This song references the deaths of two performers associated with the film ERASERHEAD, both in the Los Angelos area. "Peter Radiator" is Peter Ivers, a singer/songwriter/TV host who composed the song "In Heaven" for David Lynch's first feature film (sung by the "Girl In The Radiator" in the movie), a song covered by The Pixies. The "Jack who coiffed it" is Jack Nance who was the star of ERASERHEAD. Although the two men died 14 years apart, both deaths were the result of beatings that were never fully explained. I suspect Frank is literally singing about wanting to move away from the neighborhood or city that harbors such random violence.
Other allusions in the lyrics:
"He got sainted" - In one of his album covers, Peter Ivers was shown with an arrow stuck in his chest much like Saint Sebatian.
"There was a Jack who coiffed it" - Nance's appearance is ERASERHEAD is notable for his outrageous hairstyle.
"He came from my home town" - Jack Nance was from Boston as was Frank Black.
"He was a prophet" - In one of his earliest stage successes, Jack Nance portrayed early American Thomas Paine, generally considered to be an American prophet.
This song references the deaths of two performers associated with the film ERASERHEAD, both in the Los Angelos area. "Peter Radiator" is Peter Ivers, a singer/songwriter/TV host who composed the song "In Heaven" for David Lynch's first feature film (sung by the "Girl In The Radiator" in the movie), a song covered by The Pixies. The "Jack who coiffed it" is Jack Nance who was the star of ERASERHEAD. Although the two men died 14 years apart, both deaths were the result of beatings that were never fully explained. I suspect Frank is literally singing about wanting to move away from the neighborhood or city that harbors such random violence.
Other allusions in the lyrics:
"He got sainted" - In one of his album covers, Peter Ivers was shown with an arrow stuck in his chest much like Saint Sebatian.
"There was a Jack who coiffed it" - Nance's appearance is ERASERHEAD is notable for his outrageous hairstyle.
"He came from my home town" - Jack Nance was from Boston as was Frank Black.
"He was a prophet" - In one of his earliest stage successes, Jack Nance portrayed early American Thomas Paine, generally considered to be an American prophet.