Is This Love? - Cake

Is This Love? - Cake

5:19

Motorcade Of Generosity, 1994

Written by John McCrea and Greg Brown

Greg Brown, the founding guitarist of Cake (not the Iowan folk giant), died last Saturday. While Cake would generally sharpen and streamline their sound after his departure, Brown co-wrote "The Distance," their biggest hit, and deserves a nod during in memoriam week.  This is a "woman done me wrong" style of song, dressed up in Cake's style. Blaring horns jab and retreat while bass and guitar lock into an unusually funky groove. Over it all, John McCrea growls, croons, and half-talks his way through the lyric like a bluesman with irony.   The rhythm section keeps it moving with a loose, swaggering pulse, and McCrea’s vocal performance shows more range than his later, more minimalist persona would suggest. It’s a deep-pocket groove that clearly foreshadows the "The Distance" and "I Will Survive," while still sounding rawer and a little less self-aware.

Mexico - Cake

Mexico - Cake

3:26

Prolonging the Magic, 1998

Written by John McCrea

I read that this album was meant as an attempt to make an album without the typical Cake irony and wry wit.  You could have fooled me,  This song, all trumpet and pedal steel, is an entry, or possibly a pastiche, of the genre of star-crossed love south of the border songs, but with tongue firmly in cheek.  "I don't know much about Cinco DeMayo / I'm never sure what it's all about / But I said I want you and you don't believe me."  This isn't a serious song, and that's why we listen to Cake.  The deadpan delivery and the trumpet.

The Distance - Cake

The Distance - Cake

2:59

Fashion Nugget, 1996

Written by Greg Brown

With the usual guitar, drums, bass and deadpan vocal (and an electronic synthesizer whistle), this is a typical Cake song, but one of their most popular songs.  To me it's not up there with my favorites, but it's definitely got a driving beat impelling it along.  It seems to be a song about moving through success and failure and just trying to get there for yourself.  "No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine / He's haunted by something he cannot define."  Maybe doing your best for love.  "And thinking of someone for whom he still burns."