Culture Abuse - Bee Kind To The Bugs

Song of the Day
Hosted by John Richards
Today’s song, featured on The Morning Show with John Richards is "Bee Kind To The Bugs" by Culture Abuse, from the 2018 album Bay Dream on Epitaph Records.
WRITTEN BY JASMINE ALBERTSON

Bay Area punks Culture Abuse released their sophomore album, Bay Dream, early this summer via Epitaph Records. Their first for the label, Bay Dream follows up 2016’s Peach. Our Song of the Day is the record’s lead single “Bee Kind To The Bugs.” Frontman and songwriter David Kelling describes the song like this:

“I was smoking a joint on our back porch in SF with my roommates talking about bumble bees and how much they do for our planet. The fact that they can even fly is a miracle and I was thinking about how they are all being killed off because humans are horrible. I wrote down the words ‘be kind to the bees, be kind to the bugs’.”

“Musically, I’ve had the chord progression for the verse since I was in high school,” continues David. “I’ve written multiple songs with that same progression, never showed anyone, but I’ve always loved it. One day I looked at my notepad and saw the two lines, played the chords and the words just flowed out. I had also been reading ‘Sidartha’ by Herman Hesse; the chorus is basically trying to say that material possessions don’t love you back and looks don’t matter, so take all my belongings and let me find peace.”

Below, watch the video for “Bee Kind To The Bugs” which follows a van spray-painted with the album title, Bay Dream, as it drives down a highway.

 

Introducing

In-Our-Headphones-Graphic-1080x1080.jpg

In Our Headphones

Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.

A-Deeper-Listen-Graphic-FINAL-1080x1080.jpg

A Deeper Listen

Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.

Latest Episodes

Kevin Sur, co-host of KEXP's global Indigenous music show Sounds of Survivance, introduces tracks from Y La Bamba, T H R O N E, Wyatt C. Louis

Salt Cathedral talk about the future of children in the screen addiction era and how these themes are addressed in their latest album.

On the show this time, it’s Filipino-British artist Beatrice Laus, aka beabadoobee, with a set of unabashedly pop songs.

Exploring some of the women-led bands on Kurt's list, Kurt's feminism, and the very notion of grouping bands together based on gender identity

Exploramos el legado femenino en el punk a través de los álbumes 'Dry' de PJ Harvey, 'Cut' de The Slits y el debut homónimo de The Raincoats.

Award-Winning Podcasts

Named one of the "Best New Podcasts of 2022" by Spotify, and a 2023 Webby Award Honoree

2024 Winner "Best Entertainment Podcast" in the Webbys, 2023 Best Work in Music Journalism Award from the Reeperbahn Festival, 2023 Nominee for "Best Music Pod…


More From Song of the Day

Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by DJ Morgan, host of the Variety Mix on Saturday afternoons, is "Asking" by Chalk, from the 2023 Conditions EP on Dutch Til…

Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by DJ Morgan, host of the Variety Mix on Saturday afternoons, is "Bantu Cakes" by Bantu Spaceship, from the 2023 album Bantu…

Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by DJ Morgan, host of the Variety Mix on Saturday afternoons, is "Deixem O Morto Morrer" by Ana Lua Caiano, from the 2024 al…