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.
Upon the sand, upon the bay
"There is a quick and easy way" you say
Before you illustrate
I'd rather state
I'm not the man you think I am
I'm not the man you think I am
And sorrow's native son
He will not smile for anyone
And pretty girls make graves
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
End of the pier, end of the bay
You tug my arm, and say
"Give in to lust, give up to lust
Oh, heaven knows we'll soon be dust"
Oh, I'm not the man you think I am
I'm not the man you think I am
And sorrow's native son
He will not rise for anyone
And pretty girls make graves
(Oh, really?)
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
I could have been wild and I could have been free
But nature played this trick on me
She wants it now
And she will not wait
But she's too rough
And I'm too delicate
Then, on the sand
Another man, he takes her hand
A smile lights up her stupid face
And well, it would
I lost my faith in womanhood
I lost my faith in womanhood
I lost my faith
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
Hand in glove
The sun shines out of our behinds
Ooh-oh, ooh-oh
"There is a quick and easy way" you say
Before you illustrate
I'd rather state
I'm not the man you think I am
I'm not the man you think I am
And sorrow's native son
He will not smile for anyone
And pretty girls make graves
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
End of the pier, end of the bay
You tug my arm, and say
"Give in to lust, give up to lust
Oh, heaven knows we'll soon be dust"
Oh, I'm not the man you think I am
I'm not the man you think I am
And sorrow's native son
He will not rise for anyone
And pretty girls make graves
(Oh, really?)
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
I could have been wild and I could have been free
But nature played this trick on me
She wants it now
And she will not wait
But she's too rough
And I'm too delicate
Then, on the sand
Another man, he takes her hand
A smile lights up her stupid face
And well, it would
I lost my faith in womanhood
I lost my faith in womanhood
I lost my faith
Ooh-ooh-oh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oh-ooh-ooh
Hand in glove
The sun shines out of our behinds
Ooh-oh, ooh-oh
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Pretty Girls Make Graves Lyrics as written by Johnny Marr Steven Morrissey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Lord Huron
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Chloe--right on. No doubt about it. I experienced this song in real life too many times to count. I recall having beautiful women coming on to me all the time and not being able to respond. I resented it. I hated myself for being gay (at the time). Whereas having these women hitting on me should have made me feel great, it made me feel suicidal because I felt like I was letting the whole world down.
What a f'ing revelation the Smiths were. Finally somebody was writing about my life and issues a little deeper than "Material Girl" and all the other drek of the time. The Smiths came out of nowhere and were truly original.
About a gay man being the object of desire for a woman who isn't aware of his sexuality. He is frustrated by her advances, and yet is even more confused when he finds himself becoming jealous when he sees her wth someone else, which I think is because at least before it meant that somebody wanted him.
Yes, you're right, "Pretty girls make graves" is a quote from the Dharma Bums. In the book, the philosophy behind it is that "pretty girls" lead to lust, which in turn leads to birth, which in turn leads to suffering and then, inevitably, death, or "graves".
Based on this, the character sees celibacy as the only way of breaking the cycle, if you like. Therefore, I don't think the trick that nature played is that the narrator is gay, as some people have said. I think the trick Morrissey is reffering to is actually lust, something which seems to lead to pleasure, but is actually the cause of all suffering.
I think the "trick" is impotence.
This song has nothing to do with him being a homo or anything like that. This song is about a woman who he strongly desires but who only wants him for sex. He is very cautious from past expierences and it has left him emotionally scared. "there is a quick and easy way, you say" -she's basically a slut and is so emotionally detached that the only way she can express herself is through sex. "im not the man you think i am" -he wants true love not just sex (thats the dilemma). "You tug my arm, and say : Give in to lust, Give up to lust"- again she wants sex!, it couldnt be any clearer. I could have been wild and I could have Been free, But Nature played this trick on me" -hes not going to change his ways, he is to sensitive to be so careless. "She wants it Now, And she will not wait, But she's too rough And I'm too delicate" -he is very sensitive emotionally and can just have sex and be satisfied. "Then, on the sand Another man, he takes her hand, A smile lights up her stupid face (and well, it would)" -he basically has to let her go, another man came into the picture who can satiafy her sexual desires with less emotional attachment. This is when its clear that she dosent really care about him. "I lost my faith in Womanhood" -something happened in his past which made him loose his faith when hes around women, he is verry careful. He want a true woman... but lets face it that almost impossible to find now days
This is a good interpretation. I also think "Sorrow's native son, he will not rise for anyone" is a reference to impotence....possibly.<br />
@poppi Nice work, it's so easy to assume everything he writes is from the gay perspective. It certainly can speak to that situation, and people could relate to it, but I think it's fairly obvious he likes both and it's not really enough of a subject matter for Moz to write about a gay guy saying no to a girl. I think you got it bang on.
@poppi It's a plausible interpretation. I still get a heavy sense of either the dilemma of feeling ambiguously sexual or completely non sexual (which he did claim, after all). I think it has a lot to do with being non attracted to even a pretty girl, though. Whether he's attracted to men or feels little sexuality at all. Otherwise, I don't think he's mention nature playing a trick on him (he doesn't like women! OR, he doesn't really want to have sex at all!).
@poppi Yes! It's very clear to me as well. Has nothing to do with homosexuality, lol. It's more about a man that's not necessarily asexual, but he doesn't want casual sex either.
In reference to the "asexual" comments- Morissey was/is extremely savvy, and he knew that making a blanket statement about his sexuality would negatively affect some of his listener base, to the extent that they might interpret his lyrics differently, or in a way that might taint an openminded approach to his music. It's obvious that Morissey is at least "bi" as far as his attraction is concerned (his songs indicate that). If the man was truly asexual, his music would not be injected with so much passion. His music is more about struggle than it is about being disinterested. More than likely he is like a lot of artists, who don't place societal boundaries/constructs on attitudes or behaviours. Morissey was way ahead of his time, forcing people to address his music, not his private life. Bottom line: Morrissey struggles with sex, sexuality, relationships, etc., and all of these struggles come out in his music. To define him would be to limit him.
It's a song about a guy who lacks libido. And the feelings of self-worthlessness that follow a botched conquest. He would ideally love to fornicate with this pretty girl, but can't because he's shy/inexperienced/impotent/asexual/gay etc. etc. I don't think the reason matters. It's a universal humiliation most men can relate to. Feeling sexually inferior. And he could probably perform at some later date when the two have gotten comfortable with one another. But she wants it now. And she will not wait. And you know the rest.
"I'd also gone through an entire year of celibacy based on my feeling that lust was the direct cause of birth which was the direct cause of suffering and death and i had really no lie come to a point where i regarded lust as offensive and even cruel. 'pretty girls make graves,' was my saying."
from dharma bums by jack kerouac.
I never thought that it was about being gay. I always took it to mean that he was "above" sexual impulse and found the whole situation to be dreadfully boring.
I could speculate about the lyrics all day/night and I suspect that's what Morrissey would want ;)
However, I do know that the outro to this song is the most beautiful thing ever recorded. It gets me EVERY TIME.
Johnny Marr = Underrated Guitar Genius.
@ErinElizabeth I'm glad someone else heard that too
LOL @ dethwish! Unique interpretation there but in its own way correct.
igbybigby nailed it. Morrissey, with the influence of Kerouac's "The Dharma Bums", wrote this song about his celibacy and struggles with his own sexuality. You need to first understand Morrissey to understand this song. Moz is an innately loving person, he loves music, poetry, animals etc but he also has the extremely humane desire to be close to another person, to be in a loving relationship with someone.
The problem is that he does not experience lust towards this girl like an average man. Perhaps this is because, as people have said, he is homosexual and therefore not attracted to women in general. For me it goes beyond that, it is more likely he simply sees lust towards man or woman as a primal urge, an unsophisticated emotion which controls people and causes them to think with their loins rather than their heads. I'd even go as far as to say that for him lust, the pleasures of the flesh and his own body are something to feel shameful of. It's a theme in a lot of his songs.
This is why he does not "give in to lust", why "he will not rise for ANYONE". Yet when he sees the girl go off with another man, he feels jealous, resentful but also vindicated. He wants to be with this person, he wishes he was normal but cannot satisfy her lust. His view of lust as an irrational impulse is vindicated because the girl is able to simply move on to the next man who comes along and is willing to satisfy her, hence why he loses his faith in womanhood.