"Birth" is the second track on The Residents' "musical documentary" album Eskimo, released in 1979 on Ralph Records. As detailed in the album's liner notes, the track depicts a Polar Eskimo birth ceremony within an ice cave.
Like all tracks on Eskimo, "Birth" is essentially instrumental with Angakok chanting and sound effects performed by the group.
Liner notes[]
Still from the Eskimo DVD, 2002
Since the most important person in the Eskimo community is the hunter, and since hunters are always male, female infants are ritually killed if there is no infant male who will someday need a mate to cook, sew, and chew leather for him. This social condition adds to the drama of birth.
The pains were coming in regular intervals and she knew that if she didn't start moving now, her legs might collapse under her before she could reach the ice cave. The ceremonial band was already playing birth music and the other women sang in an attempt to comfort her. But as her steps carried her toward the ice cave and the ceremonial band's music became lost in the wind. the true loneliness of her situation loomed even larger in her mind. The gaping mouth of the ice cave eagerly awaited. And although she felt fear, she knew the cave also offered relief from her quickening pains, for this journey had been made many times before.
Her pace remained unchanged as she entered the cave, which now enlarged before her and engulfed her in the sweet music of slowly moving ice vibrating within its own crystalline formations. Deeper into the cave she went. The men were playing the koa and chanting for the birth of a male.
Finally she reached the furthest chamber where stood the Angakok. Delivery began immediately as the magic man filled the room with protective prayers. The child was born. The Eskimo woman reached forth with her hand, gently across the already frozen crust on the infant's belly to feel the child's sex; the other women came into the chamber singing the song of life and bore the infant away.
Lyrics[]
The below derives from a "possible phonetic Anglicization" of the Polar Eskimo chants heard on this track, transcribed by noted Residents collector and fan Ima Buddy and featured in the 1992 document Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS.
Tribe: ???? Tic tac toe de oooh
???? Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Bun in the oven. Bun in the oven. Ooooo! Ooooo! Ooooo! Ooooo! Bun in the oven. ????
Angakok:
Overbearing, coming invade waders of the day;
Poisoness is brought to us
On words off new born whey;
Puppy tails! Oh puppy tails!
Come to us with a spray!
Do not forget the Alamo, or even Christmas Day.
Let your sunsets see your soul and live on bimbombay.
Tribe: Our pees are pleased To be our head And shoulders are too few; You see the sunset in our sighs And fill our eyes with dew. Ajax! Ajax! Ajax! Ajax! We don't need not you.[1]
List of releases[]
External links and references[]
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Eskimo (1979) Side A: |