Comfort Eagle
by Cake

Album: Comfort Eagle (2001)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is about "The Man" so to speak. Whether dealing with the music business or on the radio, Cake gives examples of the corporate and distorted worlds of both aspects of music. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Brian - Altoona, PA

Comments: 12

  • Dave From Albuquerque from AlbuquerqueI think the song talks about _how_ we are being sold things with a number of examples. We are being sold a _belief_ much like a religion. The belief extends to corporate brands, politics, music, etc. Reminds me of political bloggers and such who have _followers_; people who are loyal to their political party or a particular brand (pepsi or coke); people who espouse the ideals promoted by their favorite rock star.
    The sellers are interested in cash, power, and in maintaining us in a state of belief (if we lose our way they'll send a car) so they can continue in their position.
    The song is adressed to us who are being sold the belief, illuminating it so that we can see it as such and make a better choice than singing along.
  • Notthatdonald from Lancaster, PaJohn McCrae carries a little note pad and pencil. When he hears an unusual he writes it down. eg: ash, waning of the moon, onion skin hat. The song is about a CA television preacher whose first church was a drive in movie. John just blends it all together. The preacher did call people "dude" as well.
  • Nameless from AmericaI believe he's talking about the unholy union of government and corporations as the religion being built. Some lyrics to support this: "You can meet at his location But you better come with cash" Christianity says the love of money is the root of all evils, so it at least wouldn't be that (although the name it, claim it, blab it, and grab it TV and megachurch preachers just want your money). Some more lyrics to support my idea of this song: "He is in the music business", "He is handling the money", "We are building a religion We are making a brand", "Some people drink Pepsi Some people drink Coke The wacky morning DJ Says democracy's a joke" large name brands mentioned and democracy being a joke can be easily related to by most who've voted for more than a few elections.
  • Lolly from UkTo me the song is about how religion and capitalism and marketing are fairly similar in what they promise and how. Adverts are there to promote not only the product or business, but they also sell you on a potential ideal, not unlike a paradise. You can drink pepsi or coke, you can worship Buddha or Christ, you can vote democratic or republican, but you're still stuck picking from a preselected menu. Even the DJ who relays that democracy is a joke processed to sell you something as an alternative, but it doesn't change that you're still being sold something.
  • Lisa from CaPerhaps he is mocking televangelism and/quite possibly dianetics (Scientology) and the marketing and selling of salvation in a telethon/Orwellian type dystopia. just a thought.
  • Bob from Schenectady, Ny@ Hugo in Philly:
    My guess is that they used a sample of a banjo for use in the Mellotron. The tinny sound makes me think it's a banjo.
  • Brad from Edmonton, AbThe song is (like most songs) acutally about us and the mind reading "elite" class that most of us are unaware of.
  • Hugo from Philadelphia, PaI can't find any info on it, but what is the string instrument played during the verses along with the guitar? "One, two three four five, two three four five, one, one, two three four five, two three four, one, two" is the general rythym, and it plays at the end as well. I was thinking it was either some kind of Sitar or a banjo with an effect on it. Any info?
  • Wisdo from Dublin, AfghanistanIn Western countries, men wearing turbans in public are likely to be Sikhs, whose religion requires them to cover their long uncut hair.
    The men of many Islamic cultures have worn or wear a headdress of some sort that may be considered a turban. Islam however does not require any sort of head wrap or headdress except for a woman's headscarf.
  • Lalah from Wasilla, AkMy impression of this song was the artist's realization that he's sold himself out when he thought he was making music. It's advertizing, it's marketing, it's making the money. You're only an artist if you're commerically successful. Dude. But it's not the record companies calling the shots telling the artist what to write and the public what to buy. Music is being controled by software companies, and they're calling you DUDE.
  • Mike from Vancouver, Wai thinks that the part your talking about is basically saying that you can do whatever you want like where it says doesnt matter if your skinny or fat and pepsi or coke it shows that were all different and you can be what you want
  • Kyle from Huntington, NyI couldnt help but think that this song was a serious attack on religion. The lyrics "You can dress up like a sultan in your onion head hat" i thought referred to Islam and the turban. It actually made more sense when I thought the lyric was "soldier" instead of "sultan."
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