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Strawberry Hill Lyrics
i can hear them
speaking in the next room
as they drink and start
losing control and get louder
they wonder about me
i can hear her
twirling the ice with her finger
she's got that
half dead look in her eyes by now
she worries about me
he's not like the other boys
around here
he says nothing and sits in his
room and he's afraid to
and he's afraid to drive a car
so sad he is
it's our duty
as we're respected
it's our duty
as californians
to show him new life
ever since my staying i've been
having bad dreams
so stop eating cabbage and stop
talking to that girl
what are the winters like here?
hush up and play the piano
but have i told you how i love her?
yes but you're aquarius
and she is capricorn
come come now and meet
your cousins from l.a.
shut up and leave me alone
we know who you are
i read your palm while you
were sleeping
and i read through your diary
and the secrets you've been keeping
we were already aware of
and now for dinner and maybe
tomorrow we'll have a drink
and talk this over
and in the meantime please
think of the good things
we've done for you
it's our duty
as we're respected
it's our duty
as californians
to show him new life
speaking in the next room
as they drink and start
losing control and get louder
they wonder about me
i can hear her
twirling the ice with her finger
she's got that
half dead look in her eyes by now
she worries about me
around here
he says nothing and sits in his
room and he's afraid to
and he's afraid to drive a car
so sad he is
as we're respected
it's our duty
as californians
to show him new life
having bad dreams
so stop eating cabbage and stop
talking to that girl
what are the winters like here?
hush up and play the piano
but have i told you how i love her?
yes but you're aquarius
and she is capricorn
come come now and meet
your cousins from l.a.
shut up and leave me alone
i read your palm while you
were sleeping
and i read through your diary
and the secrets you've been keeping
we were already aware of
and now for dinner and maybe
tomorrow we'll have a drink
and talk this over
and in the meantime please
think of the good things
we've done for you
as we're respected
it's our duty
as californians
to show him new life
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What pilot said is right, but I thought I would add that it is based around the time that Kozelek moved from Georgia to California to stay with relatives. I believe he had just completed rehab as a teenager and was still somewhat of a "misfit" so he went there for a change of scenery, a new life. We can infer from the song that his relatives worried about his insular nature and felt it was their duty as Californians to make him happy about life.
A fascinating song. I have a hard time saying anything by Kozelek is my "favorite," as the man has written too many amazing songs to pick. But yet I've gotta say this is at least ONE of my favorites of his.
it's a very personal song by Kozelek. He describes what happpens to him when he was younger, the hypocrisy of the people around him, they don't understand why he is different and they don't respect him at all.
Yes, this is about Kozelek’s depression and addiction. The name of the song is taken from the real hill in San Francisco, which occupies a literal island in a lake in Golden Gate Park. Mark also covered “I am a Rock” by Simon & Garfunkel, during the recording sessions for the LP that Strawberry Hill was released on (it’s on “Bridge”, this is on “Rollercoaster”). The lyrics to “I am a Rock”: “I am a rock, I am an island…”. One can conclude he felt isolated and alone in California at the time. It’s a beautifully sad song and has exceptional lyrics, and great , if, unusual, meter. “He says nothing and he sits in his….. room and he’s afraid to(o)… and he’s afraid to drive a car… so sad he is”
my favorite song :]