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.
They served you champagne like a hero
When you landed, someone carried your bag
From here on out, you're patient zero
Smelling ether as they hand you the rag
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you just moved in
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
Hip hip hooray, hocus pocus
With some magic you can fly through the air
But when you're the guy pulling focus
There are people who will wish you weren't there
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you just moved in
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
Go west, young man
Go west, take a real screen test
Doesn't count as a job well done
The locust had their day
The suckers pay and pay
Carmen Sternwood probably pull that trigger for fun
And in the hills, where all the sunshine, constant companion (constant companion)
Close enough to almost touch the lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon
But news filtered out of the transom
That a villain ended up with a part
You paid your respects like a ransom
To a moment that was doomed from the start
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you don't belong
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
And in the hills, where all the sunshine, constant companion (constant companion)
Close enough to almost touch the lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon
The lights of the canyon
When you landed, someone carried your bag
From here on out, you're patient zero
Smelling ether as they hand you the rag
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you just moved in
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
Hip hip hooray, hocus pocus
With some magic you can fly through the air
But when you're the guy pulling focus
There are people who will wish you weren't there
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you just moved in
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
Go west, young man
Go west, take a real screen test
Doesn't count as a job well done
The locust had their day
The suckers pay and pay
Carmen Sternwood probably pull that trigger for fun
And in the hills, where all the sunshine, constant companion (constant companion)
Close enough to almost touch the lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon
But news filtered out of the transom
That a villain ended up with a part
You paid your respects like a ransom
To a moment that was doomed from the start
Life is good
You look around and think
"I'm in the right neighborhood"
But, honey, you don't belong
Life is grand
And wouldn't you like
To have it go as planned?
Go as planned
And in the hills, where all the sunshine, constant companion (constant companion)
Close enough to almost touch the lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon (lights of the canyon)
The lights of the canyon
The lights of the canyon
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Step
Ministry
Ministry
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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."
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/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
For those who don't get the Carmen Sternwood reference, she's a character from the Raymond Chandler novel The Big Sleep.
Saw Aimee play this live recently and she introduced the song by saying that it was about betrayal and Hollywood and Andrew Garfield.
Following up on what @myheadisfullofflames said, here are Aimee Mann's words re Andrew Garfield:
"It was before Spider-Man, and he had just come to Los Angeles and it was clear he did not feel like he fit in. I just had a moment of feeling like 'You know, I kind of worry about this guy'! Because I felt like he is a real artist and very sincere, and I think to be a real artist the way he is, you have to be a very vulnerable person. And I just worry about vulnerable people. It's not necessarily just this town, but in the world of big business, whatever that business is. I mean, he obviously did fine. But I think being famous is very difficult. It's a weird kind of trauma and I think it makes people crazy. If everybody around you is saying you're amazing and all your choices are great, there are no touchstones.
The life of the super-famous has special requirements. It's a very rare person who can withstand it. My guess is that (Garfield) tried to have a career that's a little more artistic and not focused on franchises. But somehow I was inspired to write this story about someone who comes to Hollywood with the promise of being in this big movie, and he's manoeuvred out of it.
To me it's almost a bit of a happy ending, because it's like, this was never the place for you anyway. It's not the town for me. And that was influenced a little bit by Nathaniel West and the people who write about Los Angeles in this more noir category (about the city's) creepy underbelly."