The Bobs have broken with a cappella tradition several times by including instruments. The majority of the 1995 album Plugged is backed by toy drums. Plugged also made heavy use of studio equipment to make the voices sound more like guitars and bass guitars. Coaster includes a rock rhythm section on one song. But this original "band without instruments" usually uses just their mouths, hands, feet and "other body parts" to fill a room with a sound as big as an orchestra.
Members of the group are always credited with "Bob" as their middle name. The name is often described as an acronym for "Best of Breed," an award given out at dog shows.
The group has garnered a healthy cult following in the U.S. and Europe in the 24 years they've been touring and recording, and has won numerous songwriting and vocal performance honors.
Fifty Kilowatt Tree
The Bobs Lyrics
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But my lights still shine
Santa's spinning and Rudolph's grinning
Listen to my generator whine
My neighbors put up a pretty good front
But I know they envy me
I see them peepin' through a crack in their living room blinds
At my fifty kilowatt tree
Fifty kw tree - I'm proud of my display
Fifty kw tree - up past new year's day
Fifty kw tree - I've got a lovely lawn
Fifty kw tree - you better not walk on
There's a star in the East but it's only me
With my fifty kilowatt tree
Shepherds quake at a neon angel
Strobe lights in the stable
Wise men worship at a motor driven manger
And it's all been wired for cable
My neighbors call me ostentatious
But I know they envy me
Lighting up my yard like downtown Las Vegas
It's my fifty kilowatt tree
Fifty kw tree - it's a giant spruce
Fifty kw tree - draws a lot of juice
Fifty kw tree - I've got a lovely lawn
Fifty kw tree - You better not walk on
There's a star in the East but it's only me
With my fifty kilowatt tree
I'm stopping traffic, I'm boss of the block
You better park your car, get out and walk
Fifty kw tree - I'm proud of my display
Fifty kw tree - reindeer pull my sleigh
Fifty kw tree - I've got a lovely lawn
Fifty kw tree - you better not walk on
There's a star in the East but it's only me
With my fifty kilowatt tree
The Bobs' Fifty Kilowatt Tree is a satirical commentary on the rise of consumerism and materialism in modern holiday festivities. The song centers around the singer's pride in their ostentatious and excessive Christmas display, which includes a fifty-kilowatt tree and other over-the-top decorations. Despite a power outage caused by a storm, the singer's generator keeps the display shining while their neighbors look on with envy, peeping through a crack in their blinds. The song also features humorous references to traditional nativity scenes, transformed with neon angels, strobe lights, and manger motors wired for cable. The singer revels in the attention their display commands, and even stops traffic as they become the boss of the block.
The lyrics explore themes of cultural emulation, social comparison, and status-seeking. The singer's display highlights their own wealth and status, while simultaneously exaggerating the consumerist demands of the holiday season. The song teases the idea that these Christmas displays have become a competitive arena of one-upmanship, where individuals strive to outdo their neighbors with more extravagant and costly decorations. The lyrics also poke fun at the excessive energy consumption required to power these displays, making light of the environmental consequences of such rampant consumerism.
Line by Line Meaning
The power is out from a terrible storm
Despite the power outage due to the storm, my house still has electricity.
But my lights still shine
My home is all lit up despite the power cut in the neighborhood.
Santa's spinning and Rudolph's grinning
The decorations on my lawn are festive and cheerful.
Listen to my generator whine
I'm using a backup generator to power my house.
My neighbors put up a pretty good front
My neighbors have made an effort to decorate their own houses too.
But I know they envy me
However, I believe they secretly desire my impressive display.
I see them peepin' through a crack in their living room blinds
I can see them trying to catch a glimpse of my decorations through their curtains.
At my fifty kilowatt tree
They're particularly interested in the large and brightly-lit tree in my yard.
Fifty kw tree - I'm proud of my display
I take pride in showcasing my extravagantly decorated home.
Fifty kw tree - up past new year's day
The decorations on my house stay up through the New Year.
Fifty kw tree - I've got a lovely lawn
My house has beautiful outdoor landscaping.
Fifty kw tree - you better not walk on
I've put up decorations that make it difficult to walk or play in my yard.
There's a star in the East but it's only me
I'm the one who stands out with my brightly decorated house.
With my fifty kilowatt tree
All of this attention is thanks to my impressive and massive tree decoration.
Shepherds quake at a neon angel
I've put up some unconventional and flashy decorations, like a neon angel.
Strobe lights in the stable
Even the nativity scene on my lawn is decked up with blinking lights.
Wise men worship at a motor driven manger
I've even added some motorized elements to my religious displays.
And it's all been wired for cable
I've connected all of my decorations to the TV cable so that they can be displayed on TV as well.
My neighbors call me ostentatious
My neighbors think I'm being showy and trying to draw attention to myself.
Lighting up my yard like downtown Las Vegas
My decorations are so bright and flashy that they resemble the brightly lit night scenes of Las Vegas.
It's my fifty kilowatt tree
The reason for all of this attention is my massive tree decoration, which attracts everyone's attention.
I'm stopping traffic, I'm boss of the block
My decorations are so impressive that they're causing traffic to slow down in my neighborhood, making me the talk of the town.
You better park your car, get out and walk
I suggest people get out of their cars to take a closer look at my decorations, as they've slowed traffic down considerably.
Fifty kw tree - reindeer pull my sleigh
I've added life-sized reindeer decorations that seem to be pulling a sleigh.
Contributed by Nathaniel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.