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.
a cat came drifting, on my porch from the outside cold,
and with eyes closed drinking, warm milk from my bowl, thought:
nobody hears me (x2)
'cause I crept in so soft
and nobody sees me
nobody sees me
as I watched six steps off,
like, the peacocks wandering,
the walkways of the zoo
who have twice the autonomy
the giraffes and the tigers do, saying:
no one can stop me (x2)
no one clips my claws
now everyone watch me
everyone watch me
scale these outside walls
oh, you pious and profane,
put away your praise and blame,
"a glass can only spill what it contains"
To the perpetually plain and the incurably inane
a glass can only spill what it contains
what new mystery is this?
what blessed backwardness?
the Immeasurable One is held and does not resist!
struck by wicked words and foolish fists of senseless men
the Almighty One does not defend!
I was halfway listening, to what she thinks she knows,
We're like children dressing, in our parents' clothes, saying:
Nobody knows me, (x2)
No one knows my name,
Nobody knows me (x2)
(nobody knows me)
I half-heartedly explained
but gave up peacefully ashamed
as a glass can only spill what it contains
we went to Portugal and Spain
and in her mind the entire time it rained!
a glass can only spill what it contains
what new mystery is this? overflowing emptiness
the Invisible is seen among the shadows and the mist,
before my doubting eyes the Infinite appears in time -
the Unquestionable is question but makes no reply!
what new mystery is this?! (x5)
"my Rabbi!"
my lips betray with a kiss
what new mystery is this?
and with eyes closed drinking, warm milk from my bowl, thought:
nobody hears me (x2)
'cause I crept in so soft
and nobody sees me
nobody sees me
as I watched six steps off,
like, the peacocks wandering,
the walkways of the zoo
who have twice the autonomy
the giraffes and the tigers do, saying:
no one can stop me (x2)
no one clips my claws
now everyone watch me
everyone watch me
scale these outside walls
oh, you pious and profane,
put away your praise and blame,
"a glass can only spill what it contains"
To the perpetually plain and the incurably inane
a glass can only spill what it contains
what new mystery is this?
what blessed backwardness?
the Immeasurable One is held and does not resist!
struck by wicked words and foolish fists of senseless men
the Almighty One does not defend!
I was halfway listening, to what she thinks she knows,
We're like children dressing, in our parents' clothes, saying:
Nobody knows me, (x2)
No one knows my name,
Nobody knows me (x2)
(nobody knows me)
I half-heartedly explained
but gave up peacefully ashamed
as a glass can only spill what it contains
we went to Portugal and Spain
and in her mind the entire time it rained!
a glass can only spill what it contains
what new mystery is this? overflowing emptiness
the Invisible is seen among the shadows and the mist,
before my doubting eyes the Infinite appears in time -
the Unquestionable is question but makes no reply!
what new mystery is this?! (x5)
"my Rabbi!"
my lips betray with a kiss
what new mystery is this?
Lyrics submitted by Fat Kid With Asthma, edited by Numbzie
A Glass Can Only Spill What it Contains Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Fortnight
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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,
"who have twice the autonomy the giraffes and the elephants do, saying:" i think elephants should be TIGERS. or maybe i need my ears checked. D: