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Sunken Waltz Lyrics
washed my face in the rivers of empire
made my bed from a cardboard crate
down in the city of quartz
no news, no new regrets
tossed a Susan B. over my shoulder
and prayed it would rain and rain
submerge the whole western states
call it a last fair deal
With an American seal
and corporate hand shake
take the story of carpenter Mike
dropped his tools and his keys and left
and headed out as far as he could
past the cities and gated neighborhoods
he slept 'neath the stars
wrote down what he dreamt
and he built a machine
for no one to see
then took flight, first light
of new morning
made my bed from a cardboard crate
down in the city of quartz
tossed a Susan B. over my shoulder
and prayed it would rain and rain
submerge the whole western states
call it a last fair deal
With an American seal
and corporate hand shake
dropped his tools and his keys and left
and headed out as far as he could
past the cities and gated neighborhoods
he slept 'neath the stars
wrote down what he dreamt
and he built a machine
for no one to see
then took flight, first light
of new morning
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walking away from the city life... transcention
This song was featured on NPR with Joey Burns talking about it. It's about the connection between finding a space in the sprawling urbanization of Tucson and finding a more metaphorical space in life. Carpenter Mike is an actual person Burns knew growing up who built and lived in a treehouse outside of the city.
Anyone know what a Susan B. is?
Its a dollar coin. She was on the first $1 coin the US minted.
this song is awesome. yeah, susan b. anthony.
OKOK: this is my interpretation of the song's three paragraphs.
1st: the nation that the Protagonist of the song lives in, the USA, is an empire (and he dislikes this). Although it is an empire of wonders and amazing wealth, the Protagonist does not share its benefits (and he dislikes this).
2nd stanza: the Protagonist is filled with regrets for the state of the Empire, and perhaps the world, and this not a new sentiment. The Protagonist then discards his worldly posessions. He wishes that the Empire would be destroyed, as if by God, because this is what his country deserves. He believes that, because the Empire no longer gives any "fair deals", the (fair) destruction of his nation would be the last fair thing that would ever happen to it. He believes that the strength and influence of corporations have caused the Empire to decline ethically.
3rd: This is the actual "story". The first and second stanzas only describe what it is about, and how to interpret its meaning. The story is about a working-class American who became disenchanted with the state of the USA, and left society to follow his ideals.
This is my personal favorite song by Calexico. It is my interpretation that it is about a journey of the soul and a capitalistically-fueled environment.
This is my personal favorite song by Calexico. It is my interpretation that it is about a journey of the soul and a capitalistically-fueled environment.
Empire likely refers to the city in CA, which the Tuolumne River runs through. It's on the way to Quartz, AZ (assuming the protagonist left from LA, where the band members' roots are).
Empire likely refers to the city in CA, which the Tuolumne River runs through. It's on the way to Quartz, AZ (assuming the protagonist left from LA, where the band members' roots are).
I think the first 2 stanzas were real experiences the writer(s) had and the third is about a fellow traveler who shares a similar journey. In relation to the rest of the song- the latter contains a sense of a man disillusioned...
I think the first 2 stanzas were real experiences the writer(s) had and the third is about a fellow traveler who shares a similar journey. In relation to the rest of the song- the latter contains a sense of a man disillusioned from resentment of forces beyond our control. I find Mike very inspiring for his freedom of movement.
I think 'City of Quartz' is probably a reference to Mike Davis' book about Los Angeles and what he beleives will become of it. This seems to tie in with what i think the song is ultimately about: a man who dislikes what he sees and chooses to reject a life in the city to find a meaningful one elsewhere