Chris writes and delivers all the rhymes, and comes up with the initial musical ideas for the songs, often supplying a bass line or guitar part. Dan takes the bare skeleton that Chris provides, and fleshes it out, programming drum beats, samples, organ, piano & synth parts, etc.
The result is music that's hip-hop and rap, but isn't afraid to bring in any other element that pops into Dan & Chris's minds - punk, jazz, psychedelic. The recording process is almost a stream of consciousness approach for some elements, with first takes often being the tracks that define the direction of the music.
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The group has recently morphed into a real, touring band, and contributions from the new band members will show up on the new full-length CD, along with the usual studio collaborations between Dan & Chris.
Nairobi
The Mad Conductor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
everything floats
Sell your bike
and get yourself a boat
I aint no clown
and I won't pass
Youll surely drown
if you have no raft
You're like doonesbury
you make me laugh
Thinkin' you can escape my watery wrath
Head for the hills
i'm a badass hurricane
Topplin' towns
huntin out MCs for gobblin' down
I show no mercy
I ate and regurgitated new jersey
Headed out west
crushed California
Too bad your governator didn't warn ya
I tumbled New Orleans
then I felt regret
Cause they had the best gumbo that I tasted yet
Flooded Mississippi
you know that you can't diss me
You're in a soggy state like my rice crispies
Engulf your islands of staten and long
Now a jet-ski is the best way to a Met's game
Yeah, ill even douche penn's woods
With my breakbeat downpour
And microphone floods
No machines, forget about chemicals
Enter the ring, earth vs. animals
Mind over matter in a heavy weight class
Our elemental make-up is identically matched
But we hate each other
It seems no solution
She gives us a quake
so we give her pollution
She retaliates with a tidal wave
Her face'll get paved
Don't play with us homegirl
We're wicked in the domebone
Getting sick on your surface
Cuttin' holes in your o-zone
Don't get me wrong I am no radical hippy
Life is war and you cannot avoid it
We'll rock your world just like mc Kinney
Down to the core
Then we will destroy it
Ah, we shouldve kept cool like a porpoise
Here comes the plague ya better plug up every orifice
I got these pains in my head
I think these humans and these dogs interbred
they bury bones while I'm sleeping
10,000 naked skeletons, dancing on my ceiling
In the song Nairobi by The Mad Conductor, the singer is a force of nature, specifically a hurricane. The chorus warns listeners to prepare for the singer's arrival by getting a boat instead of a bike, as everything will be floating. The first verse boasts about the hurricane's power, as it has toppled towns and consumed entire states. The second verse takes a more introspective turn, with the hurricane lamenting the destructive relationship humans have with the Earth. The final lines of the song are jarring and confusing, with the singer experiencing strange visions and hallucinations.
Line by Line Meaning
When I come through
As I approach, the environment around me changes.
everything floats
Objects that are typically grounded now rise to the surface due to the immense amount of water present.
Sell your bike
You need a new mode of transportation that can navigate the water.
and get yourself a boat
A boat is the only reliable form of transportation during this flood.
I aint no clown
I'm not playing games.
and I won't pass
I won't overlook any potential victims.
Youll surely drown
If you don't have a means of floating, you'll succumb to the water and drown.
if you have no raft
Without a raft or some form of floating device, you're at a high risk of drowning.
You're like doonesbury
You're a comical figure.
you make me laugh
I find your attempts to outrun my flood amusing.
Thinkin' you can escape my watery wrath
Believing you can outrun or hide from me is a mistake.
Head for the hills
Evacuate to higher ground immediately.
i'm a badass hurricane
I am a powerful and dangerous force of nature.
Topplin' towns
I am destroying entire cities with ease.
huntin out MCs for gobblin' down
I am searching for rappers to demolish with my skillful lyrics.
I show no mercy
I am ruthlessly destroying everything in my path.
I ate and regurgitated new jersey
I destroyed New Jersey, then brought it back in a damaged state.
Headed out west
I am moving towards the western United States.
crushed California
I caused widespread destruction throughout California.
Too bad your governator didn't warn ya
It's unfortunate that the governor of California didn't prepare the state for this disaster.
I tumbled New Orleans
I caused significant damage to New Orleans.
then I felt regret
After realizing the impact of my actions, I experienced remorse for the destruction I caused.
Cause they had the best gumbo that I tasted yet
I regret destroying New Orleans because of the great food the city is known for.
Flooded Mississippi
I caused the Mississippi river to flood.
you know that you can't diss me
You will not come out victorious in a battle against me.
You're in a soggy state like my rice crispies
Your state is completely flooded and resembles my soggy cereal.
Engulf your islands of staten and long
I am consuming and overtaking Staten Island and Long Island.
Now a jet-ski is the best way to a Met's game
A jet-ski is now the most efficient way of traveling to a New York Mets baseball game due to the widespread flooding.
Yeah, ill even douche penn's woods
I will even bring devastation to the forests of Pennsylvania.
With my breakbeat downpour
My powerful lyrics are causing a flood of sound.
And microphone floods
My lyrical skill is comparable to a destructive flood.
No machines, forget about chemicals
We need to rely less on technology and avoid harmful chemicals.
Enter the ring, earth vs. animals
Humankind is facing off against the forces of nature.
Mind over matter in a heavy weight class
The fight against environmental disaster is a great and difficult challenge.
Our elemental make-up is identically matched
Humans and nature are composed of the same fundamental elements.
But we hate each other
Despite our similarities, humans and nature are often in conflict.
It seems no solution
We have yet to find a definitive solution to our environmental issues.
She gives us a quake
Nature strikes back with devastating earthquakes.
so we give her pollution
As a result of our destructive practices, we harm the natural environment.
She retaliates with a tidal wave
Nature responds to our actions with destructive tidal waves.
Her face'll get paved
Nature will suffer widespread destruction as a result of our actions.
Don't play with us homegirl
We should not be taken lightly when it comes to respect for the environment.
We're wicked in the domebone
We are great thinkers and possess a deep understanding of the environment and its issues.
Getting sick on your surface
The condition of the environment is dangerously deteriorating.
Cuttin' holes in your o-zone
Our harmful activities, such as depletion of the ozone layer, are causing incredible damage to the environment.
Don't get me wrong I am no radical hippy
I am not an extreme advocate for the environment, but rather a reasonable person with a responsible grasp on its importance.
Life is war and you cannot avoid it
The battle to protect the environment is an ongoing, essential conflict that we cannot ignore.
We'll rock your world just like mc Kinney
We will bring significant change to the environment, just like technology innovator McKinney brought change to the tech industry.
Down to the core
We will bring about an essential transformation of the environment, addressing the root of its problems.
Then we will destroy it
After facing the environment's core issues, we must destroy them to eliminate environmental degradation entirely.
Ah, we shouldve kept cool like a porpoise
We should have remained calm and level-headed, like the animals of nature we share the earth with.
Here comes the plague ya better plug up every orifice
Prepare for catastrophic damage that is rapidly approaching and take all protective measures.
I got these pains in my head
I am experiencing mental discomfort and distress.
I think these humans and these dogs interbred
Humanity's destructive behavior has consequences for both humans and animals alike.
they bury bones while I'm sleeping
People are continuing to damage the environment even when we are not consciously aware of it.
10,000 naked skeletons, dancing on my ceiling
The damage we have inflicted on the environment haunts and disturbs me deeply.
Contributed by John V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.