The band released their self-titled first album in March 1995 via PopLlama Records. After they garnered massive acclaim, Columbia Records quickly signed them. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and has shipped over three million copies. The RIAA has certified it as triple platinum. Songs "Peaches", "Kitty", "Lump", and "Dune Buggy" received major airplay.
Their 1996 follow-up album, "II", did not reach the same acclaim, though it reached the top forty on the Billboard 2000. Single "Mach 5" also garnered some airplay. The band then fell of the radar for many listeners, dropped by their major label. However, their albums of the new millennium, 'Freaked Out and Small' followed by 'Love Everybody' and 'These Are the Good Times People' (released in 2000, 2004, and 2008, respectively), picked up positive critical reviews, such as from the All Music Guide. Although their touring schedule became more sporadic into the 00s and 10s, they continue to perform and satisfy audiences with their off-beat humor and catchy hooks.
Twig
The Presidents of the United States of America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Transcendental big wheel can you feel it
Chickey face down trippin' so damn hard
Head splits open stuffin' spills into the car
Cup of dirty water and a lonely bony frog
Slip me seven dollars and I'll pump it full of smog
Paint a monkey gold and let it lose downtown
Start him up with a smile and he come back with a frown
Twig in the wind
I'm thick and I'm thin and all right
Happy feelin' crappy in your nappy little car
Squozen frozen duplicated drunk in a bar
Tape recorded all distorted genius machine
Spokes model dipped in refried beans
Piggys pay full price to put their necks on the stump
Dusty busted skeletons who pay at the pump
Multi nippled rotating D.J. sap
I'm shoulder high in crap and my water wings are flat
Twig in the wind
I'm thick and I'm thin and all right
The lyrics of The Presidents of the United States of America's song Twig is a jumbled collection of nonsensical phrases that may take a bit of effort to decipher, but the essence of the song is clear - it's a critique of modern consumer culture and societal norms. The song mocks the superficiality and absurdity of daily life and the things that people value, as well as the negative impact of industrialization.
For instance, the line "Some weepy creepy willow pillow boggy sh*t" seems to be describing something unpleasant and unimportant that people give undue attention to, while "Transcendental big wheel can you feel it" refers to the idea of some sort of higher consciousness, but it's being conflated with a big wheel toy. The line about painting a monkey gold and letting it loose downtown is a reference to the way society values appearance over substance, while “multi-nippled rotating D.J. sap” is an obscure reference to what appears to be a cow-milking machine.
Through absurdity, joking language and puns, Twig is a commentary on the ridiculousness of consumer society.
Line by Line Meaning
Some weepy creepy willow pillow boggy shit
Referring to a place or situation that is unpleasant and swampy.
Transcendental big wheel can you feel it
Asking if the listener can sense the profound, spiritual energy around them.
Chickey face down trippin' so damn hard
Someone is falling with force and struggling to get up.
Head splits open stuffin' spills into the car
A violent scene where someone's head has split open and their insides are spilling out into a car.
Cup of dirty water and a lonely bony frog
Describing an object, a cup of dirty water, and an animal, a lonely bony frog.
Slip me seven dollars and I'll pump it full of smog
An offer to pollute the air in exchange for money.
Paint a monkey gold and let it lose downtown
Transformation of an animal that might bring positive attention in the city.
Start him up with a smile and he come back with a frown
Even if things look good at first, they can quickly go bad.
Twig in the wind
Feeling unsettled in a situation that is constantly changing.
I'm thick and I'm thin and all right
Confidence that the singer can handle whatever comes their way.
Happy feelin' crappy in your nappy little car
Finding joy in a situation that is otherwise unpleasant.
Squozen frozen duplicated drunk in a bar
Describing a state of being that is compressed, stuck, and disoriented.
Tape recorded all distorted genius machine
A machine that produces brilliant but garbled output.
Spokes model dipped in refried beans
A model who has been used and discarded in favor of something less attractive but more efficient.
Piggys pay full price to put their necks on the stump
Rich people are willing to pay a lot for something dangerous.
Dusty busted skeletons who pay at the pump
Describing a group of people who are old, beat-up, and struggling to afford gas.
Multi nippled rotating D.J. sap
A description of an unusual, unidentifiable, and seemingly useless object or creature.
I'm shoulder high in crap and my water wings are flat
Feeling overwhelmed, unprepared, and stuck in a situation that is less than ideal.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER WELDON BALLEW, DAVID MICHAEL DEDERER, JASON S FINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind