Bone Machine

Pixies

This is a song for Carol

You're into Japanese fast food
And I drop you off with your Japanese lover
And you're going to the beach all day
You're so pretty when you're unfaithful to me
You so pretty when you're unfaithful to me

You're looking like
You've got some sun
Your blistered lips
Have got a kiss
They taste a bit like everyone
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh

Your bones got a little machine
You're the bone machine

I was talking to preachy-preach about kissy-kiss
He bought me a soda
He bought me a soda
He bought me a soda and he tried to molest me in the parking lot
Yep, yep yep yep

I think you're pretty
You make me hard
Your island skin
Looks Mexican
Our love is rice and beans and horses lard

Your bones got a little machine
You're the bone machine

Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh
Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh
Your bones got a little machine


Lyrics submitted by riffic, edited by mikipod, McKean, Colonel_Viper, Lusanders, namenottaken

Bone Machine Lyrics as written by Charles Thompson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Bone Machine song meanings
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  • +8
    General CommentCharles Thompson has spoken at length in interviews about his lyric writing saying that usually his lyrics are added as an afterthought to the music and usually chosen mostly for the way they sound and feel thematically and not so much for what they specifically mean. So, trying to pick out any specific meaning for a Pixies song is a bit futile. I think the person who suggested that the lyrics are an inside joke is probably close to the mark.
    This song fits in well with a lot of Charles' early themes of women of loose morals (whores), obscure culture (Japanese fast food) and generally macabre stuff.
    I think "rice and beans in horse's lard" specifically refers to the diet Charles has often spoken of subsisting on when he lived for a short time in Puerto Rico. He even named his publishing company Rice and Beans Music because of this. It's hard to tell what he is saying about "our love" with that metaphor, though. Is he saying our love nourishing and simple or is it boring and a bit disgusting? Who knows. I don't think it should matter too much, but it sounds cool which is really the point.
    By the way, I'm pretty sure that the line written here as "the days are lit like everyone" should actually be "they taste a bit like everyone" referring to her blistered (herpetic?) lips. I have a dvd of a live performance of this song and it seems pretty clear that is what is being said. It seems to fit better with the theme too. You know, her lips taste like she's been unfaithful to him with "everyone."
    phlapjackson December 16, 2004   Link
  • +4
    General CommentI agree about the theme of the "cuckolding fetish," but I guess I have a little different intepretation of the "preachy-preach" verse. I always thought he was actually referring to a preacher. I think it's a flashback to when he was young and sexually confused. He went to a preacher for advice (perhaps he was brought up in a religious family, where this would be a natural thing to do), and the preacher initially was supportive ("bought me a soda" as a friendly gesture), but then revealed his true colors by trying to take advantage of him by sexually molesting him. This might be a way of looking back into what kinds of experiences shaped him into the kind of person who still is still kind of a sexual weirdo -- getting off on watching his girlfirend be unfaithful to him and all that. He was betrayed by somebody in a position of trust, someone he confided in, and it only made his sexual confusion worse.

    The idea that "preachy-preach" refers to the japanese lover and that "molest" means beating up just doesn't seem to fit for me.
    yowza_beanon February 05, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General CommentI always thought it was about his girlfriend sneaking behind his back with a guy. then he went to confessional and his "preachy preach" that he was talking to about his girlfriend and her "kissy kiss" cheated on him then the "preachy preach" took him out for a soda and tried to molest him in the parking lot
    sunnydawngreenfieldon May 05, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Commenti think you guys are right about this song being about him getting cheated on.
    the verse that starts off with "i was talking to peachy peach..." is from the girls perspective. trying to defend her actions. ie."he tried to molest me in the parking lot" she claims she was only there since he bought her a soda.
    gregisgregon October 15, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentWhat if it's all just little inside jokes between the band members? I have lyrics I've written that make no freakin' sense to anyone but my sister and she laughs while others have thought it was just over their head but "Wow. That's really unique shit you guys play. Way cool, way cool. Rock on, rock on." See, if you try to target an audience of stoners and zoners (Is that a word?) Your safe, they'll never question it. They just say...(see above) But one of these days I'm going to play for the WRONG audience and I'm in BIG trouble when they ask about the meanings of my words. I wouldn't do well on this website. Think You guys would throw rotten vegetation at me and "the band" ? Nope you guys are too cool. You would come up with a mystical profound meaning for it and save my ass from mass media humiliaton. Wouldn't ya?
    kellyinavalonon November 30, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentJust a few corrections the lyrics are I make you pray you make me hard. Its also your Irish skin looks Mexican. You can tell if you listen to the live perfomances theres definetly a sh at the end.
    namenottakenon August 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General CommentDear God these guys are completely insane...this song is awesome
    Benny-Xon July 30, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti love the instrumental in this song! One of my fave the Pixies.
    Dreamlandscapeon June 13, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Commentgaddamn this man can scream like a monkey with his balls caught in a car door......he bought me a soda
    gilbagon April 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commenttypically half this song makes sense. Something about his girl cheating on him with a japanese guy, "You're so pretty when you're unfaithful to me
    " She's getting all tarted up for this other guy etc.

    The bone machine i always thought of as a guy who has sex a lot, but that doesnt fit in with the rest of the song. Also the bit about being moletsted in a parkign lot?? WTF? its funny though
    bongoon May 17, 2004   Link

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