Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Jezebel
From Israel
Who never read a book
Charmed the literati
And a smile was all it took
I was laughing with Picasso
When she first entered the room
But Gershwin, Tristan Tzara
And Man Ray saw her, too
There was never any doubt
All would try to take her home
But she refused their every move
Preferred to be alone
And a rose
A rose is a rose
Zelda had a breakdown
Fitzgerald hit the bar
His hand was broken
Words were spoken
Didn't get too far
Hemmingway was smoother
More debonaire and fun
But he would say her repartee
Was meaner than a gun
And a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Said my good friend Gertrude Stein
She knows that I go to the ol' Deux Magots
And I drink Pernod through the night
Jezebel
From Israel
Who never read a book
She charmed the literati
And a smile was all it took
Before her, Joyce will babble
And Pound has gone insane
Eliot is paralyzed by
Thoughts of April rain
When she refused Lenin
He vowed to start a war
Stravinsky beat The Rite of Spring
Right there on the floor
And a rose
A rose is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Said my good friend Gertrude Stein
She knows that I go to the ol' Deux Magots
And I drink Pernod through the night
And then one night, she's missing
A riot soon began
No one could stand the thought of Jezzie
With another man
I raced down winding streets
I broke into her house
You'd never guess who Jezebel
Was kissing on the couch
A rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
A rose
"Hi Jezzie
Hi there, Gertrude
Am I interrupting something?"
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
She is just a
She is just a rose
From Israel
Who never read a book
Charmed the literati
And a smile was all it took
I was laughing with Picasso
When she first entered the room
But Gershwin, Tristan Tzara
And Man Ray saw her, too
There was never any doubt
All would try to take her home
But she refused their every move
Preferred to be alone
And a rose
A rose is a rose
Zelda had a breakdown
Fitzgerald hit the bar
His hand was broken
Words were spoken
Didn't get too far
Hemmingway was smoother
More debonaire and fun
But he would say her repartee
Was meaner than a gun
And a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Said my good friend Gertrude Stein
She knows that I go to the ol' Deux Magots
And I drink Pernod through the night
Jezebel
From Israel
Who never read a book
She charmed the literati
And a smile was all it took
Before her, Joyce will babble
And Pound has gone insane
Eliot is paralyzed by
Thoughts of April rain
When she refused Lenin
He vowed to start a war
Stravinsky beat The Rite of Spring
Right there on the floor
And a rose
A rose is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Said my good friend Gertrude Stein
She knows that I go to the ol' Deux Magots
And I drink Pernod through the night
And then one night, she's missing
A riot soon began
No one could stand the thought of Jezzie
With another man
I raced down winding streets
I broke into her house
You'd never guess who Jezebel
Was kissing on the couch
A rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
A rose
"Hi Jezzie
Hi there, Gertrude
Am I interrupting something?"
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
A rose is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
Is a rose
She is just a
She is just a rose
Lyrics submitted by o Peanut o
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Its a fun song... Jezebel is probably Alice B. Toklas.
I'm rather lost with regard to the end of the song - who is Jezebel kissing on the couch? From what I gather its a song about a woman who drives a bunch of literary-types crazy in a bar, then one day she doesnt show up and Gertrude runs to her house, breaks in and finds her kissing.. someone. Any help?
i'll make this simple for you, feedmyleg
gertrude stein is an author (like basically everyone else listed in this song) who said "a rose is a rose is a rose"
gertrude stein was a lesbian.
Jezebel (from Israel) turned down every male in town.
Now, who was she kissing?
oh, and gertrude stein is not narrating this song.
i thought that was obvious.
you know, as much as my being an ass is obvious.
Haha Potatoboy, yeah I found it to be pretty obvious too. Let's assume Feedmyleg is sheltered, or just stupid. This is the SECOND Poe song that I heard, and I love it. Even my dad loves it =)
For those interested in the people listed in the song (and for those genuinely concerned with the accuracy of the lyrics) the words following "Gershwin" are not "Tristan, Tzara" as in two people, but "Tristan Tzara"--a single person. He was one of the most well-known figures in the Dada movement.