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.
Twenty miles left to the show
Hello, my old country
Hello
Stars are just beginning to appear
And I have never, in my life
Before been here
And it's my heart, not me
Who cannot drive
At which conclusion you arrived
Watching me sit here, bolt upright
And cry for no good reason
At the Eastering sky
And the tilt of this strange nation
And the will to remain for the duration
(Waving the flag
Feeling it drag)
Like a bump on a bump on a log, baby
Like I'm in a fistfight with the fog, baby
Step, ball-change, and a-pirouette
And I regret, I regret
How I said to you
Honey, just open your heart
When I've got trouble
Even opening a honey jar
And that, right there, is where we are
And I've been 'fessing, double-fast
Addressing questions nobody asked
I'll get this joy off of my chest, at last
And I will love you
Till the noise has long since passed
And I did not mean to shout
Just drive
Just get us out, dead or alive
The road's too long to mention
Lord, it's something to see
Laid down by the Good Intentions Paving Company
All the way to the thing
We've been playing at, darling
I can see that you're wearing
Your staying-hat, darling
And for the time being, all is well
Won't you love me a spell?
This is blindness, beyond all conceiving
While behind us, the road is leaving
And leaving, and falling back
Like a rope gone slack
And, I saw straightaway
That the lay was steep
But I fell for you, honey
Easy as falling asleep
And that, right there
Is the course I keep
And no amount of talking
Is going to soften the fall
But, like after the rain
Step out of the overhang, that's all
It had a nice ring to it
When the old opry house rang
So, with a solemn auld lang
Syne, sealed, delivered
I sang
And there is hesitation
And it always remains
(Concerning you, me
And the rest of the gang)
And, in our quiet hour
I feel I see everything
And am in love
With the hook
Upon which everyone hangs
And I know you meant
To show the extent
To which you gave a goddang
You ranged real hot and real cold
But I'm sold
I am at home on that range
And I do hate to fold
Right here, at the top of my game
When I've been trying
With my whole heart and soul
To stay right here, in the right lane
But it can make you feel over, and old
(Lord, you know it's a shame)
When I only want for you to pull over
And hold me
Till I can't remember my own name
Hello, my old country
Hello
Stars are just beginning to appear
And I have never, in my life
Before been here
And it's my heart, not me
Who cannot drive
At which conclusion you arrived
Watching me sit here, bolt upright
And cry for no good reason
At the Eastering sky
And the tilt of this strange nation
And the will to remain for the duration
(Waving the flag
Feeling it drag)
Like a bump on a bump on a log, baby
Like I'm in a fistfight with the fog, baby
Step, ball-change, and a-pirouette
And I regret, I regret
How I said to you
Honey, just open your heart
When I've got trouble
Even opening a honey jar
And that, right there, is where we are
And I've been 'fessing, double-fast
Addressing questions nobody asked
I'll get this joy off of my chest, at last
And I will love you
Till the noise has long since passed
And I did not mean to shout
Just drive
Just get us out, dead or alive
The road's too long to mention
Lord, it's something to see
Laid down by the Good Intentions Paving Company
All the way to the thing
We've been playing at, darling
I can see that you're wearing
Your staying-hat, darling
And for the time being, all is well
Won't you love me a spell?
This is blindness, beyond all conceiving
While behind us, the road is leaving
And leaving, and falling back
Like a rope gone slack
And, I saw straightaway
That the lay was steep
But I fell for you, honey
Easy as falling asleep
And that, right there
Is the course I keep
And no amount of talking
Is going to soften the fall
But, like after the rain
Step out of the overhang, that's all
It had a nice ring to it
When the old opry house rang
So, with a solemn auld lang
Syne, sealed, delivered
I sang
And there is hesitation
And it always remains
(Concerning you, me
And the rest of the gang)
And, in our quiet hour
I feel I see everything
And am in love
With the hook
Upon which everyone hangs
And I know you meant
To show the extent
To which you gave a goddang
You ranged real hot and real cold
But I'm sold
I am at home on that range
And I do hate to fold
Right here, at the top of my game
When I've been trying
With my whole heart and soul
To stay right here, in the right lane
But it can make you feel over, and old
(Lord, you know it's a shame)
When I only want for you to pull over
And hold me
Till I can't remember my own name
Lyrics submitted by mutinyinheaven_x
Good Intentions Paving Co. Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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
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.
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think the talk about tilt and the recurrence of the word "right" probably are in some way a commentary on politics. Not to mention "waving the flag and feeling it drag." I'm not really sure what she is saying, yet.
She also says the word "left". I think that reflects on how the liberal left is driving this country to their socialist utopia. "Twenty miles left to the show". She is saying the liberals are now behind the wheel of our country and we are almost at their socialist destination. <br /> <br /> Why does it seem like there is always someone like you forcing politics into a song?
She mentions the word "left" once -- once! I don't buy that at all. If it had any such deep meaning it would be much more evident than a cursory mention that's completely out of context and using a completely different definition of the word.
i think that any points made about politics fail to understand the meaning of the song; it clearly ends with narrator wishing to abandon all worry about the future, and ignore the road of good intentions entirely. "When I only want for you to pull over and hold me/'Til I can't remember my own name" <br />