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.
I still see you as a baby, I do
Climbing onto the stage in front of the school
High strung
The cat got your tongue
The spotlight came out
You'd been strung
I followed the trail
when I heard that they found
you in the cowshed
I still see the insect filled jars in rows
The calculations and the diagrams, constellations
High strung
The cat got your tongue
The spotlight came out
You'd been hung
I followed the trail
when I heard that they found
You in the cowshed
Climbing onto the stage in front of the school
High strung
The cat got your tongue
The spotlight came out
You'd been strung
I followed the trail
when I heard that they found
you in the cowshed
I still see the insect filled jars in rows
The calculations and the diagrams, constellations
High strung
The cat got your tongue
The spotlight came out
You'd been hung
I followed the trail
when I heard that they found
You in the cowshed
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Ministry
Ministry
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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."
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
what a simple, beautiful, sad song. to me, it's clearly about a childhood friend or younger sibling who hung themselves in a barn.
Honestly, I do not think that he literally meas a stage. I lost an older brother to suicide almost 3 years ago, and in my perspective I think that the stage is a reference to the world. I think he means coming out of his shell and wanting to tell someone exactly how feels but he can't bring himself to say how he is feeling, depressed, anxious, upset, etc... And that when the people close to him started to notice how he was feeling he couldn't bring himself to say it.
And when he said "I followed the trail" I think he is meaning that he is going back and realizing all of the things that could of caused/lead up to this. He is noticing how his brother, or friend was depressed, and different then how he thought he was. This song is so important to me. It is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, that's forsure.
heartbreaking.
Probably my favourite song on the album, the emotion is expressed so clearly. Agree with setsunamudou732 on the meaning.
Sounds like it was about a school play where the kid got so frightened he hung himself.
Just an alternative perspective. Maybe he is talking about himself performing in front of the school, maybe it was his first ever performance, and the nerves got to him so bad that he felt like killing himself (not literally). The song is therefore looking back at his younger self