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.
I tell my troubles to the coalman
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I've been waiting for the coalman
He's a whole man and he treats me nice
Ev'rybody needs a coalman
When you're low man , you can get advice
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I need her loving so much the feeling is too much to bear
You've got to have somebody, when she's not there
I tell my troubles to the coalman
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I need her loving so much the feeling is too much to bear
You've got to have somebody when she's not there
I tell my troubles to the coalman
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He's gonna help you when he's down
When your head is touching the ground
And he'll help you if he can
He's a coalman
Coalman, coalman , coalman,,(repeat/fade)
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I've been waiting for the coalman
He's a whole man and he treats me nice
Ev'rybody needs a coalman
When you're low man , you can get advice
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I need her loving so much the feeling is too much to bear
You've got to have somebody, when she's not there
I tell my troubles to the coalman
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He makes a man feel good when he's down
Head is touching the ground
He's going to help you if he can
He's a coalman
I need her loving so much the feeling is too much to bear
You've got to have somebody when she's not there
I tell my troubles to the coalman
He's a coalman but he understands
He's not such a very very old man
He's a soul man and he takes my hand
He's gonna help you when he's down
When your head is touching the ground
And he'll help you if he can
He's a coalman
Coalman, coalman , coalman,,(repeat/fade)
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,