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.
Unmarked Helicopters
Soul Coughing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At random serpentine
Through phatic coils emerging
Some other thought it's thinking
This light sounds above the houses on the ground
This illumination visited upon the whole land
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
Here comes the super-copter
here comes the noise it makes
The demon was an idea
The demon is awake
The scratch mark left across the surface of your mind
This hour now upon us
The hour has now arrived
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
The lord is coming soon
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
They said it was a weather balloon
I know truth
I know the whole shebang
I know the names of men they had to hang
I let her out of the trunk
I heard what she said at them
They've come to drag her through the double-M
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
The lord is coming soon
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
They said it was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
The lyrics of "Unmarked Helicopters" by Soul Coughing are open to interpretation, but one reading is that the song is about government surveillance and paranoia. The lyrics describe helicopters hovering above houses, suggesting that someone is being watched. The mention of a "demon" that is awake could be a metaphor for the dark forces of government and their ability to control citizens. The scratch mark across the surface of the mind may represent the psychological impact of constant surveillance and the feeling of being trapped.
The repeated refrain of "The lord is coming soon" could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could be a reference to a religious viewpoint, suggesting that the end times are near and that we are being watched by a higher power. Alternatively, it could be a metaphor for the arrival of government forces, suggesting that the power of the state is omnipresent and all-seeing. The song leaves ample room for interpretation, but the underlying themes of paranoia, fear, and oppression are clear.
Line by Line Meaning
Whose song is that remembered
The identity of the song being remembered is unknown
At random serpentine
The memory of the song is brought up in a meandering, unpredictable way
Through phatic coils emerging
The memory emerges through social conventions or small talk, rather than intentional recall
Some other thought it's thinking
The memory of the song is triggered by an unrelated thought
This light sounds above the houses on the ground
The sound of helicopters is heard in the distance
This illumination visited upon the whole land
The helicopters are shining searchlights or spotlights down on the area
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
Helicopters without visible identification are hovering in the air
The lord is coming soon
This could be a religious reference or a commentary on impending doom
Here comes the super-copter
The helicopter being seen or heard is a high-powered model
here comes the noise it makes
The noise level of the helicopter is increasing as it gets closer
The demon was an idea
The source of fear or danger is not a physical entity, but rather an abstract concept
The demon is awake
The danger or fear is becoming more imminent or heightened
The scratch mark left across the surface of your mind
The memory of the helicopters is leaving a lasting impression on the person's mind
This hour now upon us
An important moment is now happening or about to happen
The hour has now arrived
The important moment has now arrived
They said it was a weather balloon
The official explanation for the sighting of the unmarked helicopters is that it was actually just a weather balloon
I know truth
The artist has knowledge or information that contradicts the official explanation
I know the whole shebang
The singer has a comprehensive understanding of the situation
I know the names of men they had to hang
The singer has knowledge of people who were punished for knowing too much
I let her out of the trunk
The artist has been involved in something illegal or dangerous
I heard what she said at them
The artist is reporting what someone else said or did
They've come to drag her through the double-M
Someone is being taken away or punished
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It becomes completely dark or unknowable
It was a weather balloon
The artist is repeating the same official explanation, but with a sarcastic or skeptical tone
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK DEGLIANTONI, MICHAEL DOUGHTY, SEBASTIAN STEINBERG, YUVAL GABAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ShadowPriestBear
Whose song is that remembered
At random serpentine
Through phatic coils emerging
Some other thought it's thinking
This light sounds above the houses on the ground
This illumination visited upon the whole land
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
The lord is coming soon
Here comes the super-copter
here comes the noise it makes
The demon was an idea
The demon is awake
The scratch mark left across the surface of your mind
This hour now upon us
The hour has now arrived
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
The lord is coming soon
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
They said it was a weather balloon
I know truth
I know the whole shebang
I know the names of men they had to hang
I let her out of the trunk
I heard what she said at them
They've come to drag her through the double-M
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
It goes black, black, black, black, blacker
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
The lord is coming soon
Unmarked helicopters, hovering
They said it was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
It was a weather balloon
@ZeranZeran
0:31 This song pops into my head once every year. I love it. Max Fenig had great taste. ♥
@ZeranZeran
"Though they said it was a weather balloon
But I know the truth
And I know the whole she bang
And I know the names of men they had to hang"
This song is badass.
@FlexoShootFlexo
I often listen to this while trying to pick up radio signals from Whitmarsh Air Force base with my Wolf Industries surveillance equipment.
@roossoner51
R.I.P. Agent Pendrell
@hanafujino9252
One of the saddest deaths in my opinion besides queequeg (scullys dog) 😭
@MrJakeKale
And Max Fenig.
@metal9lover9maniac
Hello, Agent Reyes! ;)
@SPiderman-rh2zk
Yes also RIP the passengers and crew of flight 549 and Max himself
@ZeranZeran
He was my favorite side character besides Scully, Mulder, and Skinner.
I love you Pendrell! (Brendan Beiser) ♥ He played his character so well. I always wanted him to get a chance with Scully.
@CeylonMondegreen
This is actually how I discovered Soul Coughing. I re-watched X-Files, noticed the song, thought it was a Butthole Surfers song I'd never heard and instead discovered one of the coolest bands I've heard in recent years.