Sometime in ’93, around the time this song was being written and recorded, the city of Seattle was pushing hard for the ban of posters and ads on utility poles and streetlights. The ban went into effect in ’94, and consequently, promotion for local bands and entertainment was significantly restricted. Many Seattle citizens felt that the ordinance impinged upon freedom of speech, as well as would lead to a degradation of Seattle's music scene, the arts, and political communities.
This song comes from the point of view of someone protesting the Seattle poster ban. Trying to appear intellectual, the narrator cites Ginsberg's "Howl,” which was banned for obscenity in 1956. Not only does the narrator probably not understand “Howl,” but he/she does not seem to comprehend the personal, artistic, and cultural liberties that such bans threaten. Ironically, the narrator believes that the ban somehow interferes with his/her desire to think and spout nonsense, and is fighting for the “right” to leave paper stains.
Sometime in ’93, around the time this song was being written and recorded, the city of Seattle was pushing hard for the ban of posters and ads on utility poles and streetlights. The ban went into effect in ’94, and consequently, promotion for local bands and entertainment was significantly restricted. Many Seattle citizens felt that the ordinance impinged upon freedom of speech, as well as would lead to a degradation of Seattle's music scene, the arts, and political communities.
This song comes from the point of view of someone protesting the Seattle poster ban. Trying to appear intellectual, the narrator cites Ginsberg's "Howl,” which was banned for obscenity in 1956. Not only does the narrator probably not understand “Howl,” but he/she does not seem to comprehend the personal, artistic, and cultural liberties that such bans threaten. Ironically, the narrator believes that the ban somehow interferes with his/her desire to think and spout nonsense, and is fighting for the “right” to leave paper stains.