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)
Dinnertime
Spiderbait Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try and greet the early sun
Sing yourself a happy tune
Dinnertime is coming soon (woo-hoo!)
Wipe those teardrops from your eyes
'Coz no one likes to see you cry
Wear a smile upon your dial
If you try (if you try)
But if you're shy (if you're shy)
Medication's something you can buy
The right kind of pill will set you on your way
And you'll enjoy a happy day
With lots of things that you can do
It's good for me it's good for you
So come and join the happy crew (happy crew!)
'Coz we're all feeling happy too (happy too!)
And we can show you what to do
You can be sedated too!
Here's a jacket made for you
For lazing in the afternoon
There's such soft walls and what a view
You'll enjoy it!
If you try (if you try)
But if you're shy (if you're shy)
Pretty soon you might start thinking
The right kind of pill will set you on your way
And you'll enjoy a happy day
With lots of things that you can do
That's it for me that's it for you
A-la-da-da-dee-dah
The song "Dinnertime" by Spiderbait is a sarcastic take on the societal pressure to always be happy and the influence of medication in achieving a supposed happy life. The first verse encourages the listener to dry their eyes, put on a happy face, and sing a tune to prepare for dinnertime. The second verse speaks directly to those who are shy or have trouble being happy, suggesting medication as a solution. The chorus suggests that if they take the right pill, life will be full of happiness and things to do. The bridge of the song introduces a jacket and a comfortable environment ideal for lazing and relaxing, leading to the ultimate goal of being sedated.
The overall message of the song is not to promote the use of medication but to highlight the societal pressure to always be happy and productive. The song is an ironic take on how medication and sedation are being marketed as solutions to all kinds of problems, ultimately leading to further problems. The lyrics also indirectly refer to the contradiction between the so-called pursuit of happiness and the underlying reality that it is not easy to achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Dry your eyes till morning comes
Stop crying and try to maintain a positive outlook until a new day begins
Try and greet the early sun
Welcome the new day with happy and hopeful anticipation
Sing yourself a happy tune
Find a reason to be cheerful and express it through music
Dinnertime is coming soon (woo-hoo!)
Look forward to an enjoyable meal that will be served soon
Wipe those teardrops from your eyes
Get rid of the evidence of your sadness
'Coz no one likes to see you cry
People will feel uncomfortable if they see you emotional and upset
Wear a smile upon your dial
Put on a happy expression to make yourself and others feel better
You'll enjoy it!
Having a positive attitude will lead to a more fulfilling life
If you try (if you try)
Having a good life requires some effort on your part
But if you're shy (if you're shy)
If you lack confidence or courage, you may need some help to succeed
Medication's something you can buy
There are remedies and drugs that can help alleviate feelings of depression or anxiety
The right kind of pill will set you on your way
There are medications that can improve your mood and mindset
And you'll enjoy a happy day
Taking the right medication can lead to a more positive outlook and improved mood
With lots of things that you can do
A better mood can lead to a greater sense of interest and enjoyment in life
It's good for me it's good for you
Improving your mental health can be beneficial not just for yourself, but for those around you as well
So come and join the happy crew (happy crew!)
Surround yourself with people who are positive and encouraging
'Coz we're all feeling happy too (happy too!)
Being around happy people can help boost your own mood
And we can show you what to do
There are others who can offer guidance and support in living a happier life
You can be sedated too!
There are treatments that can help alleviate anxiety and depression
Here's a jacket made for you
Here's a comfortable garment that can help you relax
For lazing in the afternoon
Take some time to rest and unwind
There's such soft walls and what a view
The surroundings are pleasant and conducive to relaxation
Pretty soon you might start thinking
With improved mood, you might begin to think more positively
That's it for me that's it for you
Everybody can benefit from improved mental health and emotional wellbeing
A-la-da-da-dee-dah
Nonsensical filler lyrics
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ENGLISH, MAHER, WHITTY, Damian Whitty, Janet English, Mark Maher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind