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.
Um Zoom Zip
Soul Coughing Lyrics
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My eye like a noisegate the number 8 frustrate and I roll to the floor fruit
To the fruit to the core of a spheroid embedded in my skull the round the
Zero the symbol of null and void and well I toyed with the concept of
Vitamin B-12 the synapse the synapse it feeds itself on a nutrient
Contained in sunlight the blink the lid the fight to snap open
The century turn it up turn it up clock seconds to the hour go and cash the
Millennium Um Um and it hums like a migraine to the brain in the time yet
Remaining but uh ah melancholy nonsense and I crack nouns brotherfuck
The verb tense
Recombination, then Viacom, Safeway
The Soul Coughing song "Uh Zoom Zip" is a highly abstract and introspective piece of music that defies traditional interpretations. The opening lyrics, "Zoom zip and uh wake up, uh zoom zip," set the stage for a song that is full of nonsensical phrases and wordplay. The song quickly launches into a series of disconnected images and ideas that are difficult to fully parse.
One of the key themes of the song seems to be the concept of time, as the lyrics reference both the turn of the century and the passing of a decade. The lyrics also touch on the idea of nutrition and the role it plays in the brain's synapses. The repeated phrase "Zoom zip" may refer to the fleeting nature of time and the way that our lives can seem to pass by in a blur.
Overall, "Uh Zoom Zip" is a challenging song to fully decipher, but it rewards careful listening and attention to the nuanced wordplay and imagery in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Zoom zip and uh wake up, uh zoom zip
Get ready to be alert and active, zoom through time and space and wake up to the world around you
My eye like a noisegate the number 8 frustrate and I roll to the floor fruit
My eyes feel like a sound filter that blocks certain information, and the number 8 creates an uncomfortable feeling that causes me to roll on the floor like a fruit
To the fruit to the core of a spheroid embedded in my skull the round the Zero the symbol of null and void and well I toyed with the concept of
I'm exploring the idea of the concept of the number zero, which represents nothingness, and how it relates to the shape of my skull that contains a spheroid or rounded object in its core
Vitamin B-12 the synapse the synapse it feeds itself on a nutrient Contained in sunlight the blink the lid the fight to snap open
The synapse is nourished by Vitamin B-12, which is derived from sunlight, and the eyelids struggle to open fully, like a fight to wake up completely
Moving up to the double M 2000 I eat up a decade like a flan your turn of The century turn it up turn it up clock seconds to the hour go and cash the Millennium Um Um and it hums like a migraine to the brain in the time yet Remaining but uh ah melancholy nonsense and I crack nouns brotherfuck The verb tense
As time passes, I move into the new millennium, consuming a decade like a dessert, and focus on the ticking seconds of the clock, bringing a sense of urgency to embrace the future. However, despite a feeling of despair, I reject conforming to conventional grammar and language norms
Recombination, then Viacom, Safeway
These words symbolize the process of combining elements to create something new, followed by references to corporations- Viacom and Safeway, implying a critique of commercialization and consumerism
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK DEGLIANTONI, MICHAEL DOUGHTY, SEBASTIAN STEINBERG, YUVAL GABAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind