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.
Down in the cellar in the boho zone
I went looking for some sweet inspiration, oh well
Just another hard-time band
With negro affectations
I was a hopeful in rooms like this
When I was working cheap
It's an old romance, the boho dance
It hasn't gone to sleep
But even on the scuffle
The cleaner's press was in my jeans
And any eye for detail
Caught a little lace along the seams
And you were in the parking lot
Subterranean by your own design
The virtue of your style inscribed
On your contempt for mine
Jesus was a beggar, he was rich in grace
And Solomon kept his head in all his glory
It's just that some steps outside the boho dance
Have a fascination for me
A camera pans the cocktail hour
Behind a blind of potted palms
And finds a lady in a Paris dress
With runs in her nylons
You read those books where luxury
Comes as a guest to take a slave
Books where artists in noble poverty
Go like virgins to the grave
Don't you get sensitive on me
'Cause I know you're just too proud
You couldn't step outside the boho dance now
Even if good fortune allowed
Like a priest with a pornographic watch
Looking and longing on the sly
Sure it's stricken from your uniform
But you can't get it out of your eyes
Nothing is capsulized in me
On either side of town
The streets were never really mine
Not mine, not mine, these glamour gowns
I went looking for some sweet inspiration, oh well
Just another hard-time band
With negro affectations
I was a hopeful in rooms like this
When I was working cheap
It's an old romance, the boho dance
It hasn't gone to sleep
But even on the scuffle
The cleaner's press was in my jeans
And any eye for detail
Caught a little lace along the seams
And you were in the parking lot
Subterranean by your own design
The virtue of your style inscribed
On your contempt for mine
Jesus was a beggar, he was rich in grace
And Solomon kept his head in all his glory
It's just that some steps outside the boho dance
Have a fascination for me
A camera pans the cocktail hour
Behind a blind of potted palms
And finds a lady in a Paris dress
With runs in her nylons
You read those books where luxury
Comes as a guest to take a slave
Books where artists in noble poverty
Go like virgins to the grave
Don't you get sensitive on me
'Cause I know you're just too proud
You couldn't step outside the boho dance now
Even if good fortune allowed
Like a priest with a pornographic watch
Looking and longing on the sly
Sure it's stricken from your uniform
But you can't get it out of your eyes
Nothing is capsulized in me
On either side of town
The streets were never really mine
Not mine, not mine, these glamour gowns
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Step
Ministry
Ministry
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
This is probably a deeply personal song, although it could be JM's reference to a friend or someone else whose struggle with success versus personal integrity she identified with at the time (JM was certainly no Edith, vulnerable to any King Pin, but she understood the allure, from "both sides now!") She could hardly be afraid of selling out at this point in her career, but the frustration with being boorishly accused of same is irresistible grist for her song mill. She started managing and marketing herself before her first marriage and after the breakup with Chuck Mitchell and was a serious businesswoman when it came to handling her own purse strings from then on. She "sold out" way back when she stopped playing uke in small clubs for cigarette money. The perfection and professionalism with which she honed her various crafts (the woman is primarily a painter, remember) is far too fierce for mere self-flagellation. In the end I don't know the exact boundary lines between the artist herself and the voice of the song, but this is a recurring theme throughout her career. Earlier there was "For Free" (I play if you have the money) and later "Taming The Tiger" (I'm a runaway from the record biz.....boring!). By the time the last album "Shine" came along she seemed truly retired from this struggle with fame, success, whatever. In retreat, victoriously so. I would love to read her poetry and fiction but my impression is that she does not pursue these lines because she is not as good at them as she would like to be. Her excellence as painter, musician, singer, etc. must set some pretty high bars of expectation?