One of the “original batch” of Pixies songs, and one of the band’s favorites to perform. Black Francis says he doesn’t remember writing “Caribou,” stating:
“it’s an abstract song, but I would say that the abstraction of it is related to reincarnation… Native American animism or whatever.”
[Verse 1]
I live cement
I hate this street
Give dirt to me
I've got lament
This human form
Where I was born
I now repent
[Chorus]
Caribou
Caribou
Caribou
Ooh
Repent
Repent
[Verse 2]
Give me white
Ground to run
Air for guns
Lets me knife
Knife me, let's
I will get
What I like
[Chorus]
Caribou
Caribou
Caribou
Ooh
Repent
Repent
Caribou was written by Frank Black.
Caribou was produced by Gary Smith.
Frank Black in Select, October 1997:
It gets into a bit of animism, maybe a little reincarnation. My focus was the hunt, the caribou. It was good to play – very loud, with a nice little triplet swing going on