Copper, let us take you to a furnace where we'll break you, fire's so big and
pretty, you could cry,
as you buckle, you could ask me what was wrong with me before -
did I need the silver to be suitable?
Copper, I have a use for you, it's easy work and it suits you,
dazzled dirty beauty, you must know
Copper is a conductor and makes for decent cooking,
dazzled by your beauty still, you know,
plated or anodized, you even fool a layman's eyes,
presentable though you might be, it's unwise to try to fight me.
Copper, never be gold.
pretty, you could cry,
as you buckle, you could ask me what was wrong with me before -
did I need the silver to be suitable?
Copper, I have a use for you, it's easy work and it suits you,
dazzled dirty beauty, you must know
Copper is a conductor and makes for decent cooking,
dazzled by your beauty still, you know,
plated or anodized, you even fool a layman's eyes,
presentable though you might be, it's unwise to try to fight me.
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I consider this to be a great geek song. Not too surprising considering how Albini is quite the nerd himself, being an audio engineer. In these lyrics, he seems to be writing a ballad to the most beloved medium of the trade: copper. Almost all wiring is made up of copper. It is the second best conductor known to humanity -- the best being silver ("Did I need this silver to be suitable?"). Since silver is so absurdly expensive, however, we tend to stick with copper. Now gold, contrary to popular belief, is not as conductive as copper, but it does have the advantage of never corroding. Also, gold is more valuable outside of electronics.
What I don't quite get is the chorus ("Copper -- you'll never be gold"). To me, it seems like Albini is trying to say that while copper is an excellent conductor, it still will not be as widely valued as gold. Or, it could be that Albini is saying that copper will not be able to "fight him" as gold can. The latter does not seem as likely to me, since gold is the third most conductive element, but it is possible.
Dhampir Boy, I quite like your write-up & explanation (on copper/silver/gold as varying conductives all with their own advantage vs. disadvantage). Being a geeky audio engineer, it all makes sense.
Dhampir Boy, I quite like your write-up & explanation (on copper/silver/gold as varying conductives all with their own advantage vs. disadvantage). Being a geeky audio engineer, it all makes sense.
As for the chorus- maybe it's a metaphor for Steve's path in the recording industry up to the point of at least writing that song. This song came out in the mid-to-late '90s, yeah? Steve being an analog loylist... when now there are so many other methods & ways to record an album. Everyone will always question Albini for being loyal to analog, even in 20 yrs from...
As for the chorus- maybe it's a metaphor for Steve's path in the recording industry up to the point of at least writing that song. This song came out in the mid-to-late '90s, yeah? Steve being an analog loylist... when now there are so many other methods & ways to record an album. Everyone will always question Albini for being loyal to analog, even in 20 yrs from now when technology has expanded even more. "Copper- you'll never be gold" could mean a lot of things, but from the perspective of this song (and after reading your writeup) I would guess it is biting frusteration about balancing your roots and ethics vs. trying to make a living in a skewed recording industry. Copper- you'll never be gold (gold record? audio engineer?... despite Albini's well-known and revolutionary style for production, countless of records by mainstream artists he has put out, and all of the rest i can't cram intothis box before i hit X amount of characters or had an add-moment, his mechanisms are still constantly brought into play... "never be gold")
what's interesting though. Compared to a lot of Shellac's music I've heard, this is one of the more straight-up gritty punk/rock & roll songs they ever put out. Sure it's noisy and has that albini sound still, but it is structured unlike most Shellac songs..
Those of you taking this as literally about copper would be embarrassing yourselves if you had the imagination to get that this song uses Copper and plays on its various properties as a metaphor for an apparently vicious end to a relationship. You do realise Albini sings in character a very large part of the time? Mostly, characters who are "just a Bad Penny". He discusses his audio engineering and music eloquently in interview, he certainly does not write songs about it (the songs are it). The idea is simply preposterous. This song is directly addressed to a woman, possibly an ex-, and is a revenge song (revenge tragedies were a genre in themselves in Shakespeare's time). For the literal minded, the woman may or may not be called Copper. It's not impossible, nor does it matter.
I think that this song is about a girl who's rather average and bland.
I think this song is exactly what it says: a song singing about the properties of copper.
Gold being the best, copper pales in comparison. And despite its various properties, copper will never be gold.
There's one thing I kind of wonder about: did I need the silver to be suitable?
Also, I think the lyric is "as you buckle".
@Riobard Good grief. Why would someone with the intelligence, wit and caustic humour of Albini do that? Why would anyone? It's a work of imagination, not an engineering manual. You know the band Big Black? You think it means Big, and Black, right? No, there is a third word missing, it begins with a C and ends with a K. Il Porno Star off At Action Park has one like a stallion (likely not a black one, he's Colombian).
@Riobard Good grief. Why would someone with the intelligence, wit and caustic humour of Albini do that? Why would anyone? It's a work of imagination, not an engineering manual. You know the band Big Black? You think it means Big, and Black, right? No, there is a third word missing, it begins with a C and ends with a K. Il Porno Star off At Action Park has one like a stallion (likely not a black one, he's Colombian).
steve's using copper as a double entedre, but I'm not quite sure for what.
When I hear it I imagine "copper" as a police officer, likening it to one of those big black songs where steve puts himself in someone else's twisted shoes. But I don't see that totally making sense. Just some guy that is apparently too mediocre.
I think it's just a song about feeling worthless ("you'll never be gold").
I'm pretty sure it's "Don't ever be gold."
The "You'll never be gold" part evokes the practice of alchemy.
Transformation of base metals into precious metals.