A British indie rock band associated with twee pop, who formed in the eighties. Several members later became Heavenly. Ultimately a major influence on early riot grrrl and countless indie-pop groups.
Avatars of the British twee-pop movement, Talulah Gosh formed in late 1986 when economics student Amelia Fletcher and struggling artist Elizabeth Price met at an Oxford area club; both were wearing Pastels badges, and their common love for indie rock prompted them to immediately found their own group. Originally intending to form a post-punk variation on 1960s-era girl groups, neither of the aspiring vocalists had the time or energy to find compatible female musicians, so they instead recruited Fletcher's 15-year-old brother Mathew on drums, her record-store clerk boyfriend Peter Momtchiloff on guitar, and Chris Scott on bass; Rob Pursey, who rounded out the initial Talulah Gosh roster, exited after only three shows.
The band bowed in March 1986, opening for the Razorcuts; their introductory song was "Pastels Badge," a celebration of their origins. Soon Talulah Gosh made their recording debut with "I Told You So," one side of a split flexi-disc with the Razorcuts issued on the tiny Sha-La-La label (whose owner, Matt Haynes, went on to co-found the highly influential Sarah Records imprint). A session for the BBC Radio One's Janice Long show followed before they signed to the Edinburgh label 53rd and 3rd, releasing their debut EP Steaming Train in 1987; the group's jangly, winsome songs and cotton-candy vocals won them a fervent cult following, and placed Talulah Gosh at the forefront of what the U.K. press dubbed the "shambling" scene.
Prior to the release of Steaming Train, Price left the band, having grown tired of their haphazard, out-of-tune live shows -- guitars broke, amplifiers shorted out and cymbals crashed over, forcing the group to attempt to repair their instruments between songs. With Eithne Farry sharing vocal duties, the band's image and sound hardened; their songs sped up and the group increasingly discarded their "cute" conceits, having expressed in numerous interviews that they felt misunderstood by fans and the press. Talulah Gosh returned to the studio in 1987 to record their second EP, Where's the Cougar Matey; a single, "Testcard Girl," followed, but after a final John Peel session, the group splintered in February 1988 to allow its members to continue their university careers. The Fletcher siblings and Momtchiloff later reunited in Heavenly, which also featured original Gosh bassist Rob Pursey.
Bringing Up Baby
Talulah Gosh Lyrics
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Takes five baths a day
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
And the heel falls off her shoe
She says, "Look at me walk, John."
Maybe she will marry the newspaperman
Or the one with the dinosaur missing
Cheekbones you could carve
La la la la la la la la la la la
Sweetens her tea with jam
Takes five baths a day
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Thinks storms are lovely weather
She says, "What day is it John?"
"What day is it?"
And they begin
To think of them as one person
Really the girl and Spencer Tracy
Cheekbones you could carve
La la la la la la la la la la la
Sweetens her tea with jam
Takes five baths a day
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Maybe if it all disappears it doesn't matter
Maybe if it all disappears it doesn't matter
Maybe if it all disappears it doesn't matter
La la la la la la la la may-ay-ay-ay may-ay-ay-aybe
Sweetens her tea with jam
Takes five baths a day
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Bringing up baby
Katharine Hepburn
The song "Bringing Up Baby" by Talulah Gosh is a sweet and whimsical tune that describes a woman who is nurturing and quirky. She sweetens her tea with jam and takes five baths a day, which suggests that she is someone who is meticulous and detail-oriented. The repetition of the phrase "Bringing up baby" throughout the song indicates that the woman is nurturing and taking care of someone, possibly her child. The lyrics imply that she is a loving and devoted caregiver who takes pleasure in the small things in life.
The song also mentions the heel falling off her shoe, but instead of being embarrassed or bothered by it, she proudly shows off her walk to John. This suggests that she is confident and comfortable in her own skin, which is a refreshing change from the typical female protagonist usually portrayed in media. The mention of "the newspaperman" and "the one with the dinosaur missing cheekbones" implies that the woman may be interested in these men, but ultimately it doesn't matter as long as she is happy bringing up her baby.
Overall, "Bringing Up Baby" is a charming and lighthearted song that celebrates the joys of nurturing and taking care of others. Its whimsical lyrics and upbeat melody make it a perfect song for a sunny day or a cozy night in.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweetens her tea with jam
She has a sweet tooth and likes to add jam to her tea.
Takes five baths a day
She enjoys taking multiple baths a day.
Bringing up baby
She is raising a child.
Bringing up baby
She is taking care of her child.
Bringing up baby
She is responsible for the upbringing of her child.
And the heel falls off her shoe
Her shoe has a broken heel.
She says, "Look at me walk, John."
She shows off her walk to someone named John.
"Look at me walk, both feet."
She shows off both of her feet while walking.
Maybe she will marry the newspaperman
She considers the possibility of marrying a man who works for a newspaper.
Or the one with the dinosaur missing
She considers the possibility of marrying a man who has a missing dinosaur toy.
Cheekbones you could carve
She has well-defined cheekbones.
La la la la la la la la la la la
Nonsensical syllables used as filler.
Thinks storms are lovely weather
She enjoys stormy weather.
She says, "What day is it John?"
She asks John what day it is.
"What day is it?"
She repeats her question about the day.
And they begin
They start something together.
To think of them as one person
They view themselves as a single entity.
Really the girl and Spencer Tracy
They are referencing the 1938 movie "Bringing Up Baby" starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.
Cheekbones you could carve
She has well-defined cheekbones.
La la la la la la la la la la la
Nonsensical syllables used as filler.
Maybe if it all disappears it doesn't matter
She thinks that the disappearance of everything would be insignificant.
La la la la la la la la may-ay-ay-ay may-ay-ay-aybe
Nonsensical syllables used as filler.
Bringing up baby
She is still raising and caring for her child.
Bringing up baby
Her child is still her main responsibility.
Bringing up baby
She is still responsible for her child's upbringing.
Bringing up baby
The repetition emphasizes that bringing up her child is still her main focus.
Bringing up baby
She will continue to care for and raise her child.
Bringing up baby
This line serves as a final reminder of the song's main theme.
Writer(s): Eithne Sairey, Amelia Fletcher Copyright: Arabella Musikverlag Gmbh
Contributed by Chase E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.