It’s been 20 years since Cibo Matto burst onto the music scene with their debut album, Viva La Woman! While times have changed, one thing is for certain: the Japanese duo’s music is utterly memorable. It’s fun, it’s ambient, it’s funky, it’s nonsensical, it’s weird, it’s awesome. Many of the lyrics in their small but mighty collection focus on food. The group’s name, “Cibo Matto,” even translates to “food madness” in Italian.
In honor of their work—and because food and music make everything better—I’ve ranked Cibo Matto’s top 10 food-centric songs.
10. Le Pain Perdu
Take a bit of C&C Music Factory, a dash of Brian Setzer Orchestra, and a hunk of Cibo Matto’s signature wacky lyrics (“Can you take my silver wheat? Mix it up with butter and treat. I feel a chill go down my feet. Your maple is so sweet”) and you have “Le Pain Perdu.” A fun, infectiously catchy ditty, it will leave you bopping about and probably subconsciously craving French toast, which is typically made with “le pain perdu,” or stale bread.
9. BBQ
A gem from Cibo Matto’s second release, the EP Super Relax, BBQ reminds me of what the founding members, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, might do if they were challenged to do their best Beastie Boys impression—and it’s delightful. Both women rap back and forth, ultimately cheerfully rapping “make it funky, let’s get greasy, let’s get chunky.” It’s like aural BBQ ribs: you’ll get a delightful case of the -itis, but without any heartburn, gout, or other unsavory side effects.
8. Sci-Fi Wasabi
A spicy sonic jam from their second album, Stereo* Type A, “Sci-Fi Wasabi” delves even further into the group’s hip hop sound (even shouting “CIBO MATTO 1999!”) while packing in as many random food references as possible (standouts include “Yuka Honda knows her water – pass the Volvic. No wonder her fingers are smooth like butter” and “feeling stromboli, not ravioli”) in a song about the struggles of urban life. Food for thought, indeed.
7. Apple
The first song on their debut, “Apple” is an ambient, abstractly poetic piece. With lyrics like “When apple leaves fall, You may feel something in your mind’s eye. When the earth drinks in squall. You may plan to escape on the sly,” they belie some of the band’s signature lyrical silliness. It’s one of those songs that should be included on the playlist for everyone you want to impress.
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