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.
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
I get all confused when you mix up the dates
Whoa
Don't gimme the pretend you come for the weekend
And you stay for the week
You say that you hate it but that's how you made it
Just to keep it oblique
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We're all suh-suh-suh sucked-in-by parlour tricks
Oh the people deceive you the kids never leave
'Cause you make them at home
You try to appease them and they show you the stick
But still you pick up the phone
But hey man, you can take it
As long as they don't shove you out in the cold
It's not getting better, no it's not getting better, man
It's just getting old
Ah ooh, we do what we're programmed to do
Hey we do what we're told
Ah ooh ooh
I never remember to carry my book when I get on the bus
You never forget it's your time to collect
When they are making a fuss
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We're all high high high, high high on wiggling hips
And ah ooh, you break off your plans for the weekend
And ah ohh, you can tell them the dates
But that don't mean they're letting you go
Ah ooh ooh
Go
Ah ooh ooh
Don't gimme the pretend you come for the weekend
And you stay for the year
Avoid all the plans cause we're making our day jobs
Into a steady career
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We all claw claw claw, cli-climb-on to sinking ships
And ah ooh, avoid all the cold sideways glances
And ah ooh, celebrate, celebrate, celebrate
And then turn to stone
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
You turn twenty-five and now you're all out of escapes, c'mon
Hey the rock writer told me to tell you
"Though you're great and you're brave
You still lack that which makes you a star"
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
We all get a little drunk and then we act like apes
Ow
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
I get all confused when you mix up the dates
Whoa
Don't gimme the pretend you come for the weekend
And you stay for the week
You say that you hate it but that's how you made it
Just to keep it oblique
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We're all suh-suh-suh sucked-in-by parlour tricks
Oh the people deceive you the kids never leave
'Cause you make them at home
You try to appease them and they show you the stick
But still you pick up the phone
But hey man, you can take it
As long as they don't shove you out in the cold
It's not getting better, no it's not getting better, man
It's just getting old
Ah ooh, we do what we're programmed to do
Hey we do what we're told
Ah ooh ooh
I never remember to carry my book when I get on the bus
You never forget it's your time to collect
When they are making a fuss
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We're all high high high, high high on wiggling hips
And ah ooh, you break off your plans for the weekend
And ah ohh, you can tell them the dates
But that don't mean they're letting you go
Ah ooh ooh
Go
Ah ooh ooh
Don't gimme the pretend you come for the weekend
And you stay for the year
Avoid all the plans cause we're making our day jobs
Into a steady career
We're both high high high, high high on lemon sips
We all claw claw claw, cli-climb-on to sinking ships
And ah ooh, avoid all the cold sideways glances
And ah ooh, celebrate, celebrate, celebrate
And then turn to stone
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
You turn twenty-five and now you're all out of escapes, c'mon
Hey the rock writer told me to tell you
"Though you're great and you're brave
You still lack that which makes you a star"
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
Read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes
We all get a little drunk and then we act like apes
Ow
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Step
Ministry
Ministry
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
i htought it was 'sucked in by polytricks'?
could never work out these lyrics though
AMAZING SONG
@lalalal I always thought it was a play on words with politics..