Thurston's Convolutions
 

How many think TM's lyrics and songs are fucked-up hard to understand? Some?

It's hell to get through to the masses of literati with something approaching new art product so cut the man some slack and you might find his own approach rather ripped (couldn't resist) but seriously his songs are rather alchemical. He changes air to bliss. You just need to see through his eyes. I know, I know, that's hard to do! Maybe even impossible. But a little birdie told me that he is the best Indie Rock vocalist in New York?!?! Seriously, his style is correct in a way.

They're all dreamy, not straight said. He usually is setting up two words to describe something abstract. But I like some of them really. I don't need to have all on the tray at first listen.

i dont really read into them much. its only lyrics. thurston is a damn fine wordartist but he isnt a james joyce or something.

The one song that I have studied the lyrics, to try and glean meaning specific, is Diamond Sea. In the many times I have studied it I have come to the conclusion that it is about the act of marriage, the emotions and upheavels caused by the decision to marry someone.


Time takes its crazy toll
and how does your mirror grow
you better watch yourself when you jump into it
'cause the mirror's gonna steal your soul
(I take this to mean that one has "grown-up", and time has taken it's toll. The mirror represents our self image, and it grows as we grow, and as we get older we become that which we pretend to be)

I wonder how it came to be my friend
that someone just like you has come again
you'll never, never know how close you came
until you fall in love with the diamond rain
(as one gets older love seems more dim, yet more surprising when it does come again. The third line I think means one never knows how close despair and loneliness were until one has the comfort and companionship of a true marriage/union)

throw all his trash away
look out he's here to stay
your mirror's gonna crack when he breaks into it
and you'll never never be the same
(this is from the woman's POV. When two people come together it is ussually the lady's tastes that dictate what items that are owned by either are kept, and the men ussually have a lot of crap/old furniture/junk that the woman desires be tossed aside, disposing of something to make something else permanent, for the guy is "here to stay". His tendencies got him the stuff that is being disposed of, so look out becauyse he will gather the same up again later. The mirror/self image is busted because in a true marriage/union one muist present the real self, not the mirror self. Once that is done there is no turning back to the old you.)

look into his eyes and you can see
why all the little kids are dressed in dreams
I wonder how he's gonna make it back
when he sees that you just know it's make-belief
(In every man is a little boy, sometimes well-hidden , sometimes not. That little boy is the dreamer, and exposing that ios tough to a lot of men, which is why the question is asked, for when he knows that you know his true core, you will see his "mirror" is also just make believe.)

blood crystalized as sand
and now I hope you'll understand
you reflected into his looking glass soul
and now the mirror is your only friend
(sand implies the pasisng of time, hourglass style. Blood is life. the joining of two people takes place through time and in time. Understanding this is very important in a true marriage/union for it is not about the NOW anymore, as it is about the ever after. One sees oneself through the eyes of one's lover, and that is why she is reflected in his looking glass soul, magnifying her because of him. The only mirror that exist now is each other, and that is your "only friend" or only true soulmate/partner/spouse)

look into his eyes and you will see
that men are not alone on the diamond sea
sail into the heart of the lonely storm
and tell her that you'll love her eternally
(This is not unique. It happens to all. The lonely storm is ourselves, and marriage/union requires that we enter each others storms, suffer each others hardships and travails. One must see this honestly and be ready to "love her eternally")

time takes its crazy toll
mirror fallin' off the wall
you better look out for the looking glass girl
'cause she's gonna take you for a fall
(time does take it's crazy toll. The mirror/false image is falling off the wall, to break, to become useless and unnecesary. The second two lines point out how a man sometimes feels overwhelmed, for he sees himself in her just like she sees herself in him, and there is always the chance that chaos may ensue.)

look into his eyes and you shall see
why everything is quiet and nothing's free
I wonder how he's gonna make her smile
when love is running wild on the diamond sea
(understanding each other without words, understanding nothing is easy and nothing is free. Love is work. marriage/unions are work. The question remains, how are they going to make each other happy? The eternal question.)

but that is the diamond sea...that is a masterpiece in my opinion!

^ agreed, song & lyrics are definitely one of the best from youth.

good job Rob, read it with pleasure.

People actually listen to Sonic Youth's lyrics? In my opinion they take a backseat to the bands music.

i think thats a very generalized statement thats not necessarily true...

the lyrics may take a back seat when just enjoying the tunes, but the Youth are too clever to actually use throwaway lyrics. Whether we can make sense of their lyrics is another issue.

All of Lee's lyrics are very important to fully grasp the songs he sings on.

I like very much lyrics on Hits of Sunshine. That's beautiful poetry!

I too like Hits of Sunshine.

I remmeber doing hits of sunshine

I like Thurston's lyrics because they hard/impossible to understand.

Now Thurston's poetry is another issue.

Rob great explanation. I am obsessed with the lyrics most all mean something they are just presented in a way that sounds like nonsense to those that have either not had the experience he is speaking of or do not read betwwen the lines and only focus on the apparent way to read them. There are always poetic messages intertwined into a plain sounding line. I am sure they do just have some with meaning less words, but those are more sparse than the ones that are sending a message. Alot of times you don't even get the message ubtil years after listening to the song.

Oh yes! Lee does not just write bullshit. I see meaning in every one of his songs. Paper cup exit is great for example. Our body being the paper cup that we exit at death. Our spirits rise from a disposable container.

innnnteresting!