TOM VIOLENCE
   
Originally Released on:

EVOL

also appears on:

  • Live in Texas (live '86)
  • Hold That Tiger (live '87)
  • Hits Are For Squares
  • 07/12/86 "LIVE IN DENVER 1986"
  • 05/22/87 "LIVE AT CITY GARDENS 1987"
  • 06/21/87 "LIVE IN TORINO 1987"
  • 06/24/87 "LIVE IN YUGOSLAVIA 1985/1987"
  • 12/14/92 "LIVE AT BRIXTON ACADEMY 1992"
  • 06/24/06 "LIVE IN DALLAS 2006"
  • 10/21/09 "LIVE IN BERLIN 2009"
  • 08/12/11 "LIVE IN BROOKLYN 2011"

  • Rockin On Paper - The Vera Club DVD (live '87)

Line-up:
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar
Steve Shelley - drums

Lyrics   status: confirmed

My violence is a dream, a "real dream"
A skinny arm, a crush on living sin
My violence is a sleeping head
Nodding out to rising bliss
I left home for experience
Carved "Suk For Honesty" on my chest
My violence is the number
Coming out of prayer
Find it in the father
Find it in a girl

There's a thing in my memory
Holding on for dear life
With a feeling of secrets
Beating up under my flesh
My tongue is tied
I'm sleeping nights awake
Tom Violence is a dream
Coming out of a girl

Track length: 3:05

First Known Performance: 04/12/86
Last Known Performance:  11/13/11

NOTES:

  • Working title: "Dear Life"
  • This song remains one of the most frequently performed songs in SY's set.
  • "TV" likely a reference to Television's Tom Verlaine..
  • Jim O'Rourke played guitar on this song while he was in the band.

ALTERNATE VERSIONS:

  • On "Live in Texas" - LIVE - 4:32

    Recorded live on 4/12/86 in Austin, Texas @ the Continental Club. First live performance!

  • On "Rockin on Paper" - LIVE VIDEO - ?

    Recorded live on 06/11/87 at the VERA in Groningen, Holland.

  • On "Hold That Tiger" - LIVE - 2:43

    Recorded live on 10/14/87 at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago, Illinois. Listed as "Tom Valence".