In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
Imagine if you were Herr Barockter
Alias and nobleman
Son of son of sky, and of scion
Part of his rich inheritance
Parceled and generous divorce
Sentence forthwith, being
Certain blocks of land
And living quarters deemed
By all gentlemen
And wives thereof
To be grossly humane
And frankly, quite un-dirty
Herr Barockter
In his enviable good taste
Tries quick escape gambit
Via local periodicals
But no takers, land an enviable station
In the conduit between two selves
A veritable no-man's land
Array of the flophouse, cardboard materials
And carbon-monoxide wallpaper
All his brig-deck Torino boys ask
Is irrelevant
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
Unable to bear the scandal, Ray, philanthropist
Rents low-down scab house in conduit
Herr Barockter offers said land for a song
But no one wants to sing
In an attempt to retain social privileges
Yet mask it as goodwill,
He says to the conduit members:
"Take this rotten old tree and make it bear fruit"
Cheers erupted throughout the thin settlement
An Italian male was heard to say
"Between here and there
Is better than either here or there!"
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
Imagine if you were Herr Barockter
Alias and nobleman
Son of son of sky, and of scion
Part of his rich inheritance
Parceled and generous divorce
Sentence forthwith, being
Certain blocks of land
And living quarters deemed
By all gentlemen
And wives thereof
To be grossly humane
And frankly, quite un-dirty
Herr Barockter
In his enviable good taste
Tries quick escape gambit
Via local periodicals
But no takers, land an enviable station
In the conduit between two selves
A veritable no-man's land
Array of the flophouse, cardboard materials
And carbon-monoxide wallpaper
All his brig-deck Torino boys ask
Is irrelevant
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
Unable to bear the scandal, Ray, philanthropist
Rents low-down scab house in conduit
Herr Barockter offers said land for a song
But no one wants to sing
In an attempt to retain social privileges
Yet mask it as goodwill,
He says to the conduit members:
"Take this rotten old tree and make it bear fruit"
Cheers erupted throughout the thin settlement
An Italian male was heard to say
"Between here and there
Is better than either here or there!"
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin'
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
I'm tryin' and I'll try
Lyrics submitted by summerbabe, edited by cutlunch
Conduit for Sale! Lyrics as written by Stephen Joseph Malkmus Scott Kannberg
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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Malkmus is writing about the end of rule in Turin, Italy under the house of Savoy. Hier Proctor (not Herr Barockter) was the viceroy in the region, of Swiss/German lineage. I'm not sure of the context in which this is written, but apparently "Ray" was a local Italian nobelman who lived in Turin under the Savoy Rule and was fairly wealthy. However, and if my facts are correct, both he and Proctor were having daliances with many of the same women, and in particular, had been cockhold by the same woman. In a cheap attempt to elevate his name from the muck of public scandal, thereby saving public face, he wrote several articles in the local print media. However this thin attempt was a translucent veil to the general population. In order to keep the peace, and show his continued benevolence to the native Turins under his despotism, as well as to help his rival save face and maintain the love of the people, Proctor liberates a portion of the township under Savoy Rule. It becomes an Italian Run area in the lowliest portion of the city. The locals rush to inhabit the free land, because in their eyes living inside the Savoy ruled areas, or on the fringes of the city in their own homes, is not as satisfying as living free in a hovel. "Between here and there is better that either here or there."
Yeah, I pretty much thought it was leaning towards some kinda social scandal in 17th-18th century Europe. Sometimes I think I can read SM's mind...hyulk! Others, I have no fucking idea what he's on about. That's the fun of it, I guess. I made said changes; let me know if you have anymore. :-)
Malkmus is exactly the kind of person who would come on here and explain his lyrics like this in a overly serious way - more serious and thought-out than they were when actually written.
I think you mean cuckold, not cockhold...
I think Malkmus was just throwing words at the wall to see what sticks. This song is like homemade pasta.
You shouldn't so vastly underestimate genius
the end is positively screech-tastic. just wanted to say that
This song really shows how much Pavement was influenced by the Fall on Slanted Enchanted
Mark E Smith says that Pavement stole all their ideas from him (The Fall)
Mark E Smith says that Pavement stole all their ideas from him (The Fall)
@birthcontrolblues It\'s now 2022 and as I listened to my (massive) Spotify Playlist via my earbuds, Conduit For Sale came on for the first time. \r\nAfter about 60 seconds, I decided to get my phone out of my pocket to take a look at my Spotify because I didn\'t remember downloading a Fall song that begins like that.\r\nI was totally shocked to see that it wasn\'t the Fall but instead Pavement.\r\nSo yes, it is clear that, at least at this stage, Pavement were definitely influenced, one might even say were totally ripping-off, The Fall.
@birthcontrolblues It\'s now 2022 and as I listened to my (massive) Spotify Playlist via my earbuds, Conduit For Sale came on for the first time. \r\nAfter about 60 seconds, I decided to get my phone out of my pocket to take a look at my Spotify because I didn\'t remember downloading a Fall song that begins like that.\r\nI was totally shocked to see that it wasn\'t the Fall but instead Pavement.\r\nSo yes, it is clear that, at least at this stage, Pavement were definitely influenced, one might even say were totally ripping-off, The Fall.
True... although this and Fame Throwa (and maybe Two States and Nothing Ever Happens) are the only songs on S&E that sound like the fall
the Turin theory may sound far-fetched, but it does make sense - kind of - Malkmus, after all, was a history major.
The Fall song in question, which SM pretty much admits to ripping off, is New Face In Hell, it's a good one, check it out, but I actually like Conduit better.
This song made me laugh out loud. At the end, he sounds exactly like a dying animal. Usually, people just say that to describe a bad voice, but in this case, that's really what he sounds like. Wild!
I don't think the Turin theory is farfetched! huntmstr laid it out quite nicely, it sounds like that is exactly what this song is about.
huntmstr = Malkmus