When I get around to putting together the list of my top 5 bands of the 1990’s, I do believe Cracker has a good shot to make that list. They released four terrific recordings during that decade and their lead singer, David Lowery (who also fronted the nearly unstoppable Camper Van Beethoven in the 1980’s), has got to be one of the more clever songwriting geniuses of our time. I can just about guarantee you that I could put together at least 5-10 Cracker songs that you’ve never heard before which you would like instantly. I guarantee it.
Anyway, Lowery wrote a pretty short, but magnificent diatribe which appears on the blog of one of his friends. The post is titled “How To Win Friends & Influence People In The Music Business.” Lowery’s advice is pretty simple and it brought me back to my time in the music business – incredibly fun and horribly frustrating at the same time.
Just for the hell of it, I’m also including the lyrics to the Lowery-penned tune “Lullabye” from 1998’s Gentleman’s Blues
Only when I laugh does it hurt.
The doctor says “please son remove your skirt.”
“I’ll be glad to comply, but I’m not wearing one.”
The doctor says “That’s strange, nor am I…”
A Scotsman throws a pole into the air,
The aldermen all vote in some affair.
The mayor he abstained, and ain’t that strange?
He’s still a bachelor, perhaps he’s gay.
Our corpses laid out neatly on a slab,
Professor’s working madly in his lab.
The assistant files her nails and checks her hair,
There’s just a hint of danger in the air.
There’s just a hint of danger in the air,
No one is alarmed or seems to care.
Everyone is happy, we’re all fine.
We all fall in love all the time.
Yeah we all fall in love from a plane,
With the stewardess–she serves us in our dreams.
When we wake we find that it has rained
When it rains it lulls us back to sleep.
So rest your weary eyes and go to sleep,
Or rest your weary head and come to me.
Or move your lips and sing this lullabye,
Move your lips and sing this lullabye.