Burn And Shine Lyrics
And keep your spirit clean
For this is not a dress rehersal
Junior phoenix
Who will harbor your misfortune
He does not want to tell you
(as if he didn’t know you)
There’s still the hole you made
Better fill it in or it will get you
So talcum powder
Is now your closest friend
Smooth and white and ordinary
She does not want to tell you
(as if she didn’t know you)
In a circle and you heal...)
The taste of pemmican?
Then say hello to hiawatha
She’s still frowning
At your puffy face
Overweight and barely breathing?
They did not want to tell you
As if they didn’t know you
As if they didn’t know you
As if they didn’t know you
Burn and shine
You burn and shine...
I really have no idea what this song is about. Some reference to Native American culture with Pemmican and Hiawatha (I googled it). Maybe some sort of bad Indian spiritual trip? The Posies are great though and more people should check them out.
I loved this band going back to "Dear 23," but I'd not thought of them in years until my friend Chris told me he was looking for 80s music to perform for karaoke. My mind went directly to a great band from back-in-the-day, "Smithereens" with excellent tunes like " Only a Memory " and my personal favorite, "Blood and Roses". From there I remembered some wonderful bands that kinda fell through the cracks as "traditional" alternative rock gave way to the " Grunge" movement. I find it heartbreaking that "The Posies" who have their roots in Bellingham and Seattle, WA, got swept away by the "Seattle Sound" best represented by" Pearl Jam, " " Alice in Chains" and "Soundgarden" just to name 3. It must just have been right place/wrong sound chasing near oblivion for over 20 years because John Auer and Ken Stringfellow still play and tour together (and I assume write songs and music as well). I remember thinking Ken Stringfellow was a very tall woman in the music video for "Dream All Day" because of his haircut and very femme earrings. It always struck me as strange that the man looked more masculine with long hair.
I also recall the lyrics to " Burn and Shine" "Burn and shine, son, but keep your spirit clean"...I think Jon Auer looks ill. I hope he's not.
I feel very lucky to have been exposed to "The Posies" by my drummer ex-fiancee. I still love bands from what I refer to as "Fate's Hiccup" the period between 1989/1991 when " Toad-the-Wet-Sprocket " and "The Gin Blossoms" collided with "Temple of the Dog" and "Screaming Trees"...though "The Posies" had a trac on the movie soundtrack "Reality Bites".