Firefly is the eighth track from The Residents' thirteenth studio album, The Big Bubble.
According to the in-universe album credits for The Big Bubble, Die-Stay-Go was written by Frank Leone and Ramsey Whiten. Leone is the fictional guitarist of The Big Bubble, and Ramsey is the lead vocalist and percussionist.
Background[]
The song is sung from the perspective of the fictional band The Big Bubble, created for The Residents' Mole Trilogy fiction. Existing generations following the events of Mark of the Mole, The Big Bubble is made up of mixed raced descendants of that album's warring races. The Big Bubble's music oozes with rebellion against the unjust society created by the events of said album. Unlike much of The Big Bubble. which is performed in the outlawed tongue of the Moles, Firefly is entirely in English.
Two years after the release of the album, Firefly was included on the 'Hit The Road Jack (Special Almost Dance Mix)' EP. The EP also featured two other Big Bubble songs, the title track, and Cry For The Fire. On that release, FireFly was listed as a medley with The Big Bubble, indicating that the two pieces are part of one suite. Despite this, The Residents performed the album's title track without FireFly on all dates of The 13th Anniversary Show.
Although The Residents themselves have never re-worked FireFly, 90s rock band Mooseheart Faith covered the song for the official Residents tribute album, 'Eyesore: A Stab At The Residents,' and in 201, Residents fan 'Kwashotfi' submitted a cover of Firefly for inclusion on The Residents' remix album I Am A Resident. The Residents did not use it.
Lyrics[]
Firefly used to fly low Those firefies used to fly low Those firefies fly too high Those firefies fly too high
One came low but it was too dark One came low but it was too dark Between the flashes it was too dark Between the flashes it was too dark And I was too slow
Fireflies used to fly low Those firefies used to fly low Those firefies used to fly low Those firefies used to fly low Those firefies...
Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly... Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly low Fly low
Credits[]
- Written and Performed by: The Residents
- Producers: The Cryptic Corporation
Fake Credits[]
- Ramsey Whiten: Vocals, percussion
- Frank Leone: Electric guitar
- Paul Sage: Grand Piano, String syntheziser
- Alex Beason: Electric guitar
Appearances[]
- The Big Bubble (1985)
- Hit The Road Jack (Special Almost Dance Mix) (1987)
- Mole Box (2019)
