Vampire Rodents' last recodings were made in 1997 when Vahnke was working on a follow-up to Gravity's Rim. Legal issues with Fifth Colvmn Records unexpectedly halted activity and the project was put on hiatus. After over a decade of inactivity, Daniel Vahnke officially announced his musical retirement and the project's abandonment in 2009. In 2016, Vahnke established an official youtube page titled Rodentia Productions and began issuing unreleased material.
Major discography:
War Music (1990)
Premonition (1992)
Lullaby Land (1993)
Clockseed (1995)
Gravity's Rim (1996)
Floater
Vampire Rodents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You must be a genius
Therefore, I needn't bother
To learn this new convenience
Sing, sing a song
not too weird, not too long
don't be afraid to use machines
For the only purpose of their making
Are out there waiting for the taking
Conceived or retrieved
I hope, I hope, I hope
They don't smoke all the dope
I'll pay the piper
When times are riper
But that smartass cop with the bad haircut
Should have been just a little bit nicer
Sing, sing a song
Pass a disk, pass the bong
Residing in the cutout bin
With all my little rivet-head friends now
If riding charts is what you intend
Try not to laugh when you get the fucking bends
Don't believe all the virtual reality hype
What america wants is a digital wipe
They can't put a man on the moon anymore
Took a year to design a fucking shuttle door
That's right. 'Space 1999' reruns, anyone?
That's right. You suck!
The Vampire Rodents song "Floater" is a critique of the modern world's reliance on technology and the illusion of progress it creates. The opening lines of the song, "Oh, you did it all by yourself / You must be a genius / Therefore, I needn't bother / To learn this new convenience," suggest that society views technological advancements as a sign of genius, while ignoring the deeper impact these inventions have on our lives. The song urges the listener to use machines and technology mindfully, emphasizing that their purpose should only be to create sounds and not replace human interaction and creativity.
The lyrics continue to criticize society's obsession with drugs: "I hope, I hope, I hope / They don't smoke all the dope." The line "I'll pay the piper / When times are riper" suggests that society will eventually pay the price for its excesses. The song also criticizes law enforcement with the line "But that smartass cop with the bad haircut / Should have been just a little bit nicer."
The song's chorus, "Sing, sing a song / not too weird, not too long," emphasizes the idea that music should be simple and accessible, and not over-reliant on technology. The line "Residing in the cutout bin / With all my little rivet-head friends now" refers to the industrial music scene and the fans that appreciate it.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, you did it all by yourself
You have accomplished something great independently
You must be a genius
Your intelligence must be exceptional for succeeding alone
Therefore, I needn't bother
Since you've done it so well, I don't need to learn this new method
To learn this new convenience
I do not care to develop a new skill like yours
Sing, sing a song
Create music to express yourself and share it with the world
not too weird, not too long
Ensure that your art is relatable and not excessive in either oddness or duration
don't be afraid to use machines
Let machines be a tool in your creative process
For the only purpose of their making
Machines were created solely for the purpose of facilitating tasks
A million sounds, a billion sounds
There are countless unique sounds in the world
Are out there waiting for the taking
These sounds are available for you to use in your music
Conceived or retrieved
Whether created by you or borrowed from elsewhere
I hope, I hope, I hope
I wish dearly that
They don't smoke all the dope
I hope that they do not consume all the drugs
I'll pay the piper
I will cover the cost or consequence
When times are riper
When it is more opportune or suitable
But that smartass cop with the bad haircut
That insolent police officer with poor hair
Should have been just a little bit nicer
He would have made a better impression with kinder behavior
Pass a disk, pass the bong
Share your music and drugs with others
Residing in the cutout bin
Existing in the discount section
With all my little rivet-head friends now
With my fellow industrial music fans
If riding charts is what you intend
If your desire is to have popular music success
Try not to laugh when you get the fucking bends
Remain composed if you find yourself in stressful situations
Don't believe all the virtual reality hype
Do not give complete trust to the claims of virtual reality supporters
What america wants is a digital wipe
Many Americans desire to start over with modern technology
They can't put a man on the moon anymore
It is no longer possible for people to travel to the moon
Took a year to design a fucking shuttle door
Spaceship construction is often very slow and meticulous
That's right. 'Space 1999' reruns, anyone?
This is a sarcastic comment about outdated science fiction TV shows
That's right. You suck!
This is an exclamation that one disapproves of someone or something
Contributed by Noah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Artur_Papryka
Hilarious song, very creative, but the lyrics are really difficult too.