Don't Shit Where You Eat
"Don't Shit Where You Eat" is a song by Ween from the 1994 album Chocolate and Cheese.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
Recording and Composition[edit | edit source]
"Don't Shit Where You Eat" is in the key of C major, with it notably ending on a ringing Cadd9.
Gene Ween sings all lead and and background vocals, and Dean Ween plays all rhythm and lead guitars.[1] The song uses some of the "jazzy chords" that Dean Ween learned from Ed Wilson.[2]
The song's title phrase comes from an expression Dean Ween's father used to say.[3] Dean has called it "a very important lesson to be learned."[4] Gene elaborated that the phrase means to "not trash the place you sleep in, don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and most importantly don’t poop on the same plate you eat on or you’ll be eating shit. A good lesson for us all."[5]
Live Performances[edit | edit source]
Ween debuted "Don't Shit Where You Eat" in the spring of 1993, playing it several times that year with DAT deck accompaniment. Later, they played it frequently on the Chocolate and Cheese tour with the full band, and have continued to play it fairly often ever since. It was even adapted with country instrumentation on the 12 Golden Country Greats tour.[6]
In addition, Gene Ween has played "Don't Shit Where You Eat" numerous times at solo acoustic shows. The Dean Ween Group played it a single time in 2015 during the Ween hiatus.[7]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Official lyrics were printed in the Chocolate and Cheese liner notes:
Don't you ever think of me
When you're outside strollin'
Don't you ever wave the flag
When we're rockin' and rollin'
Don't shit where you eat, my friend
Who said it was hard to climb
A peak that you can't see?
I tell ya it's an easy thing
When it's you and me
But don't shit where you eat, my friend
A little food and drink, uh huh
Nothin' too fancy
Lamb, veal, and some good ole wine
This is the life for me
But don't shit where you eat, my friend[8]
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
Poop, Profanity/Swearing, Sung by Gene Ween
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ H. Shteamer, Chocolate and Cheese, p.115
- ↑ H. Shteamer, Chocolate and Cheese, p.115
- ↑ H. Shteamer, Chocolate and Cheese, p.116
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWt-cEHsGIA
- ↑ Ween Cuisine: Classic Food Moments in Ween Songs, Paste, 2015
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=Dean%20Ween%20Group&song_id=45
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=Dean%20Ween%20Group&song_id=45
- ↑ From the Chocolate and Cheese liner notes