CAKE has been in the music industry since 1991, and they’ve been dominating in their own speciality, American alternative rock. Filled with musically talented members, the band consists of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson, and drummer Paulo Baldi.
While they’re known among their fans and selected circles, they’re not as widely known as one would expect.
The band has also been recognized for their sarcastic lyrics and wide-ranging musical influences, including country music, Mariachi, rock, funk, and hip-hop.
For the newcomers that are interested in this well-versed band, it’s an easy trip down their music lane, as they’ve had multiple albums that could warm anyone up to them, including Motorcade of Generosity, Fashion Nugget, and Showroom of Compassion.
From different selections of their albums, here are 10 songs you can start with:
-> The Distance
This song has been interpreted as painting the picture of a corporate workaholic that loses the love of his life. It tells the story of a man who is overworking himself to the point that he ignores his wife whom he can’t find the time for. As a result, she leaves him.
Earworm Potential: 9/10
-> Never There
The general consensus surrounding this song is that it shows the bad side of a long-distance relationship. It’s about a girlfriend who only uses her words but never demonstrates her supposed love with actions. She never has time for him after the initial honeymoon phase which makes him wonder if he was only imagining that she cared.
Earworm Potential: 9/10
-> Short Skirt / Long Jacket
This song is thought to be satirizing the corporate culture and the American lifestyle, making a point of how they can bleed the fun out of people. It relies heavily on irony.
Earworm Potential: 8/10
-> Love You Madly
This song is perceived to be of a man that just wants to love a woman. The line, “The ornaments look pretty but they’re pulling down the branches “, tells how he doesn’t want a big show of affection by her dressing up in jewellery. He then proceeds to tell throughout the entirety of the song that all he wants is to love her without the added burden of anything else.
Earworm Potential: 8/10
-> I Will Survive
This is a cover of the original song by Gloria Gaynor. Though in this version, it steers more towards irony. The man is trying to show that he has moved on, but it clearly shows that he hasn’t. Rather, it seems to be a showing of his strength while still being heartbroken because of her.
Earworm Potential: 7/10
-> No Phone
The general interpretation of this song is that it is as straightforward as it gets. He is actually telling the phone, “NO”. He’s tired of the constant ringing, making him want just one day of peace where the phone doesn’t ring.
Earworm Potential: 8/10
-> Sick of You
According to McCrea, this song is about “how when you hate things, the circle of hate starts rather broadly. You hate the President or a big movie star, someone you’ll probably never meet. Gradually though, the circle tightens and the objects of hate get closer and closer to the hater. Now it’s your uncle or your mother, now it’s your close friend, and finally, it’s you. Bummer.”
Earworm Potential: 7/10
-> Long Time
This song is about a man and a woman who have been in a relationship for far too long and the honeymoon phase is pretty much over. They’re no longer flirting, taking the other out on dates. They’re just at a comfortable stage, doing the same things over and over again. The man feels the spark fading but still insists that he loves her.
Earworm Potential: 6/10
-> Sinking Ship
According to instrumentalist and backing vocalist DiFiore, this is a song about a sobering realisation of the current human habitation of the planet. They wanted to question, “Where do we go from here? It’s always worth contemplating.”
Earworm Potential: 7/10
-> Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
This is a cover of the original song by Doris Day. It’s a rendition of how a man is tired of being given the runaround as he just wants to know if a girl who he’s infatuated with loves him.
He wants to know where she’s at mentally so he knows how much effort he should put into the relationship, “If you don’t make your mind up, we’ll never get started, and I don’t wanna wind up, being parted, broken-hearted”.
Earworm Potential: 7/10
Currently, Cake can be listened to on multiple platforms online, which include Spotify and Apple Music.
