The group's name comes from a nonsensical knock-knock joke Drucker's sister told him when she was 6 years old. The joke runs like this:
"Knock-knock"
"Who's there?"
"Cloud-dead"...
But no-one remembers the punchline.
cLOUDDEAD's sound is notoriously hard to define, and although it is undoubtedly grounded in 'traditional' hip-hop, influences as varied as electronica, psychedelic music and indie rock can be heard. Because of this non-traditional take on hip-hop, more conservative corners of the rap community have labeled cLOUDDEAD as "smartarse surrealism" - with some rejecting the notion that the group can be classed as hip-hop at all, ignoring Doseone's request to 'just call it hip hop.'
cLOUDDEAD's first six 10" EPs were compiled in 2001 as a self-titled compilation album. The band's subsequent discography includes a further two 10" EPs, the single "Dead Dogs Two" and the album Ten. Printed on the sleeve of "Dead Dogs Two" is "this is clouddead number 9 of ten", indicating that as of Ten, cLOUDDEAD, as a group, have finished making music.
As of 2009 cLOUDDEAD came together under the name again to record a track on Themselves newest mixtape "theFREEhoudini" performing the song "Rapping 4 Money".
JimmyBreeze
cLOUDDEAD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wearing a space suit and a dead englishman's socks
It's a textbook procedure, kid
Right out of the pages of the hollowed out book
Where once I hid my face stuck in glasses
Don't lose your shoes over such a simple step as hitting ground
Just remember to roll,
Just remember to roll.
Silence in a five story starewell
I say, and that's all I can think of
In my brandon-eyed dead of day crawl
I can barely squeeze that lie
Through the black clawed pinhole between my two front teeth
MOM,
I've kept a razor under my tongue since I was a small toddler with a tight belt
I haven't been able to kiss a woman with an open mouth, my friend
Cause I'm afraid that I'd split her lip,
Is that sick?
The opening lines in cLOUDDEAD's "JimmyBreeze" are poetic and tell a strange and intriguing story. The singer describes how he has learned to survive a four-story fall, all while wearing a space suit and the socks of a dead Englishman. He refers to this technique as a "textbook procedure," hinting at some kind of training or experience he has had. The imagery here is both surreal and specific, with a focus on odd details like the dead man's socks. The song then offers an intriguing piece of advice, reminding listeners not to lose their shoes when landing. The final line of the verse, "Just remember to roll," adds a layer of intrigue as it's unclear what exactly the singer is referring to.
The second verse of "JimmyBreeze" is even more cryptic, with the singer offering disconnected thoughts about silence, lies, and self-harm. He mentions a "five-story stairwell" and his "brandon-eyed dead of day crawl," which are both vivid but difficult to parse. The line "Through the black clawed pinhole between my two front teeth" is particularly striking, evoking an image of a grotesque and impossible mouth. Finally, the singer addresses his mother, revealing that he has kept a razor under his tongue since childhood and that he is afraid to kiss women with an open mouth. The lyrics here are unsettling and hint at deeper psychological issues. Overall, "JimmyBreeze" is a surrealist and opaque piece of songwriting that rewards close listening and interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
I taught myself to survive a four story fall
I learned how to survive a dangerous situation all by myself
Wearing a space suit and a dead englishman's socks
I was heavily geared up with unusual clothing for my survival
It's a textbook procedure, kid
The steps I took to survive were well-known and common
Right out of the pages of the hollowed out book
The technique I used was so common that it could be found in any book
Where once I hid my face stuck in glasses
I was so shy that I used to hide behind my glasses
Don't lose your shoes over such a simple step as hitting ground
Don't get too worried about trivial things such as hitting the ground when you fall
Just remember to roll,
Tuck yourself into a ball and roll after a fall to avoid severe injuries
Silence in a five story starewell
The atmosphere was very quiet and peaceful in the building's five-story stairway
I say, and that's all I can think of
That's all I can think of to say at the moment
In my brandon-eyed dead of day crawl
In my sleep-deprived state, dragging my feet along the ground
I can barely squeeze that lie
It's tough to lie in this state of mind
Through the black clawed pinhole between my two front teeth
Out of the corner of my mouth, barely audible and distorted
MOM,
A desperate call for attention from a motherly figure
I've kept a razor under my tongue since I was a small toddler with a tight belt
I have been keeping a sharp object inside my mouth for a long time
I haven't been able to kiss a woman with an open mouth, my friend
I'm too scared to kiss any woman because of the possibility of injuring them
Cause I'm afraid that I'd split her lip,
I'm worried that I might hurt her
Is that sick?
Is this problem abnormal?
Contributed by Julia P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dixcatsby8296
[Why?]
I taught myself to survive a four story fall
Wearing a space suit and a dead englishman's socks
It's a textbook procedure, kid
Right out of the pages of the hollowed out book
Where once I hid my paint speckled glasses
Don't lose your shoes over such a simple step as hitting ground
Just remember to roll
Just remember to roll
Silence in a five-story stairwell
I say, and that's all I can think of
In my brandon-eyed dead of day drawl
I can barely squeeze that lie
Through the plaque-clogged pinhole between my two front teeth
Mom
I've kept a razor under my tongue since I was a small toddler with a tight belt
I haven't been able to kiss a woman with an open mouth, my friend
Cause I'm afraid that I'd split her lip
Is that sick?
@MiniZilla1999
Jimmy Breeze parts 1 and 2 are probably my favorite tracks on the album. The part at the end with the timeless sample and falsetto singing all the way to the ending of Jimmy Breeze part 2 is absolutely heavenly.
@ihaveadiseasebrou
4:45 is my favorite part of the whole album, its just so epic, its like progressive rock in a way
@phwaizy
Why and Subtle are basically my two favorite bands right now. Yesterday I thought to myself "wow it would be really cool if Yoni Wolf and Doseone collaberated". And so anyway I found this today. Awesome.
@coreyshelton1550
A flawless album I havent stopped listening to since 2003
@jeffthompson9590
Cyclical
@critters-ly9tk
wow imagine discovering clouddead after subtle and why.... must be so magical. love everything they've touched..
@Tetsuo964Pinocchio
I remember when I first heard this, I was just starting to listen to cLOUDDEAD and I couldn't get into this song at all. Now it gets better every time that I hear it. Such a great song.
@excisioned
nothing will ever sound as amazing to me as cLOUDDEAD does blasted at full volume on headphones
@TheManster22
Same with Loveless IMO.
@reebleono
"Wow what a loser". Just beautiful.