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In The Kingdom #19 Lyrics
[Lee]
They were
aaaah
he did what he had to do
he asked no questions
he had few conversations
the tar glistens in the noon heat
he tread across the grass, up onto, and down off of, the concrete abutments
mirage on the highway
ghosts in the tunnel
the dark cave
out into the blinding light of day at breakneck speed
every bolt rumbling
glistening highway mirage groans
the slick surface
careening into first the small mammal, and then screeching along the guard
rail, scraping paint and throwing sparks like sheets of pure terror for
400 yards
over and over
with one final back and forth rocking motion coming to rest
wheeehah
the beautiful paintjob hopelessly marred
smoke and flames
allright
so nice
he moved to the small creature
screeching whistles of steam blowing off
on it's back, wheels spinning like a cinema classic
the door sags open and a man covered in blood drops the three feet or so to
the pavement
the car still rattling and shaking as if with a mind of it's own, unwilling
to die
the man, 40ish, also after a time, an agonisingly painful period of time
is also unwilling to die
suddenly all is quite quiet there in the sunlight on the highway
but what? what can i do?
i cannot move, everything is about broken
blood everywhere, mixing with oil and gas
what's moving, must turn my head
pain, white light, blinded
some guy there kneeling in the blinded mirage of white light
all my strength to 'heeeeeelp'
screaming now help me please
he tried to tamp out the bit of burning ember which had lept from the wreck
onto his grimy coatsleeve
coughing blood
what's happen?
he's he's inching towards truth
he strode of into the woods with the animal
it still lived
he didn't glance back at all
still out ghosting the road
death on the highway
words crumble around me and fall with the weight of heaven
i cannot move
i'm beneath the great weight
i cannot see
my eyes are blinded
i am in the darkness
that's it
{very low in the mix}
in panic i forget it
in despair i need it
in my mind i save it
in death i have it
{then a bit louder}
in panic i forget it
in despair i need it
i shouldn't laugh
hah hah hah
yeah really
oh
in panic i forget it
in despair i need it
in my mind i save it
in death i have it
[Thurston?]
never gave a damn about the meterman
i was the man who had to read the meters, man
They were
he did what he had to do
he asked no questions
he had few conversations
the tar glistens in the noon heat
he tread across the grass, up onto, and down off of, the concrete abutments
ghosts in the tunnel
the dark cave
every bolt rumbling
the slick surface
careening into first the small mammal, and then screeching along the guard
rail, scraping paint and throwing sparks like sheets of pure terror for
400 yards
over and over
wheeehah
so nice
he moved to the small creature
screeching whistles of steam blowing off
on it's back, wheels spinning like a cinema classic
the door sags open and a man covered in blood drops the three feet or so to
the pavement
the car still rattling and shaking as if with a mind of it's own, unwilling
to die
the man, 40ish, also after a time, an agonisingly painful period of time
but what? what can i do?
i cannot move, everything is about broken
blood everywhere, mixing with oil and gas
what's moving, must turn my head
pain, white light, blinded
some guy there kneeling in the blinded mirage of white light
all my strength to 'heeeeeelp'
screaming now help me please
he tried to tamp out the bit of burning ember which had lept from the wreck
onto his grimy coatsleeve
coughing blood
what's happen?
he's he's inching towards truth
he strode of into the woods with the animal
it still lived
he didn't glance back at all
death on the highway
words crumble around me and fall with the weight of heaven
i cannot move
i'm beneath the great weight
i cannot see
my eyes are blinded
i am in the darkness
in panic i forget it
in despair i need it
in my mind i save it
in death i have it
{then a bit louder}
in panic i forget it
in despair i need it
hah hah hah
yeah really
oh
in despair i need it
in my mind i save it
in death i have it
[Thurston?]
never gave a damn about the meterman
i was the man who had to read the meters, man
Song Info
Submitted by
shut On Dec 24, 2001
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Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This song is about a man who hits an animal on his motorcycle, and as a result crashes. As he lays dying, another man arrives on the gory scene ("some guy there kneeling in the blinded mirage of white light)". The new man, brushes out the ember on his grimy coatsleeve, picks up the animal, and "he strode of into the woods with the animal." The man saves the animal, not the motorcyclist. He goes off into the wilderness, and never looks back. The motorcyclist is left to die, and he does.
FUN FACT at around 55 seconds into the song, Thurston throws a bunch of loud fiery firecrackers into the recording booth where Lee is recording the song. You can totally hear it! What's best, it's at the perfect time for the song, right at the crash!
i'm sure thurston knew exactly what he was doing, just add that much more of himself into the recording ~Nick
i'm sure thurston knew exactly what he was doing, just add that much more of himself into the recording ~Nick
I think the way this song is laid out is possibly a tribute to The Velvet Underground and their song The Gift. The Gift has got a sort of bluesy rock song but instead of lyrics, John Cale just recites a short story. Lee is kindof reciting this rather than singing it. They also mention White Light and The Gift is on the V.U album White Light/White Heat. Awesome song on an awesome LP by an awesome band.
mike watt plays bass on this song. one ironic thing about this is that he recorded this with them not long after his bandmate d boon's death, which was in a car crash.
also, the last lines of the song are mr. watt speaking, and he wrote those out of experience being a meter man. It's really funny you have this poetic deep piece of avant garde, and the song ends with a simple pun. haha.
Does anyone know what the bit at the end means when he says, "in panic i forget it, in despair i need it, in my mind i save it, in death i have it". I've always wondered about that
Check out the Minutemen song What Is It?
Check out the Minutemen song What Is It?
It's a riddle. I think the answer is peace.
It's a riddle. I think the answer is peace.
I have been thinking the same as wizzardsmith, that this song was inspired by V.U.'s The Gift (which is a magnificent song as well). Lee is such an amazing songwriter. I get the feeling that he reads a lot.
insane,violence and imagination. criticising the irresponsible drivers or being one?i know not much about it.
Its about a man running over an animal. His car crashing and then he gets out and runs off into the woods with the animal it probably has nothing to do with any of that but thats all i can translate!
The image I always got was cinematic. Even the way the song begins suggests this to me. Kind of like the 50s "teen rebel" movies. Hell, this could be "Leader of the Pack" minus the romance and the melodrama.
this song really reminds me of Poppy Z Brite books...hmmm weird books but they have the same feel
its defiently not a motorcycle, as the song mentions the car being on its back, wheels still spinning. such a good song