Allmusic had this to say about the Residents: "Over the course of a recording career spanning several decades, the Residents remained a riddle of Sphinx-like proportions; cloaking their lives and music in a haze of willful obscurity, the band's members never identified themselves by name, always appearing in public in disguise -- usually tuxedos, top hats and giant eyeball masks -- and refusing to grant media interviews. Drawing inspiration from the likes of fellow innovators including Harry Partch, Sun Ra, and Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, the Residents channelled the breadth of American music into their idiosyncratic, satiric vision, their mercurial blend of electronics, distortion, avant-jazz, classical symphonies and gratingly nasal vocals reinterpreting everyone from John Philip Sousa to James Brown while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of theatrical performance and multimedia interaction.
It was commonly accepted that the four-member group emigrated to San Francisco, California from Shreveport, Louisiana at some point in the early '70s. According to longtime group spokesman Jay Clem -- one member of the so-called Cryptic Corporation, the band's representative body -- they received their name when Warner Bros. mailed back their anonymous demo tape, addressed simply "for the attention of residents". Finding no takers for their oddball sounds, the Residents founded their own label, Ralph Records, for the purposes of issuing their 1972 debut "Santa Dog", released in a pressing of 300 copies which were mailed out to luminaries from Frank Zappa to President Richard Nixon. Their debut full-length, 1974's "Meet the Residents", reportedly sold fewer than 50 copies before the group was threatened with a lawsuit from Capitol Records over its cover, a twisted, dada-esque parody of the art to "Meet the Beatles".
The follow-up, 1974's neoclassical excursion "Not Available", was recorded with the intention of its music remaining unissued; locked in cold storage upon its completion, only a 1978 contractual obligation resulted in its eventual release. 1976's "The Third Reich 'N Roll" was the next official offering, a collection of pop oldies covers presented in a controversial jacket portraying Adolf Hitler clutching an enormous carrot. After a 1976 concert in Berkeley, California which cloaked the Residents behind an opaque screen, wrapped up like mummies -- the most famous of only three live performances mounted during their first decade of existence -- they issued an abrasive 1977 cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction", which became an underground hit on both sides of the Atlantic at the peak of the punk movement. As the decade drew to a close, the group released a flurry of recordings, further building upon their growing cult following; among them were 1978's "Duck Stab", 1979's "Eskimo" (purportedly a collection of native Arctic chants) and 1980's "Commercial Album", a compilation of 40 one-minute "pop songs" that aired on San Francisco radio only because the Residents played them during the advertising time they bought.
In 1981 the Residents embarked upon their "Mole Trilogy", a prog rock collection of albums -- 1981's "Mark of the Mole", 1982's "The Tunes of Two Cities" and 1985's "The Big Bubble" -- recounting an epic battle between a pair of tribes named the Moles and the Chubs; a lavish, multimedia tour, "The Mole Show", followed. In the interim, the group also mounted another ambitious project, the "American Composer" series, although only two of the projected titles -- 1984's "George & James" (a reinterpretation of songs by George Gershwin and James Brown) and 1986's "Stars & Hank Forever" (celebrating John Philip Sousa and Hank Williams) -- ever appeared. Instead, in the wake of financial and corporate difficulties which resulted in the creation of a New Ralph label, the Residents issued the one-off "God in Three Persons" (a talking blues outing), and 1989's "The King and Eye" (a reinterpretation of Elvis Presley standards).
After losing control of the Ralph label as well as their back catalog, the Residents regained the rights to their music in 1990 and began reissuing long-out-of-print material as well as the new "Freak Show", a meditation on circus sideshows and carnival dementia. Four years later, Freak Show was reissued as a CD-ROM, marking the group's first leap into the new digital interactive technology; "Have a Bad Day" followed in 1996, and included the soundtrack to the CD-ROM game "Bad Day on the Midway." In 1997, the band celebrated their silver anniversary with the release of the career-spanning overview "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses". "Wormwood: Curious Stories From the Bible" followed the next year, with "Roadworms" (songs from Wormwood as performed in the stage show) being issued in mid-2000. They followed that up with the awesome "Icky Flix" DVD, an incredibly detailed collection of their videos that featured both old and new soundtracks, 5.1 Digital Stereo Surround sound, countless hidden videos and in-depth histories of each individual track. That was followed by another one of their rare tours, which saw them incorporate the DVD into their live act and bring out guest singer Molly Harvey for some truly creative duets. The "Petting Zoo" retrospective followed in the spring of 2002, acting as a budget sampler for new fans and giving old fans something to tide them over while several high concept projects neared completion. The first was "Demons Dance Alone", a complicated pop album that hearkened back to the catchier material from "Duck Stab" and the "Commercial Album". That was followed in 2002 by a live retrospective called "Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town" that contained 3 cd's and a DVD, and a further look at their past via remasters and remixes put out by EuroRalph (including a remix of their previously unreleased and notorious "Warner Brothers Demo"). A DVD of the Demons Dance Alone tour came out in 2004 and another new project, "Animal Lover" was released in 2005."
Summer of 2006 brought the internet download project, The River of Crime: Episodes 1-5. River of Crime was their first project with Warner Music Group's Cordless label. Following the success of "River of Crime", The Residents launched their weekly Timmy video project on YouTube. In 2007 they did the music for the documentary "Strange Culture" and also released a double instrumental album, "Night of the Hunters". On the Fourth of July, 2007, the planned October release of their latest project with Mute Records, The Voice of Midnight (a music theater adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's short story Der Sandmann), was announced on their website.
On the 21st of May 2008 they announced on their website that their first North America tour since "Demons Dance Alone" for a project entitled "The Bunny Boy" is set to begin on October 9th in New York — later an earlier date was added for Santa Cruz. Soon, it was announced that the tour will also include Europe, starting November 13th. On June 3rd, the Residents.com website boasted the planned release of "The Bunny Boy" which was released on September 1st. The website had posted information in which Foxboro claimed this would be a Farewell Tour; it was later revealed that this was nothing more than a mistake by Foxboro.
In October 2017, Hardy Fox identified himself as both the anonymous primary composer and producer for The Residents as well as the pseudonymous Charles Bobuck.
Hardy Fox died on October 30, 2018.
Tent Peg in the Temple
The Residents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm naked too
He's dead and naked
At least I'm, I'm still wearing shoes
Once there was an ugly woman
Who was told to tell the truth
And so she said we needed fighters
Than the metal war machinery
That was used to make us scream
And so we gathered up an army
And that was thin, but then a storm began
And it was really raining
Like some swollen lakes were draining
Into thunderclouds and breaking
As our enemies were waking
They were stuck like legless bugs there
In a mucky mire of mud where
They were stabbed and left to squirm
Like lost and lonely wiggle worms
He's dead and naked
I'm naked too
He's dead and naked
At least I'm still wearing shoes
He's dead and naked
I'm naked too
He's dead and naked
At least I'm still wearing shoes
Cautiously their leader ran
Until he saw me and my hand
Inviting him to come inside
My tent where he could safely hide
He was shivering and wet
And so I said that I would get some clothes
But then his tender eyes
Reached out and made me recognize
This vile and evil enemy
As someone soft and even sweet
Confused, I said he needed rest
But then somehow we were undressed
I said I heard someone outside
And rolled him in a rug and cried
I drove a tent stake in his head
And continued crying as he bled
The lyrics to 'Tent Peg in the Temple' by The Residents are rather cryptic and enigmatic. One possible interpretation is that the song is a surreal narrative about war and its effects on human beings. The first verse seems to suggest that the singer and someone else are both naked, perhaps as a symbol of vulnerability, exposure, or shame. The repetition of the phrase "He's dead and naked" may refer to a dead soldier or a victim of war, while the singer contrasts with him by emphasizing that at least he is still wearing shoes, which could be seen as a practical or social advantage.
The second verse introduces a small story about an ugly woman who speaks the truth and calls for a different kind of warfare, one that is more humane and less destructive. However, when the storm comes, the situation changes, and the enemies of the woman's army become immobilized in a mucky mire of mud, where they are killed or wounded mercilessly. The third verse takes a surprising turn as the leader of the enemies seeks refuge in the singer's tent, prompting a complex and ambiguous interaction between them. The singer seems to experience a mix of fear, pity, attraction, and confusion, as the enemy leader reveals his vulnerability and humanity. However, this moment of intimacy is short-lived and ends tragically, as the singer kills the enemy leader by driving a tent stake in his head.
Overall, the song could be seen as a critique of war and violence, as well as a meditation on the dark aspects of human nature, such as fear, hatred, and lust. The surreal imagery and disjointed narrative create a dreamlike and disturbing atmosphere, which enhances the emotional impact of the lyrics. The Residents' music, characterized by electronic and experimental sounds, adds to the eerie and unsettling mood of the song, making it a memorable and challenging work.
Line by Line Meaning
He's dead and naked
The person being referred to is now without life, and has no clothing.
I'm naked too
The singer is also without clothing.
At least I'm, I'm still wearing shoes
The singer has some clothing remaining, at least shoes.
Once there was an ugly woman
This verse tells the story of an old woman who was asked to speak the truth, and proceeded to tell a story about a battle.
Who was told to tell the truth
A woman, possibly unreliable, was instructed to speak honestly.
And so she said we needed fighters
The woman suggests that the group needs fighters.
Who were mean but mainly lighter
The fighters should be lean and agile, making them better suited to battle.
Than the metal war machinery
The fighters should be lighter than the machines of war.
That was used to make us scream
The machines of war have caused the group to suffer greatly.
And so we gathered up an army
The group assembled an army of fighters.
And that was thin, but then a storm began
The army was small, but then a storm approached.
And it was really raining
The storm was severe, leading to heavy rainfall.
Like some swollen lakes were draining
The downpour was intense, making it sound like entire lakes were draining.
Into thunderclouds and breaking
The clouds are breaking due to the amount of rain.
As our enemies were waking
The enemies of the group were awakening, possibly from sleeping.
They were stuck like legless bugs there
The enemies became bogged down and unable to move, like insects without legs.
In a mucky mire of mud where
The enemies were trapped in muddy, swampy terrain.
They were stabbed and left to squirm
The enemies were attacked and left to suffer and writhe in pain.
Like lost and lonely wiggle worms
The image of the enemies being like worms further emphasizes their helplessness.
Cautiously their leader ran
The leader of the enemies approached the artist with caution.
Until he saw me and my hand
The artist extended a hand, signaling to the leader to come closer.
Inviting him to come inside
The artist invited the enemy leader into their tent.
My tent where he could safely hide
The singer's tent was seen as a safe haven for the leader.
He was shivering and wet
The enemy leader was cold and drenched from the rain.
And so I said that I would get some clothes
The singer offered to get the leader some clothing.
But then his tender eyes
The singer noticed the kindness and affection in the enemy leader's eyes.
Reached out and made me recognize
The look in the enemy leader's eyes made the singer see him as a person, rather than an enemy.
This vile and evil enemy
Despite previous perceptions of the enemy as being terrible and cruel, the artist now sees him in a different light.
As someone soft and even sweet
The enemy leader is now seen as gentle and caring.
Confused, I said he needed rest
The singer is confused by their change of feelings and suggests the leader needs rest.
But then somehow we were undressed
The singer and the enemy leader both end up without clothing for reasons that aren't entirely clear.
I said I heard someone outside
The artist pretends to hear someone outside to justify what happens next.
And rolled him in a rug and cried
The artist wrapped the enemy leader in a rug and began to weep.
I drove a tent stake in his head
The artist killed the enemy leader by driving a stake through his head.
And continued crying as he bled
The singer continued to cry as the enemy leader died.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: HARDY WINFRED FOX, HOMER FLYNN, HOMER III FLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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