Sweet Shine

Been listening to this song for awhile and I think I got down its meaning.

First off this song is definitely about Kim Gordon's mother. If not her own, then about someone else's mother.

"I hear my angel mounted baby Pretend to everlast a lady Marlboro belt unbuckled baby They told me you were just crazy"

Her mother is dysfunctional yet pretends to be a "lady" Her friends told her not worry about her relationship with her mother so much, she's just crazy- plain and simple.

"I feel that I could burst Gimme a little drink of yr sweet time"

She's frustrated and wishing for her mother to give her some attention.

"Is it the way you think? Or just a pattern of yr glory Is it just some story? You wrote all for me Do you think yr my home? Down deep yr just a little whorey I know you, I'm from you I know you, I'm from you"

Why is she like this? Kim's trying to come up with some answers as to why her mother behaves the way she does. She wants to believe she knows her mother well considering the fact that she's her daughter.

"Cowboys are languishin' Little boys are bees Is it really a green stage coach Crawling up to me"

The first two lines I still don't quite understand their meaning. The "green stage coach" could be Kim's money hungry mother who is now more involved in Kim's life due to her sudden success.

"I dreamt that you were my vacation Woke to find desire and dislocation Yr always heavy in rotation Coming on, flirting with the nation"

She desires to have a good relationship with her mother but she's never around, instead moving on from one man to another.

"Why is the way you grew ? Still in the soul wanting you ? Smell of the night jasmine Hypnotises me The flower tells me stories That make me feel so sick and free"

Why is her mother holding onto the past? Why won't she change for the better? The night jasmine could be a smell she remembers as a child. Something that comforted her throughout her childhood.

"Alice is a chain store Down past 1st and Vine You can shop there anytime It's all very fine"

Despite her estranged relationship with her mother, she still wants her to be a part of her life. It's as if she's saying "come live with me, there's a store you can shop at and everything."

"Look his head is colored, do you think it grows? Look it's changing colors, it's bigger than a hose Look it's changing colors, it's bigger than a rose Look it's changing colors, it's bigger than a pose Look it's changing colors, it's bigger than a hose Look it's changin'...."

Do you think people change? Basically she's questioning whether it's possible for her mom to change for the better.

Just my two cents but this was just my own interpretation. That ending always makes me choke up. The optimism and sadness in her voice when she talks about Alice, the chain store, is tragic. Such a heartbreaking, yet beautiful song.

Instead of "still in the soul wanting you" it's "still leave me so wanting you". This is definitely my favorite song on EJSTNS. Kim really does an amazing job singing this song.

I think this is about feeling like you share a special connection with a musician/band ("I know you, I'm from you) and feeling like they speak for you.

The person in the song feels like the music takes them away from where they are now, but also knows that this feeling is only temporary ("I dreamt that you were my vacation/woke to find desire and dislocation").

Kim makes references to Alice in Chains and possibly Blind Melon ("little girls are bees") as being the bands that inspire this person.

This song is so beautiful, yet so underrated. Expiermental Jet Set as a whole is incredibly underrated. Most people seem to put Goo, Daydream Nation and Dirty well before Jet Set. It deserves far more recognition.

I think that this song is, quite simply, a love song. This album was released pretty close to the time when Kim and Thruston had their kid, so, I honestly think that Kim probably wrote the lyrics for Thurston.

Regardless, the lyrics aren't what make this song so great. It's simply the sound, the harmony of it, and Kim's voice, all rolled into one. I swear, everytime it gets to that second chorus, that second WHOOO, I'm about a second away from bursting out into tears. Then, after that, the song starts to 'come down', as it were. That entire, "look it's changing colors, it's bigger than a...", where it gets quieter, and quieter, until it's a whisper, and just ends. It evokes feelings of a buildup, climax, then contentment. The perfect song, in my mind. Not only that, but it's beautiful.

This song is about Thurston cheating on Kim.

She questions whether it's just the way he thinks or a "pattern of his glory." You know, a curse of being in a famous band. Groupies and such.

Just pay attention to the imagery. Unbuckled belt. Is it just a story you wrote for me? A little whorey.

And the nightshade that hypnotizes...The nightshade represents Thurston's charm and his ability to win her over. She doesn't like that he can win her over, but he does. It keeps growing and growing.

knowing what i do about kim and her family life i'm almost positive this is about her mother, she's written a lot of songs inspired by that part of her life this first part is about her just describing her mom, and i guess how people were just comforting her telling her her mom was just crazy. this especially makes sense at "I know you, I'm from you". Saying she knows her mom, because she's from her mom. It also fits with the "I'm coming home" saying she's revisting her memories. I think most of the end is imagery just associated with her youth.

It's a really beautiful song though I can connect to it greatly. Lol, I actually made an account just to comment this (hence why my username is the song title). It's definitely not about Thurston cheating though as the person above me claims oh my god.....(they didn't even have groupies lol)

i figured more people would comment on this song. it has a really nice flow and i agree that kim did a superb job singing it.

great great stuff

my favorite Kim song. i think it's fantastic. it has a mellow tone to it and it just gives you a calm and collected vibe. i agree that kim did an awesome job singing this..

i love how at the end, it sounds like she's falling asleep ..

i looooveee this song!!!! its like soo chilling, it makes me smile!! but could someone please post something on the meaningg???

Instead of "still in the soul wanting you" it's "still leave me so wanting you". This is definitely my favorite song on EJSTNS. Kim really does an amazing job singing this song.