They received critical and popular acclaim internationally. They first came to notice in the UK when BBC radio DJ John Peel played "Birthday", later voted by his listeners as no.1 in the 1987 Festive Fifty, and no. 23 in the Millennium (All Time Chart). The band's music was characterized by psychedelic sound, whimsical yet heartfelt lyrics, and the imploring, girlish voice of Björk Guðmundsdóttir, who later went on to great success as a solo artist. The band's name was assumed by its fans to be an LSD usage reference; the drug had regained widespread popularity while the band was releasing music.
The Sugarcubes released their first album, Life’s Too Good, in April 1988. Inspired by the success of the album in Europe, their second album followed shortly after in October 1989. Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! took it’s name from the Kenneth Grahame novel Wind in the Willows. It was also released in an Icelandic version titled Illur Arfur. The second album wasn’t as well received by critics as their debut.
The third and final studio album by the band, Stick Around For Joy, was released in 1992, and featured the successful single Hit which reached No: 17 in the UK charts.
While not as successful as Björk's solo career would be, the band is still very highly regarded and was the most influential Icelandic group until the rise of Sigur Rós.
The Sugarcubes dissolved in 1992 as different members of the band had realised they all had different ambitions; instead of risking their friendship, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. They remain friends to this day and are all still involved in the management of Smekkleysa/Bad Taste (not to be confused with the Swedish label of the same name).
On November 17 2006, the band had a one-off reunion concert at Laugardalshöll sport arena in Reykjavík, Iceland, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut single with all profits going to the non-profit Smekkleysa SM to promote Icelandic music. They were supported by fellow Icelandic groups múm and Rass. Despite this reunion, the group has expressed that it has no intention to play future shows or record new material.
Bandmembers:
* Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards)
* Einar Örn Benediktsson (vocals, trumpet)
* Sigtryggur Baldursson (drums)
* Þór Eldon (guitar)
* Bragi Ólafsson (bass)
* Margrét (Magga) Örnólfsdóttir (keyboards) - 1989+.
* Einar Melax (keyboards) - 1987-89
Tidal Wave
The Sugarcubes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something is simmering and boiling inside me
If I ignore it and squeeze out laughter
I charge up with a typhoon, hurricanes and storms
Einar
I just need the diesel, I just find the smell,
I just sniff it and I can feel the harbour just close by,
Björk
Theres danger, danger!
A tide with an undertow, the sea is swelling
Impatience makes me foam
A wave inside me forces out big words
They splash and sprinkle
An angry torrent breaking loose, a flush or rushing joy
Einar
The diesel, just makes me feel,
It just fills my veins
I don't know why
it just does
The diesel is so....
Björk
It shouldn't gush out
Einar
It just fills me up
Björk
Don't want it to be fussy
Einar
I can't have a cigarette
Björk
It shouldn't gush out
Einar
It just fills me up
if i have a cigarette, it would make me go boom!
Björk
And I can't help it, I'm exploding again
I'm calling weather stationNnomad
And satellite Nimbus
It's a blizzard inside me, a bomb ticking!
This is the tidal wave
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
Here comes the tidal wave, ho-ho!
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
This is the tidal wave
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
Here comes the tidal wave.
Einar
The diesel is so nice
The Sugarcubes's song Tidal Wave is an intense and evocative exploration of the human experience of feeling overwhelmed and explosive. The lyrics are filled with imagery of nature, particularly the power of water in the form of storms, hurricanes, and tidal waves. The barometer falling is a metaphor for the singer's internal state - they feel the pressure building within them to the point where they might explode. The repeated phrase about the smell of diesel and how it fills Einar up is a metaphor for addiction, specifically as it relates to dangerous or risky behavior.
Throughout the song, Björk and Einar both express a sense of danger and urgency in their delivery. They talk about calling weather stations and satellites, and the overall sense is one of being caught up in a force greater than themselves. The song also highlights the unpredictability of nature and human emotion, with metaphors linking the power of storms and tidal waves to the singer's emotional landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
The barometer is falling down, I feel so sultry
I can sense a change in the air, and it's making me feel hot and restless
Something is simmering and boiling inside me
There's a strong emotion building up within me and it's getting more intense
If I ignore it and squeeze out laughter
If I try to ignore the feeling by putting on a happy demeanor
I charge up with a typhoon, hurricanes and storms
The suppressed emotion grows stronger until it's unleashed like a powerful natural disaster
I just need the diesel, I just find the smell,
I have an intense craving for a specific scent, like the smell of diesel fuel
I just sniff it and I can feel the harbour just close by,
The scent triggers a vivid memory of being near a harbor or port
I just try to sniff the diesel but I can't, I just can't get enough,
I'm addicted to the scent and can't stop seeking it out
Theres danger, danger!
I know this behavior is risky and could lead to harm
A tide with an undertow, the sea is swelling
An analogy for the intense emotions building up inside
Impatience makes me foam
My eagerness to act or release my emotions is bubbling up
A wave inside me forces out big words
The emotions I'm feeling are so strong that they're making me speak out loudly and passionately
They splash and sprinkle
My words and emotions are like water being thrown around or sprinkled out
An angry torrent breaking loose, a flush or rushing joy
More imagery of intense and powerful emotions being released
It just fills my veins
The craving for the scent of diesel is so strong that it feels like it's entering my bloodstream
I don't know why it just does
I don't fully understand my own addiction to this scent
It shouldn't gush out
I know that my emotions and actions shouldn't erupt in an uncontrolled way
I can't have a cigarette
Another source of craving or addiction that I have to resist
And I can't help it, I'm exploding again
Despite my efforts to control myself, I know that I might lose control anyway
I'm calling weather stationNnomad And satellite Nimbus
More figurative language describing my inner turmoil as a chaotic storm
It's a blizzard inside me, a bomb ticking!
The intensity of my emotions is escalating to dangerous levels
This is the tidal wave
My overwhelming emotions are like a massive wave that's about to crash down
Here comes the tidal wave, ho-ho!
I'm anticipating the explosive release of my emotions with nervous excitement
The diesel is so nice
Despite the risks, I still find the scent of diesel pleasant and addictive
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bj�rk Gudmundsdottir, Bragi Olafsson, Einar Benediktsson, Margret Oernolfsdottir, Sigtryggur Baldursson, Thor Eldon Jonsson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Primera Calle de la Soledad
The barometer is falling down, I feel so sultry
Something is simmering and boiling inside me
If I ignore it and squeeze out laughter
I charge up with a typhoon, hurricanes and storms
Einar
I just need the diesel, I just find the smell,
I just sniff it and I can feel the harbour just close by,
I just try to sniff the diesel but I can't, I just can't get enough,
Björk
Theres danger, danger!
A tide with an undertow, the sea is swelling
Impatience makes me foam
A wave inside me forces out big words
They splash and sprinkle
An angry torrent breaking loose, a flush or rushing joy
Einar
The diesel, just makes me feel,
It just fills my veins
I don't know why
it just does
The diesel is so....
Björk
It shouldn't gush out
Einar
It just fills me up
Björk
Don't want it to be fussy
Einar
I can't have a cigarette
Björk
It shouldn't gush out
Einar
It just fills me up
if i have a cigarette, it would make me go boom!
Björk
And I can't help it, I'm exploding again
I'm calling weather stationNnomad
And satellite Nimbus
It's a blizzard inside me, a bomb ticking!
This is the tidal wave
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
Here comes the tidal wave, ho-ho!
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
This is the tidal wave
Einar
The diesel!
Björk
Here comes the tidal wave.
Einar
The diesel is so nice
Marinetta Arjona
I adore this one of the Sugarcubes!
Jonathan LeBlanc
It's too bad there's someone in Bjork's way here...
sadetwizelve
I HATE that guys voice,he made the band annoying