In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Bad news breaking in 18A
Missy's Kitty turn inside out she say
Spider queen demon and that whole crew
Across the lobby the wicker wing chair flew
All the nice people those goodly souls
Quaking in their respective hidey holes
Everyone's wasted in this gruesome dream
Not a one of them left to hear you scream
[Chorus]
Two against nature don't you know
Who's gonna grok the shape of things to go
Two against nature make them groan
Who's gonna break the shape of things unknown
Madame Erzulie she come last night
Bang you silly but leave a nasty bite
There on your nightstand much worse than that
Panatella and old black derby hat
Call your doctor, call your shrink
Western science she strictly rinky dink
They all masissi but we hang tough
Apsatively gonna help you beat that stuff
[Chorus]
Two against nature tan and lean
Puttin' big heat on skanky things unseen
Two against nature slinging dread
These boys want to bang the skulls of things undead
T-Bone Angie she champion liar
Sew the mouth shut with rusty chicken wire
Brother Lou Garue and the Jerry Garry
Sprinkling chicken water gonna hush all three
Beautiful housewife in deep distress
'Specially you deserve the very best
Two against nature they got that stuff
Good things happening when you see about us
[Chorus]
Two against nature love this gig
Pull up the weeds before they're too damn big
Two against nature stand alone
Who's gonna chase the shape of things unknown
Two against nature don't you know
Who's gonna drop the boom on things to go
Two against nature make them groan
Gonna go bang-zoom to the moon on things unknown
Scrape the wallboards the whole damn batch
Catch the maggoty eggs before they hatch
Pepper and ratbone make damn sure
Shake the rubbish out on the patio floor
Soak the timber with special spray
Nuke the itty bitty ones right where they lay
Whip the bastards while they still green
Take the firemop, sweep it kissing clean
Missy's Kitty turn inside out she say
Spider queen demon and that whole crew
Across the lobby the wicker wing chair flew
All the nice people those goodly souls
Quaking in their respective hidey holes
Everyone's wasted in this gruesome dream
Not a one of them left to hear you scream
[Chorus]
Two against nature don't you know
Who's gonna grok the shape of things to go
Two against nature make them groan
Who's gonna break the shape of things unknown
Madame Erzulie she come last night
Bang you silly but leave a nasty bite
There on your nightstand much worse than that
Panatella and old black derby hat
Call your doctor, call your shrink
Western science she strictly rinky dink
They all masissi but we hang tough
Apsatively gonna help you beat that stuff
[Chorus]
Two against nature tan and lean
Puttin' big heat on skanky things unseen
Two against nature slinging dread
These boys want to bang the skulls of things undead
T-Bone Angie she champion liar
Sew the mouth shut with rusty chicken wire
Brother Lou Garue and the Jerry Garry
Sprinkling chicken water gonna hush all three
Beautiful housewife in deep distress
'Specially you deserve the very best
Two against nature they got that stuff
Good things happening when you see about us
[Chorus]
Two against nature love this gig
Pull up the weeds before they're too damn big
Two against nature stand alone
Who's gonna chase the shape of things unknown
Two against nature don't you know
Who's gonna drop the boom on things to go
Two against nature make them groan
Gonna go bang-zoom to the moon on things unknown
Scrape the wallboards the whole damn batch
Catch the maggoty eggs before they hatch
Pepper and ratbone make damn sure
Shake the rubbish out on the patio floor
Soak the timber with special spray
Nuke the itty bitty ones right where they lay
Whip the bastards while they still green
Take the firemop, sweep it kissing clean
Lyrics submitted by blackiswhite
Two Against Nature Lyrics as written by Walter Becker Donald Fagen
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@WheelyDan I’ll offer this as an opinion. Walter Becker was a known addict, as I’m sure you know a lot of their history. I think he is describing a stint in rehab here, because the Two Against Nature LP was written during a short period after Walter had come out of rehab and was clean. For this masterpiece song, I offer that Room 18-A is a room number in a rehab clinic. Missy’s hallucinating from withdrawal. Her Kitty's turned inside out, she say. Spider King Demon threw a wicker chair across the lobby in anger. People are angry in withdrawal and demand the doctors give them medication. All the nice people, goodly souls, quaking in their respective hidey holes —-rooms in rehab as they go through withdrawal. Call your doctor. Call your shrink. Not a one of them left to hear you scream. The doctors leave for the day and the patients are screaming for some medicine for relief. Rehab is hell. It just is terrible. Then he describes the other people and the hallucinations and wild methods they have tried to get rid of drugs. Most notable is the fascinating riff throughout the song in the background that Fagen masterfully created that puts into the music the actual feeling in the brain in withdrawal. I’ve withdrawn from a drug and this is exactly what it feels like …if you listen carefully, it’s a da, da, da, DAT Piano riff that randomly plays. Stoke of genius. I love Fagen and Becker. Masters of music. My two cents.