When you have as big a celebrity fan as Stephen King, you must be doing something right! The three-piece from Finley, New South Wales, Australia, often jump genres from disco-pop (Stevie, Calypso) to mutant dance (Arse Huggin' Pants) - in the course of a single album, no less. And yet, they still manage to rock like mofos (Shazam!, Outta My Head, and - of course - their cover of Black Betty).
The three band members Mark Maher or "Kram" (drums and vocals), Damien Whitty or "Whitt" on guitar and Janet English on bass/vocals come from the small town Finley in southern New South Wales where they jammed together in their youth.
The band moved to Melbourne, Australia where Kram was studying at the Victorian College of the Arts School of Music. The band played its first gig at a loungeroom for a friend's party. The band soon became part of Melbourne's punk scene playing gigs at venues like the Tote Hotel in Collingwood, Victoria. They released their first single Circle K on Au-Go-Go Records with an EP titled P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! following in 1992. The band's first album Shashavaglava was released in 1992. 'Shashavaglava' means 'dickhead' in Croatian. This album featured the songs Old Man Sam and a cover of English comedians The Goodies' song Run.
Spiderbait signed with Polydor Records and released their first album with the new label, their second album overall, named The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake in 1995. The album reached #14 on the Australian charts with singles Monty and Jesus receiving extensive airplay on Triple J. The album title refers to an unfinished project by the Finley Rotary Club, which became a venue for teenage drinking in their home town.
Their third album Ivy and the Big Apples was released in 1996, reached #3 and sold over 180,000 copies in Australia. Their first single Buy Me a Pony received extensive airplay on Triple J resulting in listeners voting it as their favourite song of the year. The second single Calypso also achieved commercial airplay, and reached #13 in the Australian singles charts in 1997.
In 1998, Janet English and her then boyfriend Quan Yeomans of Regurgitator recorded an album as Happyland. Around the same time, Kram and Richie Lewis of Tumbleweed released their own side-project the Hot Rollers - so named as both member's mothers were hairdressers. The Hot Rollers only album (self-titled) was released through Polydor.
Spiderbait returned together in 1999 with the album Grand Slam which also debuted at #10 on the Australian album charts.
Despite good airplay for the Grand Slam singles Shazam! and Stevie, their 2001 album The Flight of Wally Funk was a commercial flop, only selling 20,000 copies. The album was recorded in Whitt's living room.
Spiderbait recorded the Tonight Alright album in Los Angeles with producer Sylvia Massy who had worked with acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Tool, System of a Down and Skunk Anansie. The first single Black Betty was a cover version of the old Leadbelly song which became a hit in 1977 when covered by Ram Jam. The single reached #1 after 10 weeks in the singles chart in May 2004 (after debuting at #12), and stayed there for three weeks, becoming their biggest selling single ever. The film clip featured a hot rod similar to the car on the ZZ Top Eliminator. The song also made the soundtrack to the Electronic Arts video game Need for Speed: Underground 2. Tonight Alright was released on 28 March 2004, and debuted and peaked at #14. The second single Fucken Awesome debuted in the top 30 on June 28 2004. Interscope Records signed the band in 2004 to distribute Tonight Alright in the US and UK.
At the 2004 ARIA awards, Kram performed as part of the supergroup The Wrights, featuring members of many other Australian rock bands.
In September 2005 they released a Greatest Hits collection to reveal their back catalogue to younger fans who were caught up by Black Betty. This debuted at #6 and received a Gold Accreditation.
The band went on hiatus March 2005 after bassist Janet English gave birth to her daughter and planned a cycling tour across Europe. More recently Kram had announced plans of a solo album to be released sometime in 2006. On 18 November 2006 the band performed at the Queensland Council of Unions organised Rock the Vote! concert in Brisbane after a nine month hiatus from touring.
The band recorded a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" as the main theme for the film Ghost Rider (2007), starring Nicolas Cage. A small excerpt is played during the film, and then in its entirety as the first song when the credits roll. The band's song "Glokenpop" is featured in the 2009 game LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Portable. Kram released his debut solo album, Mix Tape, in March 2009. In 2010, Magnapop's album Chase Park featured a cover of Spiderbait's song "Jesus" from The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake. In December of that year, they supported Guns N' Roses at a Sydney gig. The band recorded a cover of "Rock-a-Bye Your Bear" for the compilation ReWiggled - A Tribute to the Wiggles.[41]
2013–present: End of hiatus and self-titled album
In an interview with Triple J in February 2013, Kram announced that Spiderbait were in the studio, working on their first album in seven years, saying "We're doing a new record and we're about halfway through. We're just writing demos at the moment and it's coming along well. We're back in our Motorhead and Metallica metal phase—I'm all double kick at the moment."
The self-titled album, Spiderbait, was released on 15 November 2013. The band played a gig on the same day, for the opening night of the Jam Gallery, a new music venue in Bondi Junction.
On 11 March 2022, the band released "My Car's a A UFO", their first new song in nine years. The song was initially recorded for their fifth album, The Flight of Wally Funk and is the lead single from the band's third compilation album, 'Sounds in the Key of J, scheduled for released on 8 April 2022.
Studio Discography
Shashavaglava (1993)
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake (1995)
Ivy and the Big Apples (1996)
Grand Slam (1999)
The Flight of Wally Funk (2001)
Tonight Alright (2004)
Spiderbait (2013)
Calypso
Spiderbait Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes me happy
Like I should be
Outside
All around me
Really sleazy
Then it hits me
Don't tell me
You can't see
What it means to me
Me me
Meanwhile
In the moonlight
Purple people
Unforseeable
Lonely
As they may be
They'll be peachy
Then it hits me
Don't tell me
You can't see
What it means to me
Me me me
Sunshine
On my window
Makes me happy
Like I should be
Outside
All around me
Really sleazy
Then it hits me
Don't tell me
You can't see
What it means to me
Me me
Don't tell me
You can't see
What it means to me
Me me me
The lyrics to Spiderbait's song, Calypso, are deceptively simple, but they still convey a deep message. The song opens with the line "Sunshine on my window, makes me happy, like I should be." The mention of sunshine alludes to the warmth and light that it provides, which can make a person feel content and fulfilled. The second verse of the song talks about being outside and surrounded by sleazy people before concluding with the line "Then it hits me."
The chorus of the song is where the meaning really shines through. The singer demands that the listener not tell them that they can't see what the sunshine and moonlight mean to them. The mention of loneliness and purple people in the moonlight conjures up a sense of longing and melancholy. Despite this, the song's final words are uplifting, reminding the listener that sunshine can make them happy, at least for a little while.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunshine on my window
The bright sun shining through the window brings about happiness.
Makes me happy
The sunshine provides joy and happiness.
Like I should be
The happiness is expected and deserved.
Outside
Moving away from indoors.
All around me
Everything in the surroundings.
Really sleazy
The environment is unpleasant and disreputable.
Then it hits me
Suddenly coming to the realization of something.
Don't tell me
An objection or rebuttal statement.
You can't see
Not understanding the artist's perspective.
What it means to me
The value and significance of the things around the artist.
Me me
The singer's individuality or personal satisfaction.
Meanwhile
At the same time, something else is happening.
In the moonlight
The illumination of light by the moon.
Purple people
The unknown individuals are viewed as being different or eccentric.
Unforseeable
The outcome or consequences cannot be predicted.
Lonely
Feeling deserted or unaccompanied.
As they may be
Although it may appear so.
They'll be peachy
They will be alright or satisfactory.
Sunshine
The bright sun.
On my window
The sun shining through the artist's window.
Don't tell me
An objection or rebuttal statement.
You can't see
Not understanding the artist's perspective.
What it means to me
The value and significance of the things around the singer.
Me me
The artist's individuality or personal satisfaction.
Don't tell me
An objection or rebuttal statement.
You can't see
Not understanding the singer's perspective.
What it means to me
The value and significance of the things around the singer.
Me me me
The artist's individuality or personal satisfaction, intensified.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK MAHER, JANET ENGLISH, DAMIAN WHITTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob Motster
That transition though. Hits you like a lorry.
Æ
As someone who’s been hit by a lorry, I can confirm that the analogy is true.
Œ Jelly-fash
I seriously love the hell out of this song
DTGameReviews
Awesome song as always!! 😁
Calebe Priester
When the guitar player turns on the distortion and starts playing the power chords I can't help myself but start shaking like a madman! lol It's called power chords for a reason! They are indeed powerful! Man, this song is so awesome!
Sami
this is my favorite song and will forever be
Sulia Barbee
I have been looking for this song for years ever since I heard it on “10 things I hate about you” 🥹🥹🥹😭😭
Devil In Black
same lol
Glorious Emperor of ROME
Just use shazam and 10 second you have the song
Sulia Barbee
@Glorious Emperor of ROME that’s exactly what I did😭