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".
The Velvet Ant
cLOUDDEAD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The cow on slanted land settles
to the lower most corner of the pen.
Chicken wire and it's either side imprisonment,
and the iwndows all stacked up
under the farm barn awning.
Two small girls and a handful of dressed men
goats with rectangled pupils.
A rattle snake caught in a wheel well.
Starwberry in an ostrich throat.
All this and more at a pyramii video shoot.
The lyrics of "The Velvet Ant" by cLOUDDEAD paint a vivid picture of a rural setting plagued with confinement, captivity and strangeness. The first line "Wingless wasp, the velvet ant" refers to a type of ant that is actually a wasp, and it doesn't have wings. This description sets the tone for the rest of the song where the singer observes and comments on the strange and surreal imagery around him.
The following lines describe a cow settling in a pen on a sloping land, which is surrounded by chicken wire and barn awning. This imagery evokes a sense of containment and being trapped in the singer's mind. Soon after, we hear about two small girls and a handful of dressed men walking a cage of goats across a basketball court, and the goats having rectangular pupils. These surreal images suggest a disorienting and disturbing world.
The last two lines of the song introduce another bizarre scene: a rattlesnake caught in a wheel well and a strawberry stuck in an ostrich's throat. The singer describes all these surreal and unsettling scenes as if they are all happening simultaneously, perhaps in a dream or a vision. The mention of a "pyramii video shoot" adds another layer of confusion to the picture, as the singer hints that this could all be a surreal movie set.
Line by Line Meaning
Wingless wasp, the velvet ant.
A description of an unusual and seemingly contradictory insect.
The cow on slanted land settles
A cow finding its place, despite difficult circumstances.
to the lower most corner of the pen.
Taking refuge in a confined space.
Chicken wire and it's either side imprisonment,
An observation of physical barriers that limit freedom.
and the windows all stacked up
Windows that offer a view from a distance.
under the farm barn awning.
Taking shelter from the elements.
Two small girls and a handful of dressed men
A group of people, of varying ages and genders, taking action.
walk a cage full of goats across a basketball court,
Moving animals to a new location.
goats with rectangled pupils.
A detail that distinguishes the goats from other animals.
A rattle snake caught in a wheel well.
An unexpected and dangerous encounter.
Strawberry in an ostrich throat.
An impossible scenario, perhaps suggesting absurdity.
All this and more at a pyramii video shoot.
An explanation that this is all part of a video production.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brandon Holt
The first time my daughter heard this as a toddler she jammed out so hard
Brandon Steele
Odd Nosdam can create an atmosphere like no other.
Irene
FINALLY i remember listening to this song 10 years ago, i loved it but i forgot bands name and title, i remember it was something like "antz" and now finally, I found it again. Beste feeling in the world
steadie
probably one of my all time favourite songs along side well water black by yoni and alias.
rabidfish02
They mix it up for the last 35 seconds of this song... Love it!
Nathan Hawks
I feel like "the cow on slanted land settles to the lower-most corner of the pen" should be a widespread saying.
Marcelo Tobar
this song reminds me of good times.
DrQuickbeam
@Sigil23 They've been working on solo stuff for years now. I even saw them all at SXSW last year, but they didn't play together unfortunately. Although I wouldn't rule out a future album.
Hannah
hell yeah no dislikes, these people are fucking great!
aeioou
Nice only one dislike in four years, and they're probably voting for drumpf.