The band formed in 1989. Toadies officially disbanded in 2001, although they had farewell concerts in 2002. The band reformed for a reunion show on March 11, 2006, headlining the Greenville Ave St. Patrick's Day parade concert.
Toadies toured extensively throughout the 1990s, opening for such artists as Red Hot Chili Peppers, White Zombie, Bush, and The Butthole Surfers. They also headlined and co-headlined tours with acts such as Brutal Juice, Baboon, Supersuckers, and The Reverend Horton Heat.
The primary reason for the breakup of the band was that Lisa Umbarger simply did not want to be a part of it anymore, and bandleader Todd Lewis felt that the band could not continue without her.
Since disbanding, members of the band have gone on to other projects. Todd Lewis is now in The Burden Brothers and Mark Reznicek is now in Eleven Hundred Springs.
Toadies reunited for 4 shows in Texas in March 2007. They played one show in Dallas, one in Houston, and two shows in Austin at Stubb's BBQ. All of the shows sold out shortly after they went onsale.
Toadies reunited for good in 2008, releasing their new album, "No Deliverance" on August 15th 2008.
In June 2010 it was announced that Feeler, the follow-up album to Rubberneck that was shelved by Interscope, would finally be seeing a release. Todd Lewis was quoted as saying: "Since there are unfinished versions floating around on the Internet, it is important to us that people hear it as we meant it to be." The album was released on July 20, 2010
Heel
Toadies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet lips are black, black, black, black
You walk, I linger
Little sticks stagger and fall
Heel, heel
Heel, heel
This time you really were bad, bad, bad, bad
I will show you some discipline
Yes, you will learn some respect, respect, respect
Heel, heel
Heel, heel, yeah
God, I love you
You're so pretty
Love you, love you
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Heel, heel
Heel, heel
Heel, heel
Heel, heel, yeah
God, I love you
You're so pretty
Love you, love you
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty
The song "Heel" by the Toadies is a dark and twisted love song that portrays a controlling and abusive relationship between two people. The lyrics are written in a way that makes the listener feel uncomfortable and uneasy about the situation. The song starts with the lines "Long neck, short leash, sweet lips are black, black, black, black". This could be interpreted as the singer controlling and possessing their lover, with the "sweet lips" being a metaphor for the lover's voice being silenced. The next lines "You walk, I linger, little sticks stagger and fall" suggest that the lover is being tugged along on a short leash, while the singer takes their time walking. The "little sticks stagger and fall" could be interpreted as obstacles in the way of the singer's path, that the lover is too weak to help them overcome.
The chorus of the song is simply the word "Heel" repeated multiple times. This could be interpreted in a number of ways. Firstly, it could be the singer telling the lover to "heel" like a dog, reinforcing their power and control over them. Alternatively, it could be the singer reminding themselves to stay in control and submissive to their lover's every need. The next verse continues the theme of control and punishment, with the lines "You're cryin', well listen, this time you really were bad, bad, bad, bad, I will show you some discipline, yes, you will learn some respect, respect, respect". The singer is punishing their lover for some perceived wrong, and making it clear that they must behave in a certain way in order to earn their respect.
The final verse of the song reinforces the sickening and twisted nature of the relationship, with the lines "God, I love you, you're so pretty, love you, love you, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty". The singer is expressing their love, but it's clear that it's conditional on the lover being submissive and obedient. The repeated use of "pretty" suggests that the singer sees the lover as an object, rather than a person with their own agency.
Overall, the song "Heel" by the Toadies is a disturbing and uncomfortable portrayal of an abusive relationship. The lyrics are dark and twisted, and the repeated use of the word "Heel" throughout the song serves as a constant reminder of the power dynamics at play.
Line by Line Meaning
Long neck, short leash
I have control over you and you have limited freedom.
Sweet lips are black, black, black, black
You may look innocent, but your actions are dark and malevolent.
You walk, I linger
You try to leave, but I stick around to keep you in check.
Little sticks stagger and fall
You are weak and easily swayed by my influence.
Heel, heel
I am commanding you as if you were a dog to follow my orders.
You're cryin', well listen
I don't care about your tears, but you will listen to my words.
This time you really were bad, bad, bad, bad
You have crossed a line that you should not have and must be punished.
I will show you some discipline
I will make you pay for your mistakes through punishment.
Yes, you will learn some respect, respect, respect
You will learn to respect me and my authority over you.
God, I love you
I am twisted and deluded enough to think that my abuse towards you is love.
You're so pretty
I am attracted to your physical appearance and use it as a justification for my abusive behavior.
Love you, love you
I really cannot express enough how infatuated I am with you, despite my abusive tendencies.
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Your beauty is what keeps me hooked on controlling you, despite how I treat you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRIS VOGELER, LISA RENE UMBARGER, MARK G. REZNICEK, TODD LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind