Lyric discussion by thebarrister 

Cover art for Fiddle Riddle lyrics by Frank Black and the Catholics

From an online chat:

Brannon: Also, while listening to teenager a while back, I thought I might have solved the fiddle riddle...the "face" on which man stands is that of the earth, but he abuses his gift and winds up extinct. But the machines he created live on and live equally futile lives...am I right?

Frank Black: You ah smaht. A sci fi story I read somewhere.