1) An Irish rock ban… Read Full Bio ↴Whipping Boy could refer to two different acts:
1) An Irish rock band who were active in the 1990s. They came to public attention with the critically acclaimed Heartworm album. They had been together a number of years at this stage, and had already released a low-key debut, Submarine. Despite its critical acclaim, Heartworm sold poorly and the band was subsequently dropped from their label, Columbia Records. They released a self-financed, self-titled follow up album, which again got huge critical acclaim. However, without the backing of a major record company the record once again flopped. The band had already grown disheartened with their experience and had broken up in 1998, 3 years before they could afford to release their final album. Despite little commercial success, Whipping Boy frequently appear in "best album" and "best band" polls in their native Ireland, and have gained celebrity fans such as Billy Corgan and Lou Reed (who said if the band's single We Don't Need Nobody Else isn't a huge hit, he knows nothing about music).
Whipping Boy consisted of members:
* Colm Hassett (drums)
* Myles McDonnell (bass guitar)
* Fearghal McKee (vocals)
* Paul Page (guitar)
The band reformed in September 2005 announcing 2 Irish dates around Christmas, and the possibility of recording another album.
2) A hardcore punk band from Palo Alto, California. The band was created in 1982, made up of students from Stanford University. Their sound featured lightning-fast melodies, tight, chunky rhythms, and violently incoherent vocals. They espoused a radically anti-government view that caught the attention of Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra and led to his support. Their first LP, "The Sound of No Hands Clapping" was produced by DK's Bassist, Klaus Fluoride. The band enjoyed moderate success, and a national tour in 1983 was capped by the release of the psychedelic "MuruMuru" in 1983. This abrupt change in style was not welcomed by Whipping Boy's fanbase, and after several personnel changes and the release of another record, "The Third Secret of Fatima," the band broke up in 1986. Incendiary frontman Eugene Robinson is now in the experimental rock band Oxbow.
SAFARI
Whipping Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suffocate in this big black city
I don't know, I don't know
On my cross I've got this sacred feeling
Talking sweet and I'm all done
I don't know, I don't know
We find a river
We ride
Face to face and I know you need it
I don't know, I don't know
You change you skin just like the weather
You're nothing more and you know you'll never
I don't know, I don't know
We finde a river
We ride
The lyrics of Whipping Boy's song Safari seem to evoke a sense of confusion and uncertainty in the listener. The opening line, "Take a ride on a Day-Glo dreamer" could imply the idea of taking a journey through a colorful dream-like state or possibly referring to drug use. The following line "Suffocate in this big black city" could describe a sense of feeling trapped or overwhelmed in the hustle and bustle of city life, almost like a feeling of suffocation.
The repeated phrase "I don't know, I don't know" could suggest a feeling of ambiguity and uncertainty in their surroundings. The lines "On my cross I've got this sacred feeling" and "Heard a song like a scream in a secret" could possibly hint towards religion or spirituality, as though the singer is searching for something meaningful in life but is struggling to find it. The line "You change your skin just like the weather" may suggest that the singer is referring to a person in their life who is unpredictable or inconsistent, "We find a river, we ride" could serve as a metaphorical representation of a journey they take, possibly to find themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a ride on a Day-Glo dreamer
Experience an exciting adventure with someone or something that embodies radiant, glowing optimism.
Suffocate in this big black city
Feel stifled and trapped in the oppressive environment of the urban metropolis.
I don't know, I don't know
Express uncertainty or ambivalence about the situation or feeling being described.
On my cross I've got this sacred feeling
Despite facing challenges or hardships, a profound sense of purpose or spirituality guides and sustains the artist.
Talking sweet and I'm all done
Engage in superficial, insincere conversation as a means of achieving an end.
We find a river
We ride
Discover and take advantage of moments of natural beauty and freedom, rejecting the constraints of modern society.
Heard a song like a scream in a secret
Experience an overwhelming, visceral response to music that is both powerful and cryptic.
Face to face and I know you need it
Connect directly with another person and sense a mutual desire for a particular experience or outcome.
You change your skin just like the weather
You're nothing more and you know you'll never
Inconstancy and superficiality define the artist; recognizing this, they accept the limitations of their character and identity.
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.