Chris Otepka, the driving force behind the indie-folk project The Heligoats, has long been celebrated for his intricate and often scientifically-infused lyrical narratives. In “Rubber Stopper,” a standout track from the 2010 album Goodness Gracious, Otepka crafts a compelling and enigmatic examination of a relationship teetering between mechanical functionality and burgeoning, genuine connection. Through a series of vivid, and at times surreal, vignettes, the song explores themes of passive observation, disjointed efforts, and the eventual, surprising blossom of intimacy.
A Partnership of Parts
The song opens with a curious inventory of items, establishing a sense of a collaborative, yet oddly disconnected, effort:
I brought the rubber
You brought the rubber stopper
I brought the ball
You brought the ramp
This transactional and fragmented beginning suggests a relationship built on components rather than a holistic union. Each partner contributes a piece to a larger, unseen apparatus. The subsequent lines, “I hooked my hose up to your flowing water / But never offered you a hand,” introduce a subtle tension. There is a utilization of one another’s resources, a “hooking up” to the other’s “flowing water,” which could symbolize emotional or creative energy. However, the lack of a simple, human gesture—offering a hand—highlights a critical emotional disconnect.
This sense of detachment is further emphasized in the recurring refrain:
And I love to see you at your most productive
And I love to watch you wait for me to do something
Here, the narrator adopts the role of a passive observer, taking pleasure in the other’s activity and their anticipation of his own contribution. This creates a power dynamic where one partner is in perpetual motion while the other is a spectator, deriving satisfaction from the potential energy of the situation rather than active participation. The use of “love” in this context feels almost clinical, an appreciation for a well-oiled machine rather than a heartfelt affection.
Misdirection and Mechanical Love
The second stanza shifts into a more surreal and chaotic scene, further illustrating the narrator’s tendency towards deflection and avoidance:
Yesterday ruby Tuesday
The race was off
And it seemed that the room had gotten loud
And I stuck my finger in her eye socket
Misdirecting the crowd
The reference to “Ruby Tuesday,” a song by The Rolling Stones about a fleeting and free-spirited woman, may hint at the nature of the female character in the song. The “race” being “off” suggests a breakdown of the established order, and in the ensuing chaos, the narrator’s bizarre and slightly violent act of sticking his finger in her eye socket serves as a “misdirection.” This could be a metaphor for an emotional defense mechanism, a way to create a diversion when things become too intense or “loud.”
The plea that follows, “Look at my love and say something constructive / Look at my love and tell me its not something,” reveals a flicker of vulnerability. The narrator, for the first time, seems to seek validation for his feelings, even as he struggles to express them in a conventional way. This is immediately contrasted with the stark observation, “See how the people get replaced by machines / And see my love it’s like a living dream,” further blurring the line between the organic and the artificial in his perception of love and the world around him.
From Dominoes to Dawn
The narrative continues with another instance of engineered interaction:
And then I tricked her into seeing medicine balls
Pulling ropes and making beds
And we decided that after watching dominoes fall
We’d rather wait outside instead
The act of “tricking” her into mundane, repetitive tasks reinforces the theme of a manufactured relationship. The image of watching dominoes fall is a powerful metaphor for a chain of events, a cause-and-effect relationship that they ultimately choose to step away from. Their decision to “wait outside instead” signifies a potential shift—a movement away from the predetermined and mechanical towards something more spontaneous.
This shift culminates in the song’s final, and most intimate, moments:
And when we kissed it tasted just like candy
We tasted it until the sun came up all around us
We spent the night out on the trampoline
Like two machines but we were making love
The kiss, a classic symbol of romantic connection, is described with a simple, sweet simile: “it tasted just like candy.” This is a stark contrast to the earlier, more complex and detached imagery. The act of tasting it “until the sun came up” suggests a deep immersion in the moment, a letting go of the previous observational stance.
The final lines are a beautiful and poignant resolution to the song’s central conflict. They are “like two machines,” acknowledging the mechanical and somewhat disjointed nature of their connection that has been built throughout the song. Yet, in this shared space, on a trampoline under the open sky, they are “making love.” This is a profound statement of synthesis, where the mechanical and the emotional, the artificial and the authentic, finally coalesce into a genuine act of intimacy.
In “Rubber Stopper,” The Heligoats masterfully weave a lyrical tapestry that is both perplexing and profoundly moving. The song serves as a powerful reminder that connection can be found in the most unlikely of circumstances, and that even a relationship that begins with the cold logic of a machine can, with a single kiss and a shared sunrise, blossom into the warmth of human love.
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