This song really intrigues me, here's a long, messy interpretation:
If you're ever trying to understand something that Slug is saying, you really have to look deep into every lyric. For instance:
"Bangles in my head, shake the song off
Another Manic Monday night, it's gonna be a long walk"
In the song "Manic Monday", the protagonist (who is a woman...well, I suppose a man when you think about the fact that Prince wrote the song) wants to spend time with his/her loved one but can't because they must go to work, a possible reflection of how Slug is constantly touring, trying to make ends meat, but never spending time with the mother of his son nor his son himself (just listen to "Little Man" for confirmation on that).
I don't know why but I think he's talking about his mother in the final verse, or possibly God, or the mother of his son. This song has a hidden message to it, especially when one looks at these lines:
They can leave me for dead, they can take away my true
Through the lies and the sins that ride the wind that blew
As sure as the life in the garden that you grew
If only I had known what you already knew
(Slug switches "As sure as the life in the garden that you grew" to "As sure as the life in the stomach that she grew" on the Sad Clown Bad Dub 13 performance)
I'm reminded very much of "The River" when I hear this song, because they both deal with growing up.
On top of that, the references to "the wind" and then almost immediately after it "the garden" reminds me of the lines:
"We could sit in the shade and discuss the meaning of sacred
'cause I can't see the garden no more, just the aphids
but the wind still blows, and the plants still grow"
There's a very strong religious sentiment in both songs. Look at the syntax here:
"Swear to God hip hop and comic books was my genesis."
God and Genesis (the first book of the Bible) are both mentioned and notice how he says "was" as opposed to "were", possibly a nod to the fact that he is actually only referring to Hip-Hop, or possibly comic books.
I believe that "The River" is ultimately about the fact that he has failed both his mother and the mother to his son, so I suppose that should be applied here.
Took a ride on Lyndale, I'm gettin' near
But then the road became empty, and the people disappeared
The clouds ran away, opened up the sky
And one by one, I watched every constellation die
And there I was frozen, standin' in my backyard
Face to face, eye to eye, starin' at the last star
I should have known, walked all the way home
To find that she wasn't here, I was still all alone
Take good note of the reference to constellations here, because they feature fairly prominently in Atmosphere songs (Slug enjoys mentioning that he is a Virgo quite often, along with him mentioning the fact that his father is Aquarius and his mother is Pisces in "Don't Ever Fucking Question That"). One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?.
Finally, throughout the song we get a sense of completion, "I did this" or "I used to be this" or "I was this". Even the constellations and clouds seem to have dispersed in a tight and neat way, "one by one I watched every constellation die". However, in the last two lines, we see an incompletion with "she" not being there, with she, in my opinion, being either his girl or a metaphor for the wife that he has always wanted but never had. Then he begins to say "No matter where I am, no matter what I do, I'm always come back home to you" despite the fact that "she" isn't home.
In conclusion, Slug has gone through so many trials and tribulations but the one thing that is always on his mind, the one thing (or person) that he always returns to is that he still is without a wife. I back this up through lyrics on the song "The Arrival":
"C'mon, I'm just a cat searching for a clean lap to crash,
In a world hurting, waiting for their turn to take a nap.
Sorting through the bills, fan mail, and life threats.
Wondering why the postman ain't delivered my wife yet?"
Not just in "The Arrival" but also songs like "The Ocean" and "Body Pillow" he speaks about a similar type of topic.
That's simply an interpretation, there are loads of other things that could be said about this song. By "she" he could be referring to Minneapolis, who knows. There are a few things that I haven't touched so I encourage you all to keep thinking away!.
"One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?."
"One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?."
I think the line about "walked all the way home" just sums up the "uselessness" of returing and finding out there's nobody there not the walked home after standing in his backyard?
I think the line about "walked all the way home" just sums up the "uselessness" of returing and finding out there's nobody there not the walked home after standing in his backyard?
maybe when he says "I'm still all alone" and doesn't find "her" it's cause no matter what he does, in that case good things because he has opportunities to be bad but refuses and he's always turning back to the "good person" he is no matter what
"If only I had know what she already knew" could relate to his mother, maybe because she always knew that he's a good person. "they can take away my true.." and so on..
maybe when he says "I'm still all alone" and doesn't find "her" it's cause no matter what he does, in that case good things because he has opportunities to be bad but refuses and he's always turning back to the "good person" he is no matter what
"If only I had know what she already knew" could relate to his mother, maybe because she always knew that he's a good person. "they can take away my true.." and so on..
This song really intrigues me, here's a long, messy interpretation:
If you're ever trying to understand something that Slug is saying, you really have to look deep into every lyric. For instance:
"Bangles in my head, shake the song off Another Manic Monday night, it's gonna be a long walk"
In the song "Manic Monday", the protagonist (who is a woman...well, I suppose a man when you think about the fact that Prince wrote the song) wants to spend time with his/her loved one but can't because they must go to work, a possible reflection of how Slug is constantly touring, trying to make ends meat, but never spending time with the mother of his son nor his son himself (just listen to "Little Man" for confirmation on that).
I don't know why but I think he's talking about his mother in the final verse, or possibly God, or the mother of his son. This song has a hidden message to it, especially when one looks at these lines:
They can leave me for dead, they can take away my true Through the lies and the sins that ride the wind that blew As sure as the life in the garden that you grew If only I had known what you already knew
(Slug switches "As sure as the life in the garden that you grew" to "As sure as the life in the stomach that she grew" on the Sad Clown Bad Dub 13 performance)
I'm reminded very much of "The River" when I hear this song, because they both deal with growing up. On top of that, the references to "the wind" and then almost immediately after it "the garden" reminds me of the lines:
"We could sit in the shade and discuss the meaning of sacred 'cause I can't see the garden no more, just the aphids but the wind still blows, and the plants still grow"
There's a very strong religious sentiment in both songs. Look at the syntax here:
"Swear to God hip hop and comic books was my genesis."
God and Genesis (the first book of the Bible) are both mentioned and notice how he says "was" as opposed to "were", possibly a nod to the fact that he is actually only referring to Hip-Hop, or possibly comic books.
I believe that "The River" is ultimately about the fact that he has failed both his mother and the mother to his son, so I suppose that should be applied here.
Took a ride on Lyndale, I'm gettin' near But then the road became empty, and the people disappeared The clouds ran away, opened up the sky And one by one, I watched every constellation die And there I was frozen, standin' in my backyard Face to face, eye to eye, starin' at the last star I should have known, walked all the way home To find that she wasn't here, I was still all alone
Take good note of the reference to constellations here, because they feature fairly prominently in Atmosphere songs (Slug enjoys mentioning that he is a Virgo quite often, along with him mentioning the fact that his father is Aquarius and his mother is Pisces in "Don't Ever Fucking Question That"). One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?.
Finally, throughout the song we get a sense of completion, "I did this" or "I used to be this" or "I was this". Even the constellations and clouds seem to have dispersed in a tight and neat way, "one by one I watched every constellation die". However, in the last two lines, we see an incompletion with "she" not being there, with she, in my opinion, being either his girl or a metaphor for the wife that he has always wanted but never had. Then he begins to say "No matter where I am, no matter what I do, I'm always come back home to you" despite the fact that "she" isn't home.
In conclusion, Slug has gone through so many trials and tribulations but the one thing that is always on his mind, the one thing (or person) that he always returns to is that he still is without a wife. I back this up through lyrics on the song "The Arrival":
"C'mon, I'm just a cat searching for a clean lap to crash, In a world hurting, waiting for their turn to take a nap. Sorting through the bills, fan mail, and life threats. Wondering why the postman ain't delivered my wife yet?"
Not just in "The Arrival" but also songs like "The Ocean" and "Body Pillow" he speaks about a similar type of topic.
That's simply an interpretation, there are loads of other things that could be said about this song. By "she" he could be referring to Minneapolis, who knows. There are a few things that I haven't touched so I encourage you all to keep thinking away!.
I like your interpretation.
I like your interpretation.
"One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?."
"One thing I've noticed here is how he mentions that he is "in his back yard" but then says that he "walked all the way home", was he not home already if he was in his backyard?."
I think the line about "walked all the way home" just sums up the "uselessness" of returing and finding out there's nobody there not the walked home after standing in his backyard?
I think the line about "walked all the way home" just sums up the "uselessness" of returing and finding out there's nobody there not the walked home after standing in his backyard?
maybe when he says "I'm still all alone" and doesn't find "her" it's cause no matter what he does, in that case good things because he has opportunities to be bad but refuses and he's always turning back to the "good person" he is no matter what "If only I had know what she already knew" could relate to his mother, maybe because she always knew that he's a good person. "they can take away my true.." and so on..
maybe when he says "I'm still all alone" and doesn't find "her" it's cause no matter what he does, in that case good things because he has opportunities to be bad but refuses and he's always turning back to the "good person" he is no matter what "If only I had know what she already knew" could relate to his mother, maybe because she always knew that he's a good person. "they can take away my true.." and so on..
just some thoughts...
just some thoughts...