Two Lips
"Seen as a prestige item at the time, demand for the tulip, newly introduced from Turkey, reaches a fever pitch in Holland in 1634, with people mortgaging homes to buy into the market that crashed in 1637."
— from the outtake track "Tulip"
"Two Lips" (previously titled "Gold Shipper", then "Better Than None") is a song by The Residents, featured as the fourth track on their album Animal Lover, released March 28th 2005 by Mute Records. Its lyrics (inspired by a real-life "tulip mania" that overtook the Netherlands in 1637) include the repeated phrase "Buy or Die!", a slogan long associated with the Ralph Records mail order catalogs of the 1970s and 1980s.
The song is briefly featured on the "Imaginary Jack" suite that accompanied the original album.
History
This song dates back to 2001, when Charles Bobuck recorded sketches for a proposed album about the American Civil War, which was soon abandoned in favor of the Demons Dance Alone album. A sketch rendition of the minstrel song "Oh Dem Golden Slippers" was eventually revisited and fleshed out into "Two Lips"; the original sketch can be heard on Bobuck's Missing Soldiers release.
The song was first previewed on New Year's Eve, 2004, when a brief sample was posted on The Residents' official BOG news site, accompanied by an excerpt of the animal narrative:
But beyond the lawn and its surrounding flower beds, the ant knew nothing of the human’s existence. The small creature had no idea what went on inside the big house, or how the man earned his income, or what he ate for dinner, but the tiny animal easily recognized the acrid odor of change, and the odor was in the air.
Lyrics
Oh, we have to buy a tulip Yes, we have to buy a tulip Oh, we have to buy a tulip So we'll sell our homes; We will sell our clothes and we'll sell our shoes; Everything we own we'll sell to you.
My doctor bought a tulip, and my banker bought a tulip, and my lawyer bought a tulip so I'll buy one, too. Maybe I'll buy ten, Maybe I'll buy more; All my friends have scored tulips galore.
YES! - WE HAVE TO BUY! NO! - WE DON'T KNOW WHY! YES! - WE'LL BUY OR DIE! YES! - WE HAVE TO BUY! NO! - WE DON'T KNOW WHY! YES! - WE'LL BUY OR DIE! NO! - WE DON'T KNOW WHY! YES! - WE'LL BUY OR DIE!
Would you like to buy a tulip? Would you like to buy a tulip? Would you like to buy a tulip? You can pick and choose. I have sold my wife and my children, too; I have nothing but tulips to lose.
YES! - WE HAVE TO BUY! NO! - WE DON'T KNOW WHY! YES! - WE'LL BUY OR DIE!
The Ant
The ant liked the man. He was a hard worker and ants appreciate hard work. When the human first arrived, the anthill was at the edge of a small forest, but soon the trees were removed and shortly afterwards the man built and occupied a large and stately home, not far from his unknown neighbors, the ants. And, with the building of a stable, a guest house and servants' quarters, his industry continued. Occasionally the ant paused to watch as the man, arrogant and successful, entertained guests on the sunlit expanse of his grass covered lawn, proudly displaying his children and attractive young wife. But beyond the lawn and its surrounding flower beds, the ant knew nothing of the human's existence. The small creature had no idea what went on inside the big house, or how the man earned his income, or what he ate for dinner, but the tiny animal easily recognized the acrid odor of change, and the odor was in the air. The man's children, who often spent entire days running and playing on the lush and exquisite lawn, had disappeared. His wife, who quietly stood at the side of her rich and successful husband, entertaining his prosperous friends, had also vanished. As had the servants, the horses, the dogs, cats and everyone who had occupied the small estate - except the man. And lately he always seemed to be outside, staring at his flowers. His tulips. The pride of his life and the envy of his peers. But lately there weren't any parties. And no friends. Just tulips. The ant didn't understand flowers. They were all right to look at, but were obviously worthless in terms of food or shelter. And the man no longer seemed to care about anything else. "Oh well, it's time to go back to work," thought the ant.
List of releases
- Animal Lover (2005) [Version 1] [Version 2]
- Animal Lover Instrumental (2008) [Version 3]
- Missing Soldiers (Bobuck) (2015) [Version 4]
- Animal Lover (Evolution Edition) (2026) [Version 1] [Version 5] [Version 6] [Version 7] [Version 2]
List of versions
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Animal Lover album version, recorded ca.2003–2004 (2:43)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Imaginary Jack" mix (1:38) - Track 3
- ↑ Alternate instrumental version (3:33)
- ↑ Civil War album sketch, c.2001 ("MS Golden Slippers")
- ↑ Civil War album sketch, c.2001 ("Oh Dem Golden Slippers")
- ↑ Feast of Epiphany demo, Jan–Fall 2003 ("Gold Shipper")
- ↑ Feast of Manias demo, Apr–Aug 2004 ("Two Lips" alt. version)