The lineup of the Los Angeles, California, indie-pop quartet that dog. repr… Read Full Bio ↴The lineup of the Los Angeles, California, indie-pop quartet that dog. represented the flowering of a second generation of musical luminaries: singer/guitarist Anna Waronker was the daughter of famed producer and Warner Bros. head Lenny Waronker, while violinist Petra Haden and her sister bassist Rachel Haden were two of the triplet daughters born to jazz titan Charlie Haden. Friends since high school, the trio first began playing music together in Waronker's bedroom in the early 1990s, with original drummer Maya Rudolph on board until she had to move away for college. Rudolph was replaced by drummer Tony Maxwell in 1992, that dog. issued their debut double seven-inch on the tiny Magnatone Records, quickly becoming a staple of the L.A. club circuit; a flurry of label interest followed, and the group signed with DGC in 1993. that dog.’s self-titled debut LP appeared in 1994; an energetic and quirky punk-pop effort highlighted by sunny harmonies and the intriguing use of violin and cello, the record became a college radio hit, and the light-hearted video for the lead single “Old Timer” even garnered some MTV airplay. The follow-up, Totally Crushed Out!, was issued a year later; a concept album wittily exploring the teen angst of unrequited love (packaged to recall a Sweet Valley High romance novel), the record marked a significant maturity in Waronker’s songwriting, evidenced by tracks like “Ms. Wrong” and “He's Kissing Christian.” A planned Waronker solo project was scheduled to follow, but instead her more pop-oriented material became the basis for the third that dog. record; co-produced by Brad Wood, the stellar Retreat from the Sun appeared in 1997. The band’s breakup was announced that September.

The band reunited in 2017, minus Petra. The reformed group released Old LP in 2019, with original drummer Maya Rudolph rejoining the group as a background vocalist.

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Did You Ever
that dog. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Did you ever
Climb to the top of a tree
And fall down
And carve initials in for me to see
Did you ever
Did you want to
Did you ever
Climb to the top of a tree

And fall down
Carve initials in for me to see
Did you ever
Did you want to

Did you ever
Fall in love with a small girl
While all she wanted was a baby
And maybe both meant it
Did you ever

He said "here's what I'll do
I'll split myself in two
And that way you can be with me
And I can learn to be with you"

Did you ever
Pinch her cheeks and call her fun
She was sweet
And spicy and spoiled really young
Did you ever
Did you want to

He said "here's what I'll do
I'll split myself in two
And that way you can be with me
And I can learn to be with you
I can learn to be with you
I can learn to be with you

I can learn to be with you"
Did you ever? did you want to?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Did You Ever" by that dog. revolve around the theme of love and a sense of longing. The song starts with the question "Did you ever climb to the top of a tree and fall down and carve initials in for me to see?" which expresses a sense of nostalgia and a desire to connect with someone. The line "carve initials in for me to see" suggests a bond or a relationship between two people. The following line "did you ever want to?" implies that this relationship may not have come to fruition, leading to unfinished business and unfulfilled desires.

The second stanza talks about falling in love with a small girl who wanted a baby. The singer seems to have a desire to be with her, but perhaps the girl had different aspirations. The lyric "He said 'here's what I'll do, I'll split myself in two, and that way you can be with me and I can learn to be with you'" suggests a willingness to do anything to make the relationship work. The repetition of "did you ever" and "did you want to" throughout the song emphasizes the desire and regret that accompanies unfulfilled love.

The final line "I can learn to be with you" is a resolute statement that expresses the singer's willingness to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of the relationship. Overall, the lyrics of "Did You Ever" evoke a sense of nostalgia, longing, and regret for past love that could not be realized.

Line by Line Meaning

Did you ever
Have you ever experienced

Climb to the top of a tree And fall down And carve initials in for me to see Did you ever Did you want to
Have you ever climbed a tree, fallen and then carved initials in the tree for your loved one to see, and did you ever want to do it?

Fall in love with a small girl While all she wanted was a baby And maybe both meant it Did you ever
Have you ever fallen in love with a girl who wanted a baby and maybe the both of you wanted it too?

He said "here's what I'll do I'll split myself in two And that way you can be with me And I can learn to be with you"
He said that he will divide himself in two, so both of you can be together and he can learn how to connect with you.

Pinch her cheeks and call her fun She was sweet And spicy and spoiled really young Did you ever Did you want to
Have you ever pinched your loved one's cheeks and called her fun, even though she was sweet, spicy, and spoiled at a young age, and did you ever want to do it?

He said "here's what I'll do I'll split myself in two And that way you can be with me And I can learn to be with you I can learn to be with you I can learn to be with you"
He said that he will divide himself in two, so both of you can be together and he can learn how to connect with you. He emphasizes that he can learn how to be with you, over and over again.

Did you ever? did you want to?
Did you ever experience these things and did you want to?

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEVEN DUBOFF, STEVEN WILLIAM DUBOFF, ARTIE KORNFELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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