See if this rings a bell: Chumbawamba. Remember that name? No? What about, “I get knocked down/But I get up again/You’re never gonna keep me down.” Yeah, those guys.
Well, the ultimate one-hit-wonder is back with a new release entitled “WYSIWYG,” which is an acronym for “What You See is What You Get.” By mixing trumpets, pianos, samples, and more political activism than you shake a stick at, Chumbawamba has created one of the most interesting albums you will probably never listen to.
“WYSIWYG” kicks off with the overtly sarcastic “I’m With Stupid,” which pokes fun at Americans for allowing boy bands like ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys to become so rich and famous. The band also predicts the end of the pop revolution will come after “another singer gets a habit.” The great misfortune lies in the fact that teeny-boppers across the country would rather listen to fabricated music groups than to a song with real meaning like “I’m With Stupid.”
Further along “WYSIWYG” comes “I’m in Trouble Again,” in which the band defends their image as mean and nasty animals. Remember: these people are anarchists. They believe in no structure and want everyone to be equal. An instructional side-note provided by the band compares their rehearsals to Norman Rockwell paintings.
Also featured on “WYSIWYG” is “New York Mining Disaster 1941,” originally recorded by the Bee Gees. This haunting melody tells the story of a man trapped inside a collapsed mineshaft remembering his wife and children. The special feature of this number is that it’s done a cappella. Alice Nutter’s voice is absolutely beautiful and the chords struck by the backup vocalists could easily bring tears to the eyes of a few listeners.
The best songs on the album come later in the form of “All the Friends that Money Can Buy” and “Celebration, Florida.” The former is pretty self-explanatory, letting high society members know all their relationships and friendships are nothing more than fabrications of real life which only provide a greater divide between the haves and have-nots.
“Celebration” tells the story of an imaginary town (representative of America) where “There’s a bake sale at the schoolhouse/And they’re selling innocence/They’re keeping out the deviants/To protect the residents.” Nutter and Lou Watts combine on this pseudo folk song dealing with the “average persons” who perpetuate a white supremacist’s dream world of conformity comparable to the town from “The Truman Show” and “Pleasantville,” and suggest these towns already exist.
Closing out “WYSIWYG” is “Dumbing Down,” an attempt to wake the average citizen from his/her “plug and play” life. The song also criticizes the capitalist businessmen who cash in on the stupidity of the general public.
Listening to Chumbawamba can provide a challenge to people who simply want to be entertained. Accompanying every song is a little sidebar explaining the significance and social impact of each number. The lyrics are intended to make people think and bring about a change in society and shake up the political system.
Of course, some of the songs can make you laugh. With titles like “Ladies for Compassionate Lynching”, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Jerry Springer”, and “Moses with a Gun,” who wouldn’t laugh? This last one actually makes a connection between Charlton Heston’s perfromance in “The Ten Commandments” and his role as president of the National Rifle Association. See? Chuckle, chuckle.
“What You See is What You Get” is an appropriate title for this release. Most people are not going to enjoy listening to this the first time through. However, once the musical genius of Chumbawamba is appreciated the songs should become endearing. Anyone who wants to keep Brittney Spears on the cover of Rolling Stone, go ahead and waste your money. If you’re looking for something with a little edge and a lot of brains, then pick up the latest from Chumbawamba and found if you “What You See is What You Get.”
Runner@csubak.edu