It all started with "The Fratellis," Stolen Babies' original 12+ member group. Horns blared, oversized dolls jumped out of toy boxes, squabbles were had, babies were stolen, turned into flies and fed to giant spiders. Eventually, the blundering theatrics came to an end, but the four stuck together.
More misadventure, more junk food...
Taking their name from a song/skit from the early days, Stolen Babies have been described as playing prog-pop-cabaret-thrash-quirky-goth-rock. Mostly though, they would just like to think that their songs are fun to dance and fall down to.
It's nearly impossible to talk about Stolen Babies without mentioning their ongoing collaboration with graphic novelist extraordinaire Crab Scrambly. His artwork has graced their early releases, website and merch. More notably you can see Crab's original paintings that provide the otherworldly landscapes to Stolen Babies video "Push Button," and of course the artwork for the bands debut full length album "There Be Squabbles Ahead," which was recorded and produced by Dan Rathburn of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Which now brings Stolen Babies to...the beginning of The End.
STOLEN BABIES are:
Dominique Persi - lead vocals, face paint keeping, accordion sprinkling
Rani Sharone - electric and upright bass swapping, mental guitar playing, programming, sampling, vocals
Ben Rico - multiple keyboard reaching, beating, vocals
Gil Sharone (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - aggressive drumming
Oakland, California, USA in 2002
Never Come Back
Stolen Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the tight room, such a slick maw
No one can keep up, spinning it too far
But does it feel good?
Like the sweetest air
To run with fibs, and make them care
And I could leave with a smile
If I could never come back
With your lights, leave us alone
It's blinding, leave us alone
It's outline like a mountain, carved out like a thug
It's mouth, a storm, a show, a trap!
Calling out to the falling rocks
We can make them stop before they get to us
Sorry if no one comes around,
They've gone fishing in a mound of forged evidence
(I thought I told you to never come back around here.
I told you to never come back)
With your lights, leave us alone
It's blinding, leave us alone
It's mouth a storm, a show, but nothing but a trap
"What? Gou're still here? go away."
With your lights, leave us alone
It's blinding, leave us alone
Is this a mirror, water, or distant mirage?
I thought I told you to never come, never come, never come back
The song "Never Come Back" by Stolen Babies appears to describe a person or group of people in a tight, possibly uncomfortable situation. The first verse references a "slick maw" and describes someone spinning things too far. Despite this, the person in the situation seems to feel good about running with lies and making people care about them. The second verse talks about a big room filled with starry eyes; despite the crowd's admiration, the singer could easily leave with a smile if they could just never come back.
The chorus repeats several times, urging someone to leave the singer alone and turn off their blinding lights. The last verse references a "mouth like a storm, a show, a trap," and the singer seems to be urging someone to go away and never come back.
Interpreting the lyrics further requires some imagination and understanding of the band's style. Stolen Babies is known for their theatrical, sometimes macabre themes, and the lyrics of this song seem to fit that aesthetic. It's possible that the "big room" and "starry eyes" represent fame or popularity, and the singer is struggling to maintain their sense of self in the face of others' expectations. The reference to a "mouth like a storm" could be a metaphor for a force that's both destructive and captivating. The repeated line "is this a mirror, water, or distant mirage?" could represent the singer's uncertainty about their own identity or the authenticity of their surroundings.
Overall, the lyrics of "Never Come Back" paint a vivid picture of a tense, uncomfortable situation, but they leave a lot of room for interpretation and analysis.
Line by Line Meaning
Is this a mirror, water, or distant mirage?
I'm questioning the reality of my situation.
In the tight room, such a slick maw
I feel trapped in a small space with smooth-talking deceivers.
No one can keep up, spinning it too far
Their lies are too convoluted to follow.
But does it feel good?
Even though I know they're lying, it feels good to be included in their world.
Like the sweetest air
Their lies are so convincing that it feels like a breath of fresh air.
To run with fibs, and make them care
I'm participating in their deception and making them care about me through lies.
And it's a big room, flooded with starry eyes
Their deception is widespread, and many people are caught up in it.
And I could leave with a smile
If I could escape their grasp, I'd do so happily.
If I could never come back
I don't want to be caught up in their world and would never choose to return.
With your lights, leave us alone
I want to be free of their influence.
It's blinding, leave us alone
Their deception is overwhelming and suffocating.
It's outline like a mountain, carved out like a thug
Their powerful presence is menacing and oppressive.
It's mouth, a storm, a show, a trap!
They use their words to create a flashy illusion that traps people.
Calling out to the falling rocks
I'm trying to stop the impending disaster that their deception will bring.
We can make them stop before they get to us
We can stop the consequences of their lies before it's too late.
Sorry if no one comes around,
No one is willing to help us in our fight against their deception.
They've gone fishing in a mound of forged evidence
They've created false evidence to back up their lies and are too busy believing their own story.
(I thought I told you to never come back around here.
I warned you to stay away from this dangerous place.
I told you to never come back)
I didn't want you to be caught in their trap like I am.
It's mouth a storm, a show, but nothing but a trap
Their words are flashy and impressive, but they're ultimately a trap.
"What? Gou're still here? go away."
They want me to leave and never come back.
Is this a mirror, water, or distant mirage?
I still can't determine what's real and what's not in their world.
I thought I told you to never come, never come, never come back
I'm reminding you that you should never return to this dangerous world.
Contributed by Charlotte F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.