Throwing Muses is known for performing music with shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures, and surreal lyrics. The group was set apart from other contemporary acts by Hersh's stark, candid writing style; Donelly's pop stylings and vocal harmonies; and David Narcizo's unusual drumming techniques eschewing use of cymbals. Hallucinatory, febrile songs by Hersh occasionally touched on the subject of mental illness, more often drawing portraits of characters from daily life or addressing relationships.
Donelly left the band in 1991 and was a member of The Breeders and Belly, before starting to perform solo. She also contributed vocals to the Throwing Muses self-titled album in 2003. Hersh has also worked solo, and fronts the power trio 50 Foot Wave (which also includes Muses bassist Bernard Georges). Narcizo works in graphic design and has a musical project Lakuna.
In March 2003, Throwing Muses came back with their eighth album, Throwing Muses, which also saw the return of Tanya Donelly who provided backing vocals on the album. A greatest hits compilation titled Anthology was released in 2011. The band's ninth album, Purgatory / Paradise was released on October 29, 2013 in the UK and November 11 in the US. In early 2014, the band toured a few U.S. cities, with Donelly opening for the East Coast dates.
Limbo
Throwing Muses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nice limbo you have here
Nice field you have on
Baby go back to your womb
Baby go back to your womb
You grow the apples around me
I'll spit the seeds in your grave
Picture this gun
I'm tired of crying
I'm gonna run
I swear you
Move you
To my pores
Mhm, I'm not gonna cry anymore
Dead is next door
Dead is next door
Baby go back to your womb
Baby go back to your womb
You pulled my limbs one by one in your limbo
You pulled my limbs one by one in your limbo
The lyrics of Throwing Muses's "Limbo" depict a surreal and eerie mood, with the repeated refrain of "Nice limbo you have here" hinting at the feeling of being trapped in a strange and unsettling place. The singer seems to be addressing someone who has power over them, perhaps an abusive or controlling person, urging them to go back to their own source of comfort and safety (their womb). The violent imagery of spitting seeds in someone's grave and referencing a gun suggests a level of anger and frustration, with the singer wanting to break free from the situation they are in.
The imagery of "growing apples" and "spitting seeds" seems to play with the idea of creating new life while also acknowledging the inevitability of death. The idea of a "necklace" taking a decade to create suggests the slow pace of time in this limbo-like state, with the singer feeling trapped and unable to move forward. The repeated reference to "Dead is next door" adds to the eerie atmosphere of the song, perhaps alluding to a sense of impending doom.
Overall, "Limbo" is a haunting and unsettling song that explores themes of control, violence, and the feeling of being trapped in a strange and unsettling environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Nice limbo you have here
A sarcastic comment on the oppressive environment that the singer finds themselves in.
Nice field you have on
Another sarcastic comment, suggesting that the environment is highly controlled and not suitable for growth or freedom.
Baby go back to your womb
Urge to escape the confinement and restriction of the current situation, and return to the comfort and safety of the past.
You grow the apples around me
A statement of being surrounded by temptation and danger, especially from those who are supposed to be nurturing and protective.
I'll spit the seeds in your grave
A vow to reject the influence of those who surround and control the artist, and to resist their efforts to manipulate or exploit them.
Bead me a necklace a decade I'll wait
A reference to the painfully slow pace of change or escape from the current situation, with the singer willing to endure hardship and difficulty for a long time in order to achieve freedom.
Picture this gun
A shift towards aggression and a sense of empowerment, with the singer imagining taking control and forcing their way out of their current circumstances.
I'm tired of crying
An expression of frustration and exhaustion at being trapped and oppressed, with tears no longer an effective response.
I'm gonna run
A clear desire to escape the current situation, with the artist acting on their own initiative to find freedom.
I swear you
The artist is resolute in their determination to escape and not be held back, no matter who or what is involved.
Move you
Asserting the right to take control and influence over another person, in order to achieve personal freedom and liberation.
To my pores
A reference to wanting complete and total immersion in the escape process, with every part of the artist's character fully engaged and committed to the cause.
Mhm, I'm not gonna cry anymore
A final statement of determination and resilience, with the singer refusing to be beaten down or defeated by their circumstances.
Dead is next door
A reminder of the danger and oppression that surrounds the singer, and the potential consequences of failure or inaction.
You pulled my limbs one by one in your limbo
A vivid image of being restrained and mutilated by the control and confinement of the situation, with the singer gradually losing power and autonomy.
Lyrics © HEYDAY MEDIA GROUP LLC
Written by: Kristin Hersh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mario Abad Fernández de la Cigoña
I get goosebumps when I hear this song
John Benson
so very,very heavy - I am blown away, LOVE it
rossewidge
Thoroughly amazing album
MobiusBandwidth
one of the best albums ever.
ANDY KING
Pixies, Nirvana and M.C. Hammer can't touch this
Greg Cherry
this fukkin rocks, I'm a convert ..
J Hersh
Jesus!
Wojtek Wojtek
bright yellow limbo:D