Crane once again.
Pelton & Crane I am replaced
Linking Pelton & Crane to the previous line of I am replaced.
Thank you
Ending with gratitude towards Babydoctor and Pelton & Crane.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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