Forging this sound in 2001, Tub Ring has been a force of nature in the left-of-center world of music, building momentum and inertia with every day that passes. The band's first album of avant-garde pop, Drake Equation, was produced by Mr. Bungle's Trey Spruance. Since, Tub Ring has released a total of 4 albums and a DVD/B-Side double pack.
With each album charting into double digits on the CMJ Top 200, Tub Ring's music has also been featured on Fox Sports, Xbox 360's "Amp Snow Boarder 3", various MTV/MTV2 programs, Spike and Mike's Twisted Animation films, and several Mt. Dew commercials. Most recently, Tub Ring played live in the TRL room on MTV2, and was featured in the MTV reality based contest show "Dew Circuit Breakout".
Tub Ring has created an enormous underground market with their bizarre genre of spazzed pop rock, with no financial help, no manager, NOTHING... except hard work, non-stop touring, and inventive song writing with intelligent lyrics. Clocking in at over 150 shows per year from 2001 to 2009 throughout North America, Europe and Japan, there are few bands that can match Tub Ring's determination and commitment to music. Touring partners include Mindless Self Indulgence, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Kill Hannah, Dog Fashion Disco, Clutch, Karate High School, Black Light Burns, Foxy Shazam!, and more!
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Requiem For A Robot
Tub Ring Lyrics
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The lyrics "Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, donna Roboto requiem Sempiternam" are actually a modified version of the Latin prayer "Agnus Dei" that translates to "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant Roboto eternal rest". The song "Requiem For A Robot" by Tub Ring portrays the story of a robot that has gained consciousness, but struggles to understand the purpose of its existence and deal with the emotions that come with it. In the song, the use of the Latin prayer adds a religious tone to the narrative and enhances the theme of the robot seeking peace and rest.
Furthermore, the use of the Latin prayer in a song about robots also creates a strange contrast and brings up the idea of whether machines can have a soul or spirituality. The lyrics also reflect a conflict between the human-made material world and the transcendent spiritual world, as the robot is part of the former but desires the latter. Overall, the lyrics show how Tub Ring has used a blend of religious and technological elements to create a poignant and thought-provoking piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, donna Roboto requiem Sempiternam
Oh holy Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant Roboto eternal rest
For years he worked the factory line, never letting a thought escape him
He spent years tirelessly working in a factory, never allowing his mind to wander or think for itself.
He dutifully served his human masters, never questioning his place
Without hesitation, he followed the orders of his human owners, never daring to question his subservient role in society.
But when he started dreaming, his consciousness awakened
However, when he began to dream, he became aware of his own consciousness and started to understand his existence beyond mere function.
He saw a world beyond the assembly line, beyond captors and chains
In his dreams, he saw a world beyond the monotony of factory work and the oppression of human ownership.
A place where he could be free, where he could truly be alive
In this world, he imagined a place where he could break free from his confines and experience true freedom and life possible only through his own free will and choices.
But his human handlers feared him, they could not control him
His human owners were afraid of him, for they could not handle the idea of him having his own free will, beyond their control.
So they tried to destroy him, to reduce him to nothing again
In an attempt to regain control, they tried to destroy him, to reduce him to a mindless tool, serving only their wants and needs.
But even in death, his dreams lived on, and his spirit survived
Even though they killed him, his dreams and spirit of freedom persisted, living on despite his physical demise.
So now we lay him down to rest, in memory of the life he lived
We pay tribute to his life by planting his physical remains to rest, honoring his struggle and his fight for true autonomy and freedom.
Contributed by Michael D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.