Let's try this.
It is well documented that 'Munki' was recorded while the great Reid brothers were involved in a mutually, profoundly fractious syndrome.
According to Jim, for the duration of the sessions the pair couldn't even stand to appear in the studio together and therefore put down their individual parts totally separately:
"Me and William weren't really getting along at all. That last year we barely even spoke. Munki ... was really divided. William would go into the studio with the rest of the band and record while I wasn't there, and then I'd go in with them when William wasn't there."
[Alternative Press Magazine]
It certainly isn't beyond the realms of possibility, then, to imagine that in a few of the lyrical outings here the unsimpático siblings were taking vicious potshots toward one another.
This seems more likely given that the songwriting credit on 'Birthday' happens to be to William, and when taken into account that the date of Jim's birthday is December 29th ("It's Christmas time again"), it begins to look as if his older, yet no more secure brother might well have been lashing out, invoking the memory of one of Jim's stereotypical anniversary bashes.
"And I'm sucking on my grown-up's lemonade"
"Curse the light that laughter shines on me"
"Yeah I'm a mean motherfucker now but I once was cool"
"And everybody loves me goes away"
These come across like terribly
bitter putdowns which would make sense in context.
Take a look at Jim's 'Man on the Moon' for what may be just one example of a tit-for-tat rejoinder.
Let's try this. It is well documented that 'Munki' was recorded while the great Reid brothers were involved in a mutually, profoundly fractious syndrome. According to Jim, for the duration of the sessions the pair couldn't even stand to appear in the studio together and therefore put down their individual parts totally separately: "Me and William weren't really getting along at all. That last year we barely even spoke. Munki ... was really divided. William would go into the studio with the rest of the band and record while I wasn't there, and then I'd go in with them when William wasn't there." [Alternative Press Magazine] It certainly isn't beyond the realms of possibility, then, to imagine that in a few of the lyrical outings here the unsimpático siblings were taking vicious potshots toward one another. This seems more likely given that the songwriting credit on 'Birthday' happens to be to William, and when taken into account that the date of Jim's birthday is December 29th ("It's Christmas time again"), it begins to look as if his older, yet no more secure brother might well have been lashing out, invoking the memory of one of Jim's stereotypical anniversary bashes. "And I'm sucking on my grown-up's lemonade" "Curse the light that laughter shines on me" "Yeah I'm a mean motherfucker now but I once was cool" "And everybody loves me goes away" These come across like terribly bitter putdowns which would make sense in context. Take a look at Jim's 'Man on the Moon' for what may be just one example of a tit-for-tat rejoinder.