Latin rockers Tito and Tarantula are headlined by singer/guitarist Tito Larriva, previously best known for founding the seminal Los Angeles punk band the Plugz. Larriva was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico but spent his early years living outside Fairbanks, AK; his family later relocated to El Paso, TX, where he studied violin and flute as a member of his school orchestra. After high school he flirted with attending Yale University before landing in L.A. during the mid-1970s; there Larriva formed the Plugz, which in 1979 released their debut LP Electrify Me, the first album to emerge from the city's thriving punk scene. Shortly after scoring Alex Cox's 1984 cult classic Repo Man, the Plugz were rechristened the Cruzados, signing to Arista to release a self-titled 1985 LP; After Dark followed two years later, and the group disbanded in 1990. From there Larriva continued writing film music, also turning to acting; with guitarist Peter Atanasoff and a host of other L.A. session vets he eventually formed Tito and Tarantula, which quickly emerged as a major favorite on the local club scene. Among their most vocal supporters was filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who not only enlisted the group to contribute material to his movies Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn but also found small roles for Larriva in both; Rodriguez additionally helped produce 1997's Tarantism, released on the band's own Cockroach label.
Since the release of Andalucia, Tito & Tarantula have made numerous personnel changes, starting with the departure of drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez. Achim Farber was hired in his place, but left the band later on as well. One of the most notable changes, however, was the loss of the band's valuable founding member Peter Atanasoff. Little is known about his departure, but on the band's myspace blog, it says, "...So if ever you find yourself in Switzerland you want to make your way to the Moonwalker and say hello to Peter..." Io Perry quit the band to pursue a solo career, but stayed in business with Larriva by having him produce her first solo album. Along with Atanasoff, Perry, and Hernandez, the band lost multi-instrumentalist Marcus Praed, eventually leaving Larriva and Steven Hufsteter as the only remaining members who had played on the last album. Dominique Davalos (who had played bass on Little Bitch) took over on bass and Rafael Gayol took over on drums. The only members from the previous line-up were Larriva and Hufsteter. With this new "fab four" incarnation, they toured Europe thoroughly. At some point in mid-2007, Davalos left the band, and was replaced by Caroline "Lucy" Rippy. With her, the band has continued to tour its usual areas in western Europe.
In late 2006, the band promised an album out in early 2007 on their myspace blog. In early 2008, the band finally announced the approaching arrival of their next album, titled Back Into The Darkness. The album was released on April 18, 2008.
Discography:
*Tarantism (1997)
*Hungry Sally and other Killer Lullabies (1999)
*Little Bitch (2000)
*Andalucia (2002)
*Back Into The Darkness (2008)
Smiling Karen
Tito & Tarantula Lyrics
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I'M Not Your Daddy Neither
I'M On My Way To
Your Love Side
Oh I Heard The News
And I Scares Me To Think
That I Might Not Have You On
My Chain Again
On Your Street I Could See
Your Virgin Velvet Body Hidin'
I Wanted You For Me
Well I Guess You Fell Apart
In The Sunshine Of Your Life
Well I Came Down Wishing
To Wash Your Feet This Night
I Woulda Fed Ya Soup
Made Of Fables And Cream
I Cried At Your Window
I Thought I Heard Ya Scream
Through Your Weeping Willow
On Your Street I Could See
Your Virgin Velvet Body Hidin'
I Wanted You For Me
Your Makeup Was Smeared
With The Secrets Of Life
Your Worries Are
Rainbows Now
In The Milkyway Light
Through Your Weeping Willow
On Your Street I Could See
Your Virgin Velvet Body Hidin'
I Wanted You For Me
Smiling Karen
Why You Starin'
You'Re Not Sceamin'
You'Re Not Breathin'
Through A Weeping Willow
On Your Street I Could See
Your Velvet Body Hidin'
From Me
The song "Smiling Karen" by Tito & Tarantula tells the story of a man who is on his way to his lover's side after hearing news that scares him. He realizes that he may not have her on his "chain" again and that she might have fallen apart in the sunshine of her life. Despite this, he visits her and would do anything for her, including feeding her soup made of fables and cream. He cries at her window and thinks he hears her scream. Her makeup is smeared with the secrets of life, and her worries have turned into rainbows in the Milkyway light. The man sees Karen through a weeping willow on her street, and he can see her virgin velvet body hiding from him. He wants her for himself but realizes that she is not screaming or breathing; she is just smiling.
The lyrics of the song are haunting and dreamlike, with a sense of foreboding throughout. The man's fear and desperation for his lover are palpable, and the weeping willow adds an eerie touch to the scene. The use of imagery, such as the soup made of fables and cream and the smeared makeup, adds to the surreal atmosphere of the song. The implication that Karen may have fallen apart in the sunshine of her life suggests that she may have experienced some trauma or pain, adding another layer of complexity to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not your hero
I am not the one to save you from your troubles
I'm not your daddy neither
I am not the one to guide and protect you like a father figure would
I'm on my way to your love side
I am striving to win your love and be with you
Oh I heard the news
I have learned something, perhaps about you
And it scares me to think
This news instills fear in me
That I might not have you on my chain again
I may lose my hold over you or the power to control you
Through your weeping willow on your street I could see
From a distance, I observed you hiding behind a tree on your street
Your virgin velvet body hidin', I wanted you for me
I desired to have you for myself and your physical appearance was alluring
Well I guess you fell apart in the sunshine of your life
You experienced a downfall or disappointment during a prosperous time in your life
Well I came down wishing to wash your feet this night
I came to comfort and care for you, perhaps even symbolically wash away your troubles
I woulda fed ya soup made of fables and cream
I would have provided you with a comforting, imaginary meal
I cried at your window, I thought I heard ya scream
I wept outside your window, thinking I heard you in distress
Your makeup was smeared with the secrets of life
Your appearance was marred with signs of your struggles and strife
Your worries are rainbows now in the milkyway light
Your troubles seem lighter and insignificant now, perhaps due to the perspective of time or a change in mindset
Smiling Karen, why you starin'
I address someone named Karen who is smiling but looking intently
You're not screamin', you're not breathin'
Karen is not expressing any distress or intense emotions
Through a weeping willow on your street I could see
Like before, I observe Karen hiding behind a tree on her street
Your velvet body hidin' from me
Karen's physical appearance is still alluring, but she is keeping herself from me
I wanted you for me
I still desire to have Karen for myself
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.