4 Non Blondes

4 Non Blondes, first line-up:

Christa Hillhouse: Bass Guitar

Linda Perry: lead vocals, guitar

Shauna Hall: Guitar

Wanda Day: Drums

Replacement and long-term members: Dawn Richardson (Drums), Roger Rocha (Guitar).

Well Known Line-Up: Christa Hillhouse - Bass Guitarist, Linda Perry - vocalist and Guitarist, Roger Rocha - Guitarist, Dawn Richardson - Drummer.

The original line up is above with changes listed. The original members began playing music in the clubs prior to first album release. By the time a first album was made, Day was replaced on drums by Dawn RIchardson - Hall was replaced by Roger Rocha. Linda Perry left the band to pursue a solo career in 1993 and since that time, 4 Non Blondes has disbanded.

The initial forming of this band was without Perry. Wanda Day was already drumming in a band that was noticed by musicians Hillhouse and Hall - who were impressed with Day's drumming.

Hillhouse and Hall happened to be room mates at the time and, at first, they simply joined the band that Day was involved with. Soon, Hillhouse, Day, and Hall broke off from Day's original band and this new trio started working together for a short time. You might say they were all "in the field" but looking for or feeling around for the right sound and feel, and luckily, it wasn't very long 'til the one of the trio observed Linda Perry doing solo vocals (according to Perry, SOURCE) at a San Francisco nightclub called "Nightbreak." Hall was in Nightbreak and managed to speak with Linda Perry, mentioning that the Hillhouse-Day-Hall trio were looking for another member. The two women arranged for a first session-rehearsal date with all four band members. Unfortunately, on the date scheduled, October 17, 1989, the earthquake named "Lorna Prieta" hit San Francisco, so the four were unable to rehearse and got together shortly after recovering from the earthquake.

Once the four members, Hillhouse, Hall, Day and Perry had met, rehearsed and got into the band and personal relationships within, they still needed a name...

It is believed that they decided upon their name, 4 Non Blondes, while in a park in San Francisco, when the four were having pizza together in the park. An incident occured whereby a little boy and his family wandered by and the boy wanted to get some left-over pizza to feed the birds in the park with. The band members observed that the parents/family behaved like "blondes" or "very blonde" and naive, telling their little boy he couldn't have the pizza because it was dirty from all the birds and people in the park. (what the heck? The women had just been eating and enjoying the pizza but simply had left-overs - nothing wrong with the pizza... something sort of wrong with the explanation the "blonde-acting" parents gave their son, right?). The parents followed this up with sending the band members a dirty look and then moved on...

From discussion on what they'd all observed and mention of the "blonde" family, the women came to select the band name, 4 Non Blondes. The incident happened sometime in 1989 and the women - who now had a band name - played as 4 Non Blondes around clubs in San Franciso until signing a record deal in 1991.

The band put out the album, "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" in 1992 and this 11-track album was the only studio album for 4 Non Blondes.

Song List on Bigger Better Faster More:

1. Train
2. Superfly
3. What's Up?
4. Pleasantly Blue
5. Morphine and Chocolate
6. Spaceman
7. Old Mr. Heffer
8. Calling All the People
9. Dear Mr. President
10. Drifting
11. No Place Like Home

What ya gonna do child
When your thoughts are movin' slow
Find another to show you where to go
You'll be searchin' for that train
And you'll see it's a train
What ya gonna do child
When your mommy goes away
She won't take you
She'll leave you astray
You'll be searchin' for that train
And you see it's a train
And you see yourself
Searchin' for somebody else
But you know for sure it's that train
What are you gonna do child
When you leave it all behind
Find another, to blow it in your mind
You'll be searchin' for that train
And you'll see it's a train
And you see yourself searchin' for somebody else
But you know for sure it's that train

(lyrics found on same youtube vid page) 

Here I am and I'm waitin'
on a chance to
make it right
Every word you say
makes my heart go bang bang
'cause it sounds so nice
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom
What can I do
to get you in the mood
baby I give up
I'm so misused
and you're so confused
it's such a drag
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom
Here I am and I'm waitin'
on a chance to
make it right
Do I turn you on
or maybe do I turn you off
could you just decide
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom 

source 

25 years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination
I realized quickly when I knew I should
That the whole world's MADE UP OF this brotherhood of man
FOR whatever that means

And so I cry sometimes when I'm lying in bed
Just to get it all out, what's in my head
And I, I am feeling a little peculiar
And so I wake in the morning and I step outside
And I take A deep breath and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs,
What's goin' on

And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on
And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on

Ooh, Ooh, Oooohh, Oooohh, what's up...
Ooh, Ooh, Oooohh, Oooohh, what's up...

And I try, oh my God, do I try
I try all the time in this institution
And I pray, oh my God, do I pray
I pray every single day FOR A REVOLUTION!

And so I cry sometimes when I'm lying in bed
Just to get it all out, what's in my head
And I, I am feeling a little peculiar
And so I wake in the morning and I step outside
And I take deep breath and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs,
WHAT'S GOIN' ON!!

And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on
And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on
And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on
And I say hey.... hey....
I said hey, what's goin' on

Ooh, Ooh, Oooohh, Oooohh, what's up...

25 years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination

source

Every time you wake in the morning
and you start to cry
and I figure there's something up baby
but you don't tell me why
And I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
Hush hush you walk on by
you don't say a word
talk to me baby, talk to me baby
what haven't I heard
And I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
Oh no, here we go
what's wrong with you
come here baby, come to me baby
what can I do
Yea I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue. 

(lyrics on same youtube page)

Substitute my gloom with happiness
Substitute my sickness with health
Substitute my enemies with real good friends
Morphine & chocolate are my substitute, substitutes
Morphine & chocolate can bring me up
Can warm my heart whenever I want it
And every once in a while when I stop and think
Morphine & chocolate are my substitute, substitutes
And you can say "hey, we've really come a long way"
And you can say "say, it can only be this way"
But, you might be careful, it really, it really come a long way
And you can say "hey, it can only be this way"
But, you might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
You might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
You might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
You'll go down, down, down, ooh
Set the alarm clock, baby,
Don't you miss the sun?
I'm feeling really warm hearted baby
Don't you know I'm feeling like someone
I'm fearing for my heart
Morphine & chocolate could never substitute my art!
And that's real love baby
And that's real love baby
And that's real love baby 

Starry night bring me down
Till I realize the moon
It seems so distant yet I felt it pass right through
And I see what I see a new world is over me
So I'll reach up to the sky
And pretend that I'm a spaceman
In another place and time
I guess I'm looking for a brand new place
Is there a better life for me?
Subtle wind blow me gone
Let me rest upon your move
I trust I'll end up sleeping cradled in my doom
And I feel what I feel
I can't grasp what is not real
So I'll get myself real high
And imagine I'm a spaceman
In another place and time
I guess I'm looking for a brand new place
Is there a better life for me?
I remember in my mind
They say I'm daydreaming
Is it all that it seems
Or am I all the things I'm looking for? ?ooh!
And I see what I see a new world is over me
And I'll reach up to the sky
And imagine I'm a spaceman
In another place and time
I guess I'm looking for a brand new place
I remember living in a different life
Is there a better life for me?

source

Stumbled My Way On The Darkest Afternoon
I Got A Beer In My Hand
And I'm Draggin' A Stoogie Too
The Back Of My Brain Is Tickin' Like A Clock
I Simmer Down Gently But Boil On What The Fuck
Get Back 'cause I'm Feelin' Good Tonight
Get Back 'cause I'm Feeling Right
Trouble Is A Word That Starts With A Capital T
I Refer Myself To The Word 'cause I'm So Keen
Little Do They Know That I'm Struttin' Such A Style
It Makes The Trouble In Me All Worth The While
So Get Back 'cause I'm Feelin' Good Tonight
Get Back 'cause I'm Feelin' Right
There Goes Billy And Susie Walkin' Hand 'n Hand
I Quickly Caught Up Slurring Yo What's The Plan
They Had Fear In Their Eyes And Bellies That Ran Like Dogs
I Barrelled Down Laughing Screaming Susie
You Forgot Your Clogs
Well, Old Mr. Heffer
I'm Really Pleased To Meet You
I Didn't Mean To Scare Your Blue-eyed-child
But Billy Wouldn't Talk To Me
And Susie Wouldn't Look At Me
It Made Me So Doggone Crazy
I Had To Chase Them For A Mile
All I Wanted Was Change For A Buck
Well I'm Back And I'm Feelin' Good Tonight
Yea I'm Back And I'm Feelin' Right
So Get Back 'cause I'm Feelin' Good Tonight
Get Back 'cause I'm Feelin' Right
Jesus
source

 How can you tell
when your wellness is not well
make no mistakes now
please do excuse
my itchy attitude
I'm feelin' righteous
why, why are we always asking why
to lamely try to justify
for what it is a lack of drive
Calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes to break through
Where is it at
when your moral is a hat
full of money
can you explain
why the messy kitchen sink
is so confusing
why, why are we always asking why
to lamely try to justify
for what it is a lack of drive
Calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes
calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes to break through
calling all the people

source

I'm looking outside of my window
the view that I see
is a child and mama
and the child is begging for money
tell me why, tell me why
the woman is blind
is she so broke
the kid's dealing crime
it's such a beautiful city,
but the word is burning it down
I go to my room to turn on the TV
I sit myself down
and I start laughing hard
'cause this man he's asking for money
he say "if you send me lots of cash
I'll send you stuff to make you rich fast"
it's such a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
it's such a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
and it's burning down
and it's called the US of A
One day I'm going to have lots of money
but I'll have to give it up for this rich society
oh please Mr. President will you lend me a future
'cause you'll just get it back
from the little blind woman
with the kid on the corner
and the people full over, doin' crack
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
it's such a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
and it's burning down
and it's called the US of A
I'm walking outside on a sunny day
with no one around
and I wonder what's wrong
then I hear this loud piercing siren
oh my God the bomb has just dropped
and everybody climbed right on top screaming
what a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
it's such a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea
yea yea yea yea yea
and it's burning down
and it's called the US of A

source

When I wake up in my house
I get dressed when I get lost
I don't know which way to go
I guess I'll have a cup of Joe
where the hell was I anyways
so I end up on the street
walkin' talkin' to my own beat
in a fog, in a haze
I've been trippin' out for days
can you help me find my way home
1-2-3
don't rock the boat now, just let it slide
groovy people walking back and forth, that's right
so I hop onto this bus
destination reads please save us
not a soul that know
to be found in this dark hole
can you help me find my way home
can you help me find my way home
I'm so tired of looking for the door
please help me find my way
please help me find my way
I can't find the door
where I am now, where I am now
I find myself just out there floating
source