The members of Tijuana Panthers -- Chad Wachtel on guitar, Daniel Michicoff on bass, and Phil Shaheen on drums -- first met when they attended the same church camp during their days in junior high; they shared an interest in surfing and skateboarding, and grew to be close friends. Sharing a passion for rock & roll, Wachtel and Shaheen played in a two-man band called the Pencils for a while, and Shaheen and Michicoff were bandmates in a group called the Fancy Lads before the three teamed up for Tijuana Panthers. The band made its recorded debut in 2009 with a 7" single, "Girls Gone Wild" b/w "Creature," and both songs would later appear on the band's debut album, 2010's Max Baker (named for one of Shaheen's neighbors, whose exploits in Mexico also inspired the band's moniker). In the fall of 2012, Innovative Leisure Records released another Tijuana Panthers 7", "Tony's Song" b/w "One Way Ticket" (the latter a cover of a track by power pop icons the Nerves), which was a preview of the band's second album, Semi-Sweet, which arrived in stores in November 2012.
The band toured extensively in support of Semi-Sweet, sharing stages with Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segal, the Reverend Horton Heat, and Jello Biafra, while also appearing at the annual Coachella Festival. In June 2014, Tijuana Panthers dropped album number three, Wayne Interest, via Innovative Leisure, and a little over a year later the band was back with its fourth full-length, Poster. A six-song cassette EP, Ghost Food, was released in 2016, and Innovative Leisure brought out a new edition of Max Baker in 2018. With 2019's Carpet Denim, the group explored less dated and more ambitious melodic frameworks without abandoning their passion for vintage sounds.
Biography by Mark Deming
Creature
Tijuana Panthers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I told my mom and dad just to let me be
A little creature,
(Creature of the night)
Just a creature
(Creature of the night)
I don't work 9 to 5 I work 5 to 9
All the time
It never fails
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
My nights they run into the daylight
My days they don't, don't feel right
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
In Tijuana Panthers' song "Creature", the singer is attempting to come to terms with who they are, knowing that they are different from those around them. They have asked their parents what is wrong with them and they just want to be left alone to be themselves. The repeated use of "creature of the night" highlights their identity and how they feel more comfortable during the night than they do during the day. They do not conform to a typical nine-to-five work schedule, instead, they work from five to nine and spend their nights up and about.
The lyrics suggest that the singer is perhaps a creative individual, as they work at a shop that sells "drops", which could be interpreted as a reference to drugs, but more likely it is some sort of creative or artistic medium. The lyrics also highlight how the singer struggles to fit in during the day, where everyone around them follows the typical societal rules, further emphasizing how they are different from those around them. The lyrics have a nuanced portrayal of someone who is struggling with identity and fitting in while also being confident in their unique traits, making the song a relatable and uplifting anthem for individuals who may feel like outcasts.
Line by Line Meaning
I asked my mom and dad what was wrong with me
I went to my parents to seek their opinion on my identity and my behavior.
I told my mom and dad just to let me be
I urged my parents to avoid interfering in my life choices and the way I choose to live.
A little creature,
I identify myself as a small and insignificant entity with unusual behavioral tendencies.
(Creature of the night)
I associate myself with the characteristics of nocturnal animals who are active during the night.
Just a creature
I emphasize that I am a simple being with peculiar habits and preferences.
I don't work 9 to 5 I work 5 to 9
I have an unconventional work schedule that starts late in the day and continues into the night.
At the shop? drops
All the time
It never fails
I'm just a creature
I spend most of my time at the workshop where I work, often toiling away late into the night. I attribute this obsessive dedication to my idiosyncratic nature.
(Creature of the night)
I reiterate my identification with nocturnal beings, as if it is a vital aspect of my personality.
My nights they run into the daylight
My days they don't, don't feel right
I describe how I work and live atypical hours that lack a clear distinction between night and day. I also express that working during the day feels somehow wrong to me, suggesting that my nature does not fit into mainstream society.
I'm just a creature
I conclude the song with the assertion that I am simply a unique and distinctive individual with a strong sense of identity.
(Creature of the night)
I reiterate that I identify with nocturnal creatures, as if it is a badge of honor that sets me apart from others.
Contributed by Jacob C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jonah Gaspar
I asked my mom and dad what was wrong with me
I told my mom and dad just to let me be
A little creature,
(Creature of the night)
Just a creature
(Creature of the night)
I don't work 9 to 5 I work 5 to 9
At the shop? drops
All the time
It never fails
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
My nights they run into the daylight
My days they don't, don't feel right
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
Samuel Powell
Perfect surf rock music, my music producer friend showed me red headed girl a few years back and since then they have become one of my favorite bands, wonder if they will ever come to England, while I'm here i want to throw my friend some love, he's just released a new single, try searching Lonely Gimmick - All Along the Watchtower, it gives me that ole rock surf vibe and I think he deserves more recognition, he records it all himself on his laptop.
dj
I love that one!!!
Deiver zzzl
Esta banda se merece lo mejor 🖒👏👏
Sara
Love this song💚
dj
Nice band 👍
Jonah Gaspar
I asked my mom and dad what was wrong with me
I told my mom and dad just to let me be
A little creature,
(Creature of the night)
Just a creature
(Creature of the night)
I don't work 9 to 5 I work 5 to 9
At the shop? drops
All the time
It never fails
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
My nights they run into the daylight
My days they don't, don't feel right
I'm just a creature
(Creature of the night)
your mom
This is seriously a copy paste
ISA
Thank u bro, I watch the video from my phone and see the lyrics ^^
kristine reyna
At the shop making the drops?
Rimbaud1854
Pinche rolona ❤️