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Songs

Aching to Pupate

Description

"Aching to Pupate" is a song originally composed, performed, recorded, and released by Regina Spektor. It was first performed and recorded as part of the Two Jews on Christmas session on 2001-12-25 and subsequently released on the album Songs in early 2002. Currently, the song is only available to listen via an out-of-print CD, as the album Songs is not available on streaming and has had no subsequent releases since the original CD pressings.

The first known live performance of "Aching to Pupate" occurred on 2002-05-04 at the Sidewalk Cafe in New York, NY. The song was played live two more times in 2003, reemerging after fourteen years for its final perfromance on 2017-11-02 at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, WI for the 2017 Very Special Solo Tour.

"Aching to Pupate" was inspired by Regina's time spent in Luck, Wisconsin during the summer of 2001 after she graduated for SUNY Purchase. In an interview with Jeff Spevak from CITY Magazine, Regina was described as "running through fields, catching monarchs, putting them in wax envelopes, placing them in a tent with milkweed plants, watching as they laid eggs which produced larvae, which then underwent metamorphization into a chrysalis, which were then packaged in FedEx boxes", where they were then sent to museums and schools. She went on, “I remember closing my eyes and (seeing) thousands of caterpillars walking around in the dark, because I had been working with them all day. When I was working there, I couldn’t imagine a world where there wasn’t endless monarchs. It was a hippie experience, and I loved every moment of it. By the time I was done, I was ready to come home and lick the dirty New York City streets, because I missed it so much.”

Official Releases

There are no known official releases associated with this song.

Music Videos

Demos
 

There are no known demos associated with this song.

Live Performances

This song has no known live performances.

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Lyrics

Aching to pupate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Pu-pupate, pu pate
Pu-pate, pu-pupate, pu pa-ate

I should peddle butterflies
There's a shortage in the city
I'll stand on a street corner
All mysterious and giddy
When the passers-by pass by
I will open up my trenchcoat
They will see the butterflies
Dangling like fake rolexes
Every morning I wake up
With a purpose and a smirk
I'll put on my fake moustache
I'll drink Heineken eat cornflakes
Then I'll call my mom and dad
Tell them that I'm doing fine
Or I'll write a tipsy letter
To a real good friend of mine
Or I'll jump up on the bed
Waltzing madly with the broomstick
But before I leave the house
I will fill my lips with lipstick
But peddling is a dirty sport
There's competition in the city
Everyone is on a street corner
All mysterious and giddy
Some are selling bags and shoes
Some are selling books and gold
I've been standing here for days
Not one butterfly's been sold
And how I'm...

Aching to pupate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Aching to pup-p-p-pate
Pu-pupate, pu pate
Pu-pate, pu-pupate, pu pa-ate

Sheet Music

There's no sheet music associated with this song.

Song Facts

Release Status:

Released

Originally By:

Original

Collaborators:

Solo

Alternate Titles:

N/A

Written:

Unknown

Demo:
First Official Release:
First Live Performance:
Last Live Performance:

Song Stats

First Known Date:
Last Known Date:
Time Between First Known Date and Last Known Date:

Time Between First and Last Performance:

about 15 years and 7 months

# of Appearances on Official Releases:

1

# of Times Performed Live:

5

Themes & References

Trivia

Media Features

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