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.
Well there are good guys and there are bad guys
And there are crooks and criminals
There are doctors and there are lawyers
And there are folks like you and me
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
Well, this here verse is for the people in Russia
Though it is a long long ways away
They couldn't hear this song in Russia
But couldn't understand the words anyway
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
So just be glad you live in America
Just relax and be yourself
'Cause if you didn't live here in America
You'd probably live somewhere else
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
And there are crooks and criminals
There are doctors and there are lawyers
And there are folks like you and me
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
Well, this here verse is for the people in Russia
Though it is a long long ways away
They couldn't hear this song in Russia
But couldn't understand the words anyway
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
So just be glad you live in America
Just relax and be yourself
'Cause if you didn't live here in America
You'd probably live somewhere else
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
Let me play your guitar
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Ministry
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Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
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 can't tell if Lowery is being cheeky or if it's really just as simple as the chorus suggests. If he's cheeky, it could be mocking Americans who see the world in black-and-white and see themselves as the good guys, but he could be mixing it with sincere feelings of "well, you live in America, it could be worse for you, just relax and get high and listen to music", idk. I love the Russia stanza anyway.