I first heard Bjork’s extraordinary vocals in her first band The Sugarcubes. I don’t remember whether I heard “Birthday” or “Eat the Menu” first, but was fortunate enough to see them when they performed at the Metro (Palace Theatre) in 1989. I envy people who can remember gigs in detail. I can only remember snippets. All I remember was that Bjork threw tubs of Yoplait yoghurt into the audience, and said something like “We have yoghurts for you.” Sit back, grab a tub of Yoplait, and listen to Bjork sing “Have, have, have some salad” and then perhaps ponder why you don’t have a healthier diet, and reach for a bag of chips, bar of chocolate and an ice cream chaser instead.
“Eat The Menu” lyrics
(by Gudmundsdottir, Bjork / Benediktsson, Einar / Olafsson, Bragi / Baldursson, Sigtryggur / Jonsson, Thor Eldon / Oernolfsdottir, Margret)
Limousines, oranges
Stars, moons, submarines
Jeeps, glaciers
Cars, caterpillars, even grapes
It’s none of my business
But you have to eat
Your appetite is appalling
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Have, have, have some salad
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Bite, bite, bite an apple
Eat, eat, eat the menu
S-s-suck, suck an orange
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Taste, taste, taste the pate
I’m just a maid
But yes to food is yes to life
I’ve got to eat something
Otherwise I’ll die
But the choice is too great
I can’t decide what to eat?
I’ll possibly just eat the menu
How would you like strawberry juice
Or lemon red sea perch?
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Bite, bite, bite the kiwi
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Have, have, have some chicken
I’m just a maid
But yes to food is yes to life
The waiter came with the menu
And said, “There you go”
I said, “Thank you”
And “But the choice is too great”
Why can’t I be a cod
In the depths of the ocean
And just eat small fish?
The cod has so simple tastes
But I have all the choice
Bite, bite, bite an apple
Suck, suck, s-s-suck
(Eat, eat, eat the menu)
Taste, taste the pate
(Eat, eat, eat the menu)
Oh, eat the menu
(Eat, eat)
Limousines, oranges
Stars, moons, submarines
Jeeps, glaciers
Cars, even caterpillars
Oh, you vague customer
You’ll have to look somewhere else
You’ll have to find something to eat
Eat, eat, eat the menu
No, eat, eat, eat a moment
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Eat, eat, eat the feeling
Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat
Eat, eat, eat the menu
Eat, eat, eat the person
(Eat, eat, eat the feeling)
Eat, eat, eat the menu
(Eat, eat, eat the person)
Eat, eat, eat
(Eat the rock band too)
I won’t complain but