Originally a duo, the band has expanded and contracted in the 12 years of being and has counted 15 - 20 people along the way.
The band was formed in 1997 by original members Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, their first release was a split 10" with the girl-band Spúnk and saw light in the summer of '98. They were joined a year later by twin sisters Gyða and Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir and released two albums as quartet. Following a number of collaborative projects, the group’s celebrated debut album Yesterday was dramatic - today is OK (reissued by Morr Music in October 2005) gained a wealth of glowing press and widespread praise. A remix project, Please Smile My Noise Bleed, also released on the Morr Music label in November 2001.
In 2002, after the release of Finally We Are No One and the extensive first world tour, Gyða left the band to return to her studies in Reykjavík. Shortly after, the third sister Ásthildur Valtýsdóttir joined for singing duties temporarily and Serena Tideman replaced Gyða on cello, for a single European tour. The band's third album, Summer Make Good, a darker and foggier, nautically themed work was released in May 2004, flanked by two singles, Nightly Cares and Dusk Log. By then the ensemble had evolved to include Eiríkur Ólafsson and Hildur Guðnadóttir (who had guest appearances on múm recordings from the beginning) and Ólöf Arnalds. In early 2006, Kristín also left the band after releasing and heavily touring the album Summer Make Good.
The start of 2006 saw the band's creativity start to blossom once again, starting with two remixes Goldfrapp of the tracks ‘Number 1’ and ‘You Never Know’. They followed this with two legendary DJ sets at the FatCat Festival in Belgium in February and SXSW in Austin Texas 2007. With a combination of decks, effects, laptops, toy microphones, old cassette player recordings and vocals, coupled with their own recorded material, strange electronic covers by friends, gypsy folk music and general craziness on stage. They were also subsequently invited DJ at Summer Sonic Festival in Japan as well as be headline act as DJ's in Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank tent at Bestival on the Isle of Wight. In september 2007 múm released Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy which turned out to be the bands last release for the Fatcat Records.
múm has always worked on projects which could be classed as unusual for a pop band or a pop collective. Among their extra curricular activity is their own soundtrack for the classic Sergei Eisenstein film, 'Battleship Potemkin', live performances of which have taken place in Hafnafjordur Iceland, Brooklyn Lyceum New York, and at the distinguished Gijon Film Festival Spain. múm have also composed for theater, most notably two radio theater plays, 'Svefnhjólið' (Sleeping Wheel) by Gyrdir Eliasson which won the Nordic Radio-theater prize and in 2008 Augu þín sáu mig (Your eyes saw me) by poet Sjón (which múm also worked with in 1999 on the operetta Kisa (cat). In 2005 they were invited to Amsterdam by the Holland Festival to collaborate with the National Dutch Chamber Orchestra to create a performance piece based around various compositions of the late avant-garde composer Iannis Xenakis for one of the centre piece shows at the festival.
múm released their fifth studio album, Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know, in August 2009. The collective now consists of founding members Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason and for touring and recording, this line-up is expanded to include their friends Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson (trumpet / piano/ keyboards), Hildur Guðnadóttir (cello / vocals), Sigurlaug Gísladóttir (Vocals / ukulele/ various), Róbert Reynisson (guitars/ukulele's) and the Finnish Samuli Kosminen (drums / percussion). The musical group sometimes extends to Ólöf Arnalds, Högni Egilsson, Ólafur Björn Ólafsson and Guðbjörg Hlín Guðmundsdóttir as well as a never ending family of friends and musicians who may join at the drop of a hat.
Official website: http://www.mum.is
They Made Frogs Smoke 'til They Exploded
múm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't squeeze it too hard up, don't mash it up
Ooh, don't pull it's legs! They're pulled!
Don't squeeze it too hard up, don't crush it up
If you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks
Put it back into the grass again
If you break a kitten's neck, you must shake it's body and check
If you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks
Put it back into the grass again
The lyrics of múm's song "They Made Frogs Smoke 'til They Exploded" are highly metaphorical and abstract, which makes it difficult to give an exact meaning. However, the song seems to be about the power dynamics between humans and animals, and how humans exploit and abuse animals without considering their feelings or existence as living beings.
The first stanza warns against harming a creature's legs, implying that they have already been abused. The lyrics then suggest that if an animal is injured, one must try to fix it and return it to its natural habitat.
The second stanza takes a darker turn when it mentions a kitten whose neck has been broken, resulting in its potential death. It advises shaking the kitten to see if it's still alive, which is a gruesome image that seems to reflect the cold detachment some people can have towards animals.
The repeated refrain of "if you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks" is a metaphor for repairing the harm done to these creatures, but the message is unclear whether it is advocating for their rights and welfare or highlighting the human tendency to see animals as expendable.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, don't pull it's legs! They're pulled!
Be gentle with the animal, its legs are already hurt/pulled.
Don't squeeze it too hard up, don't mash it up
Avoid applying excessive force on the animal, don't damage it more.
If you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks
If the animal is broken, mend it with care and patience.
Put it back into the grass again
Allow the animal to be set free back into nature.
If you break a kitten's neck, you must shake its body and check
If the animal appears fatally injured, check for signs of life.
If it's still alive be gone to sleep
If the animal is alive but in pain, it would be best to put it out of its misery.
Don't crush it up
Handle the animal with care to avoid further damage.
Contributed by Anthony D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
slint69
Ooh, don't pull it's legs! They're pulled!
Don't squeeze it too hard up, don't mash it up
Ooh, don't pull it's legs! They're pulled!
Don't squeeze it too hard up, don't crush it up
If you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks
Put it back into the grass again
If you break a kitten's neck, you must shake it's body and check
If it's still alive be gone to sleep
If you snap it like a twig, glue it back with little sticks
Put it back into the grass again
David Firth
Wonderful video for a wonderful song. I'm going to have to get this album on vinyl. Looking at the comments it really amazes me how closed minded some people can be about music. "Oh it's not polished verse chorus verse mainstream pop-rock with a fashionable haircut, how can I ever enjoy it?"
CryingCow
true
ymo
omg i love your videos :)
Smooth Arc Engineering
That's what the bears for..
ouroboro
14 years ago :3 i was 10!!
Smooth Arc Engineering
@ouroboro 14 years ago I was still an old bastard
George Clancy
I remember when this album was new. I was so excited... can't believe 13 years have passed already. Oh time...
Pixel Doll
To this day, I still think múm is one of the most creative bands out there. This is my favorite song by them. (:
Vanessa Parra
+Pixel Doll oh girl you havent listen to animal collective, obviously
Pixel Doll
Vanessa Parra Song recommendation? I'm into weird shit LOL. :)