Soul Coughing,was founded by vocalist and guitarist Mike Doughty (who billed himself at the time as 'M. Doughty'), a folk singer, slam poet, and music writer.
Doughty was a doorman at the old Knitting Factory on Houston Street in New York. While working there he met sampler artist Mark De Gli Antoni, upright bass player Sebastian Steinberg, drummer Yuval Gabay, and artist David Linton. Doughty convinced them to join him in forming a new band. They played their first gig, as 'M. Doughty's Soul Coughing' at the Knitting Factory on June 15, 1992, a late-Monday night slot that Doughty cadged from his boss because nobody else wanted it. In 1993, he founded a club night called SLAW at CBGB's 313 Gallery, which was meant to emulate the popular jazz and hip hop club Giant Step, but eventually became a showcase for Soul Coughing. Posters for SLAW were headlined 'Deep Slacker Jazz' (a parody of The Who's slogan 'Maximum R&B'), which became an enduring description of the band's sound.
The band was signed within a year to Warner Brothers subsidiary Slash Records, and released three albums: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996), and El Oso (1998). They enjoyed minor hit singles with "Circles," "Super Bon Bon," and "Screenwriter's Blues."
The band broke up in 2000, after years of feuding over songwriting credits and publishing money. Doughty continued as a solo artist, and Gabay, Steinberg, and De Gli Antoni have been involved with other projects including a trio disc sans Doughty in 2004.
The Bug
Soul Coughing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Gotcha down
Onto the flatline
Clap the matter
It's the drop
How?
Sunkified gasman
Tripping in his own dribble
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Capitalism now
Screaming on a fat tomato
With a scream girl
Lips are thicker then a cow
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Supple backed a pole town
One two one two
Drumming on a guess
And I can't stand it
When a dream comes
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
I can not give up
And just stick this
But in the same way
Thought is useless
But you just come
Knock knock knocking
On a straw door
I could lose you for a nickel
But you just don't hear me
You don't stop
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Move it to the left side
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Rum
Come on
Shake it on now
One time
Why?
Shake it
So many ineffective
One time
Like SOC's
Oh come on
The lyrics to "The Bug" by Soul Coughing are abstract and difficult to decipher, but they seem to describe a chaotic and unsettling experience. The first verse describes slipping through the wrong plug and stitching until the pin breaks, perhaps indicating that the singer is trying unsuccessfully to connect with something. The chorus appears to reference a bug with a wire running into a hole, possibly representing an invasive or destructive force that threatens to take the singer's soul. The second verse introduces a gasman who is tripping and screaming, and is contrasted with a scream girl with thicker lips, creating a surreal and disorienting image.
The third verse mentions a straw door and the difficulty of communicating with someone who refuses to listen, while the final chorus repeats the bug imagery and urges the listener to shake it. Overall, the lyrics of "The Bug" suggest a sense of dislocation, confusion, and vulnerability, as the singer struggles to understand and connect with the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Slipping through the wrong plug
Moving through the wrong channel
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Playing drum beats matching the rhythm
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Keep doing something until it fails
Gotcha down
Under your control
Onto the flatline
Approaching death
Clap the matter
Make something happen
It's the drop
The beat is coming
How?
Questioning how to act
Revvin' it up into the stomp box
Increasing the energy level
Sunkified gasman
Intoxicated worker
Tripping in his own dribble
Falling in his own mess
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Being exploited by the rich
Capitalism now
Society is driven by money
Screaming on a fat tomato
Shouting at nothing
With a scream girl
Together with a loud female
Lips are thicker than a cow
Talking too much
I knew the bug, his wire running down into the hole
I understand what drives this person (or myself)
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
You are taking advantage of me
Supple backed a pole town
Flexible and adaptable city
One two one two
Rhythm counting
Drumming on a guess
Playing without knowing what to do
And I can't stand it
I don't like it
When a dream comes
When a desire is fulfilled
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
Consuming the essence of my being
I can not give up, and just stick this
I can't surrender and accept failure
But in the same way, thought is useless
Thinking alone doesn't help
But you just come
But you approach me
Knock knock knocking on a straw door
Demanding attention to something unimportant
I could lose you for a nickel
I could lose you easily
But you just don't hear me
But you don't pay attention to me
You don't stop
You keep going
Move it to the left side
Putting something in a less important place
Rum
Alcoholic drink
Come on, shake it on now
Join me and dance
One time, why? Shake it
Dance one more time
So many ineffective, one time, like SOC's
So many useless things, just like the band SOC's
Oh come on
Please join me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK DEGLIANTONI, MICHAEL DOUGHTY, SEBASTIAN STEINBERG, YUVAL GABAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dzanjin
Slipping through the wrong plug
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Gotcha down
Onto the flatline
Clap the matter
It's the drop
How?
Revvin' it up into the stomp box
Sunkified gasman
Tripping in his own dribble
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Capitalism now
Screaming on a fat tomato
With a scream girl
Lips are thicker then a cow
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Supple backed a pole town
One two one two
Drumming on a guess
And I can't stand it
When a dream comes
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
I can not give up
And just stick this
But in the same way
Thought is useless
But you just come
Knock knock knocking
On a straw door
I could lose you for a nickel
But you just don't hear me
You don't stop
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Move it to the left side
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Rum
Come on
Shake it on now
One time
Why?
Shake it
So many ineffective
One time
Like SOC's
Oh come on
Victor Zotstein
Slipping through the wrong plug
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Gotcha down
Onto the flatline
Clap the matter
It's the drop
How?
Revvin' it up into the stomp box
Sunkified gasman
Tripping in his own dribble
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Capitalism now
Screaming on a fat tomato
With a scream girl
Lips are thicker then a cow
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Supple backed a pole town
One two one two
Drumming on a guess
And I can't stand it
When a dream comes
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
I can not give up
And just stick this
But in the same way
Thought is useless
But you just come
Knock knock knocking
On a straw door
I could lose you for a nickel
But you just don't hear me
You don't stop
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Move it to the left side
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Rum
Come on
Shake it on now
One time
Why?
Shake it
So many ineffective
One time
Like SOC's
Oh come on
Wally Wallrus
Slipping through the wrong plug
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Gotcha down
Onto the flatline
Clap the matter
It's the drop
Pow
Revvin' it up into the stomp box
Sunkified gasman
Tripping in his own dribble
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Capitalism now
Screaming on a fat tomato
With a scream girl
Lips are thicker then a cow
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Supple backed a pole town
One two one two
Drumming on a guess
And I can't stand it
When a dream comes
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
I can not give up
And just stick this
But in the same way
Thought is useless
But you just come
Knock knock knocking
On a straw door
I could lose you for a nickel
But you just don't hear me
You don't stop
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Move it to the left side
Move it to the rigth side
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Rum
Come on
Shake it on now
One time
Why?
Shake it
So many ineffective
One time
Like SOC's
Oh come on
Dave White
I had this soundtrack as a kid and loved this song. Years later, I got into Soul Coughing and wondered why they sounded so familiar, and it was all due to this soundtrack and Cartoon Network. such an awesome and "meant to be" discovery, but I could never find this song till now. thanks so much for uploading it!
Yuuki Takemoto
Same!!
Dzanjin
Slipping through the wrong plug
Slap the rotor to the beat yeah
Stitching to 'till the pin breaks
Gotcha down
Onto the flatline
Clap the matter
It's the drop
How?
Revvin' it up into the stomp box
Sunkified gasman
Tripping in his own dribble
Tripping in the white man's outlay
Capitalism now
Screaming on a fat tomato
With a scream girl
Lips are thicker then a cow
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Supple backed a pole town
One two one two
Drumming on a guess
And I can't stand it
When a dream comes
Guzzling up the whole brain stem
I can not give up
And just stick this
But in the same way
Thought is useless
But you just come
Knock knock knocking
On a straw door
I could lose you for a nickel
But you just don't hear me
You don't stop
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Move it to the left side
I knew the bug
His wire running down into the hole
Greedy girl you're gonna snatch my soul
Rum
Come on
Shake it on now
One time
Why?
Shake it
So many ineffective
One time
Like SOC's
Oh come on
JStella -
i remember trying to sing this as a kid with headphones blasting this. its been almost 20 years since ive heard this track. im a producer/dj and this is blowing my mind so much. <3333
Wing Nut
Jeez. Been collecting Soul Coughing for over 25 years. Never knew they did this song. I really miss them
Bluehopi Bridge
one of the best bands i saw live many times in the mighty 90's . I miss them too
Joe Sutherland
I hat it when that happens. Found a Helmet song from '96 that I missed somehow just a few weeks ago. Same thing.
Mikey G
This is actually probably my favorite song of theirs, too
Fred Fred
@Joe Sutherlandwhich song?
Robbie Hankins
This was my favorite "driving" song back in the day. Would also listen to it while video game racing. Gets you in the zone.