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Rating: 1988. In the alternative-rock territory, everyone was talking about them: original, creative, surreal, the members of the Sugarcubes not only managed to captivate the critics, but also the ears of the public, who flocked in large numbers to the concerts. Bjork began to appear as a new sex symbol on the covers of the best music magazines, and her voice managed to shed light on the Icelandic music market. It was inevitable, therefore, that the media, riding the wave of great success, pressured the group to record the follow-up to "Life's Too Good."
Repeatedly announced, the album was presented by the group's own members as an even more delirious album than the debut, claiming to have created something never heard before. The anticipation was exciting, and within a few months of the first album, "Here's Today, Tomorrow Next Week!" (1989) was released: it was preceded by an excellent radio impact single, a ballad attempting to hit "Birthday" again, without succeeding in the attempt but still appearing very good: "Regina" is, in fact, an example of a truly enviable and refined pop ballad in the "oh-oh" of the chorus, which would have managed to be blasted by the radio with the force of a cyclone.
So, excellent things were promised, but the album received the worst reviews ever written for a rock album, and so both the media and some fans abandoned them: the album didn't sell even a quarter of the millions of copies sold by its illustrious predecessor. Too many songs, too much rush to release a new album, too much egocentrism from Einar, who overshadows his partner's voice quite a few times. A couple of exceptions are saved: "Water" is a worthy substitute for "Birthday" in its splendid melodic line, with the bass that stutters and caresses the soul, Bjork casts a sonic spell, and even Einar appears unusually comfortable, delivering a really enjoyable cool rap. Even the beginning of "Tidal Wave" is successful with its very catchy Caribbean rhythm, its frivolous attitude, and a new unforgettable pop chorus. "Speed Is The Key" is an excellent example of rock, a sort of bass experiment where the members juggle an excellent melodic and radio line.
The rest is more or less successful, more or less necessary, and it's a pity because after a masterpiece like "Life's Too Good," something still innovative and sensational was expected. Lyrics that aim to be absurd but turn out too over-the-top, forgetting that naive component of the early lyrics. The punk revolution forgotten, in this album the Sugarcubes simply focused on pop, perhaps wanting to be irresistible to the radios, but it’s painful to say: it's a misstep.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Regina (04:01)
Einar
Came from the east,
Relative forgot,
To scrape away,
Land in south,
Exhausted engine,
No teeth,
No chance to stop,
Meet Johnny.
Björk
Came from the east,
Like the sun,
But with tired engine,
Regina otherwise magnificent,
Regina in good bloom,
Oh oh as old as the sun,
Oh oh with white teeth,
Oh oh Regina, oh oh Regina,
Oh oh Regina, oh oh Regina.
Einar
Land on islands,
Meet Johnny,
Examine my red,
Basalt cluster,
Bottomless dust, terrific sun,
And wetting quite nicely thank you,
I do say nicely,
I do mean that,
Actually.
Björk
Blow into the chastity belt
Regina, Regina,
Oh oh Regina, oh oh Regina,
Einar
Hex and bitch and,
Deserves lobster and fame,
Oh, Johnny,
Teeth and gums,
In my life,
Moon and sun,
In my life,
Lobster and shrimp,
In my life,
I don't really like lobster (like lobster)
Björk
Regina is too old
But the sun is much older
Still the sun with white teeth
But Mrs R. with none
Sun with false teeth
Give me lobster and fame.
Einar
I really don't like lobster!
Björk
Oh oh Regina, oh oh Regina. X8
05 Nail (03:14)
Einar
Walk through here
Walk through here
Walk.
Björk
When I've been just by myself
I start thinking too much
Unhealthy things start to happen
Like gastric disorders
Oh, oh oh
Einar
Oh no...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Oh yes...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Oh no...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Ohh...
I just go out walking
With my favourite piece of wood
With a 4 inch nail driven through it
Björk
Walking! I'm coming!
When I am just by myself
I think too much
I start polishing my behaviour
Without any mercy
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Oh no...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Oh yes...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Oh no...
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Somehow all the people
Don't seem to like me
I don't know why
I just met them
Björk
Can't you see?
Einar
Aaaah!
Björk
When I've been just by myself
I start thinking too much
I know I'm not talkative
What!
I've become dry?!
An emotional biscuit?!
That's nonsense!
Not at all!
Sir, this nail of yours is rusty
It's evil!
I can't deal with it!
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Sorry!
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Sorry!
Björk
Oh-oh-oh!
Einar
Sorry!
06 Pump (04:19)
Björk
Eat me
Eat me love
Leave nothing behind
Swallow me, all of me
Drink me love
Pour me in you
Devour me
Drink me in large gulps
Einar
I hate you! I really do, I think I do,
I really, I really hate you!
Björk
I need you closer
I want him now
I want him in me
Eat me love!
Einar
Never say love to anyone!
Björk
Consume me love
I want you
To inhale me all of me
Drown me love
In a bottomless pond
I'll never return
Swallow me, all of me
Einar
I don't love you! I really hate you!
Björk
I want you closer
I want him now
I want him in me
Eat me love!!!
Swallow me, all of me X3
Einar
I hate you!
Björk
He's coming closer
He's coming now
He's gonna touch me
Eat me love!!!
Einar
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate you!
Björk
Eat me love, your open mouth
Eat me love, I, on your tongue
You got to eat me love
Eat me love, you gulp me
Eat me love, I, I down your gullet
You eat me love
Eat me love- I in the stomach
Eat me love, eat me love
You splash acid on me
Eat me love, I travel down the intestines
Eat me love, through the bowels and out!
He's coming closer
He wants me now
I want to eat him
Eat me love! X3
You got to eat me love!!!
Einar
I hate you
07 Eat the Menu (03:42)
Einar
Limousines, oranges,
Stars, moons,
Submarines, Jeeps,
Glaciers, Cars,
Caterpillars, even grapes
Björk
It's none of my business
But you have to eat
Your appetite is appalling
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Have, have, have some salad
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Bite, bite, bite an apple
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Suck, suck, suck an orange
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Taste, taste, taste the pate
I'm just a maid, but yes to food is yes to life
Einar
I've got to eat something
Otherwise I'll just die
But the choice is too great
I can't decide what to eat
I'll possibly just eat the menu?
Björk
How would you like strawberry juice?
Or lemon red sea perch?
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Bite, bite, bite the kiwi
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Have, have, have some chicken
I'm just a maid, but yes to food is yes to life
Einar
The waiter came with the menu
And said here you go.
I said thank you but
The choice is too great,
Why can't I be a cod
In the depths of the ocean
And just eat small fish
The cod has such simple taste
But I've got all the choice
Björk
Bite, bite, bite an apple
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Limousines, oranges,
Stars, moons,
Submarines, Jeeps,
Glaciers, Cars,
Even Caterpillars.
Björk
Oh, you vague costomer
You'll have to look somewhere else
You have to find something to eat
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
No! eat eat, eat a moment
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Eat eat, eat the feeling
Einar
Eat eat eat the menu
Björk
Eat eat, eat the feeling,
Eat eat, eat the person,
Eat eat, eat the rockband
Einar
I won't complain but...
08 Bee (02:24)
Who is it?
Who'll get the sting
Who'll get the stripes
Black and yellow
A dangerous creature
Chattering wings
Flashing antennae
Who is it?
It buzzes fine
The bee
Buzzes fine, stings deep
I play a frightened little game
I eject myself at scary speed
In front of cars and i go yeaah!
She is it
She's got the sting
She's dangerous
She stings
He gets stung
He is out
She gets the honey
She is it
She flies great
The bee
Flies great, stings deep
The cars freeze from fright,
When they see my beautiful body and tongue
Then I speed away but no one catches me.
I'm the fastest bee in town.
Oh, hot bee
Queen of heaven
With glossy trunk
Buzz to me
I want to be stung
I want to be out
Here is the honey
You're it
It stings deep
The bee
Stings deep, kills fast
09 Dear Plastic (03:20)
Björk
Plastic
Nylon
Terylene
Made of atoms
By tender fingers
And determined heads
Of inventors
Tickling
Perfection
Plastic
Rayon
Einar
I was born aeons ago
Before anything human was known
My friends the alchemists
Told me everything was natural
And always will be that way
And possible to make gold from dirt
Björk
Plastic
Nylon
Dear plastic
Be proud
Don't imitate anything
You're pure, pure, pure
Plastic
Nylon
Einar
I believed I was their dustbin for knowledge
Took everything and digested
Of course I became big,
Big and really really strong
Today I'm old and withering away
My friends the alchemists
Long disappeared into dust
I no longer get anything fruity
No longer gold made from dirt
The only thing I get is spacefood on a tray
Björk
Whoa!
Plastic, plastic, plastic ...
11 Water (02:56)
Björk
Wait for me underneath the water,
Wait for me I have to go now
Into the big city,
She pulls me firmly towards her.
Wait for me underneath the water,
Wait for me here,
You'll be fine underneath the water,
I'll be back early next summer.
Einar
We met again at the lake,
After all these years,
You said "want a drink?"
Björk
I love you,
And you know I will be back,
Hold your breath,
And nestle into the ice,
Wait for me underneath the water
Wait for me and count to ten,
You'll look up and I will be there
Wait for me.
Einar
The lake was frozen,
You took me for a walk over the ice,
I cracked, The ice cracked, I fell into the lake,
I watched you through the eyes.
Björk
Love into you, lover, i want you,
Wait for me underneath the water,
Wait for me and singalong,
"She's coming, coming, coming,"
Wait for me, I'm coming.
Einar
I watched you through the ice
I expected you to crawl for help
I smiled, you just stood there
I tried to kiss you through the ice,
You just walked away
Björk
Under frozen, over water, under, over
Frozen mountain...
Wait for me underneath the water
13 Planet (03:20)
Björk
The universe it is so big,
I feel dizzy when I think about it,
My head swims I get giddy,
Still I realize that long ago,
It was so small I could have kept it,
Underneath my little skirt,
At least until the big bang happened,
Einar
Every man, every woman.
Björk
Sun planet the universe and me,
When I'm excited and have to wait,
My organs start to move, my lungs pump,
Cells flow faster on tracks inside me,
I demand to see myself from within,
Be a cell for a day.
Einar
Every man, every woman
Björk
Sun, planet, the universe and me
The universe and me...ooh...
The universe and me, am I a planet? woaah!
The universe and me... woah!!
Co-o-ome, na-na-na-hee-ooh!
The planets and me we get along so well together
Gliding down imaginary rollercoaster-paths along the sky
I can do somersaults around Jupiter if I feel like it
Nothing can stop a planet
But a planet can stop anything at all
Einar
Every man, every woman
Björk
Sun planet the universe and me
The universe and me, the universe and me,
The universe and me, the universe and me.
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