Originally getting together as The Ragamuffins in 1965, they changed their name the next year. Their debut album, (Turn On) The Music Machine, was released in 1966 on the Original Sound label. Seven of the 12 tracks were originals, written by vocalist Sean Bonniwell.
One of the songs, Talk Talk, recorded at RCA studios on July 30, 1966, became a Top 20 hit in the U.S. The track is the ultimate spew of garage angst, its tortuous chord changes complemented by pounding electric keyboards, snaky Asiatic guitar, and Bonniwell's unforgettable guttural howl. It was the Los Angeles band's only high-charting 45, but from '66 to the end of the decade, they released much fine garage-psychedelia, with Bonniwell's tormented visions, hard rock melodic hooks, and alternately gravely/crooning vocals to the fore.
The follow-up single, "The People In Me," peaked at #66. Bonniwell blamed the weak showing on a supposed feud between the band's manager and a top record executive. Four cover songs were included on this release, due to record company pressure.
After a promotional tour of the U.S., the rest of the original lineup, which included Ron Edgar (drums), Mark Landon (guitar), Keith Olsen (bass) and Doug Rhodes (organ), left Bonniwell due to internal conflicts. In 1967, The Music Machine (essentially only Bonniwell at this point) was signed to Warner Bros. and renamed The Bonniwell Music Machine. A self-titled LP was released that year, made up mostly of previously recorded songs with the original lineup. The recording spawned no big hits, despite the inclusion of a few more pop-oriented songs.
A third album was recorded but never released. In 2000, a Bonniwell Music Machine album called "Ignition" was released on Sundazed Records. This is a collection of songs from the unreleased 1969 album, as well as demo tracks from the band's Raggamuffin days in 1965.
In 2000, Bonniwell wrote about his life and The Music Machine in a biography called "Beyond The Garage," published by the small press publisher Christian Vision.
Trouble
The Music Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A spider web is tangled up with me
And I lost my head
And thought of all the stupid things I'd said
Oh no what's this
A spider web and I'm caught in the middle
So I turn to run
And I, I never meant to cause you trouble
And I, I never meant to do you wrong
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble
And oh no, I never meant to do you harm
Oh no, I see
A spider web and it's me in the middle
So I twist and turn
But here am I in my little bubble
Singing that I, I never meant to cause you trouble
And I, I never meant to do you wrong
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble
And oh no, I never meant to do you harm
They spun a web for me
They spun a web for me
They spun a web for me
The Music Machine’s “Trouble” is a song about being trapped and ensnared in situations that we never intended to be in. The lyrics are quite simple and straightforward, but they carry a lot of meaning. The opening lines of the song are “Oh no, I see, a spider web is tangled up with me, and I lost my head, and thought of all the stupid things I’d said.” In this verse, the spider web is a symbol for the sticky situations we find ourselves in. We become tangled up and trapped, unable to escape. The singer has lost his head and is plagued with regrets about the things he’s said that have led him to this predicament.
The second verse goes, “Oh no, what’s this, a spider web and I’m caught in the middle, so I turn to run, and thought of all the stupid things I’d done.” Here, the singer realizes that he’s stuck in the web and tries to escape, but it’s too late. He can only think of the mistakes he’s made that have led him to this point. The chorus is a repeated refrain of “I never meant to cause you trouble, and I never meant to do you wrong, and if I ever caused you trouble, oh no, I never meant to do you harm.” The singer is apologizing for any harm he’s caused but emphasizes that it was never his intention.
The final verse goes, “Oh no, I see, a spider web and it’s me in the middle, so I twist and turn, but here am I in my little bubble, singing that I never meant to cause you trouble, and I never meant to do you wrong, and if I ever caused you trouble, oh no, I never meant to do you harm.” Here, the singer is resigned to his fate and accepts that he’s trapped in his own bubble. He continues to apologize for any harm he’s caused but is unable to change his situation.
Overall, “Trouble” is a song that speaks to the powerlessness we feel in many situations. It’s a reminder that even if we never intended to cause harm, our actions can have unforeseen consequences that lead to us being trapped in sticky, difficult situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh no, I see
The singer realizes a negative reality
A spider web is tangled up with me
The singer is stuck in a sticky situation
And I lost my head
The singer panicked
And thought of all the stupid things I'd said
The artist reflects on past mistakes
Oh no what's this
The artist discovers another negative situation
A spider web and I'm caught in the middle
The singer is once again stuck in sticky situation
So I turn to run
The singer tries to escape
And thought of all the stupid things I'd done
The artist once again reflects on past mistakes
And I, I never meant to cause you trouble
The artist didn't intend to cause harm
And I, I never meant to do you wrong
The artist didn't intend to hurt or betray
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble
The singer acknowledges a possibility of harm being caused, even if unintentional
And oh no, I never meant to do you harm
The artist reiterates an absence of harmful intent
Oh no, I see
The singer once again encounters a negative situation
A spider web and it's me in the middle
The singer is still in a sticky situation
So I twist and turn
The singer tries to escape
But here am I in my little bubble
The artist remains stuck in place, isolated from the world
Singing that I, I never meant to cause you trouble
The artist repeats their intent to avoid causing harm
And I, I never meant to do you wrong
The singer repeats their intent to avoid betraying or hurting
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble
The singer acknowledges a possibility of harm being caused, even if unintentional
And oh no, I never meant to do you harm
The artist reiterates an absence of harmful intent
They spun a web for me
The artist blames someone else for their predicament
They spun a web for me
The artist repeats the above line, emphasizing their victimization
Writer(s): SEAN BONNIWELL
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shelleyganz9095
THEIR BEST!! AMAZING FUZZ RIFF....Thank You, Mark Landon!!! Great Tune!!
@murph6163
Great song and love the sound of the fuzz. My little ones were telling me (while playing this in the car) that a swarm of bees were armed with guitars.
@cumomsandcureloms
that would be buzz bass haha
@VomitPinata
Perfect!
@Grungebaby82
the hives used this riff in B is for Brutus. The Music Machine is one of the greatest secrets in the annals of rock history
@debrafaux6026
this is my absolute all time favourite song EVER! Perfection!
@denaeads1369
Debra Land new favorite band
@shelleyganz9095
Great Garage Choice!! FUZZ-TASTIC!!
@charlesrlassiter
I used to blast the hell out of this song (Trouble) when I worked as a lifeguard at camp. SUPER-SEPARATED with the heavy fuzz. Just outta-sight, man!!
@happenstanceman
Righteous! I swear I have never heard the words 'ascertain' and 'interim' in any song. And in a snot-nosed proto-punk tune. Classic.