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[the mongoose]

Originally Posted by Sappys Curry

Well, 'Spoon man' is slang for a heroin junkie. And then he says "transfusion, penetration" in the song (penetration meaning a drug needle puncturing skin). Then at the end of the song we have the lyrics "Into the blood" repeated many times.

I know, it's totally obvious.

[unwound floors]

The heroin junkie interpretation is certainly interesting (and puts a new spin on the song for me!), but what I love about Underworld's music is its subjectivity: because of the abstract, fragmented nature of Hyde's lyrics, it's nigh-on impossible to really figure out a solid interpretation of each song. It's up to the listener to make some meaning out of it for themselves.

For example: Banstyle, for me, makes almost no sense on first reading/listening, and yet it's one of my top three songs by them because of what I associate it with, the people I was hanging out with when I first discovered that song, the feelings that overwhelmed me at the time fit that song perfectly. Dirty Epic is what my friends call "my song" because it kind of summarises the sort of person I am and the way I live my life completely. I find it really hard to listen to Skym because I first properly listened to it after a really rough breakup, and for me, the lyrics fit that perfectly - "I don't want you to call again."

I don't know how many people view those songs in the same way, and that's the beauty of it.

[Sappys Curry]

I do love the surreal nature of Hyde's lyrics. It's definitely found in Banstyle/Sappys Curry and Skym.

[Flywaver]

Im under the impression Karl had watched a programme about possible...2012 events.. Planet alignments etc...
BS
and the hope of the world
rides with one man
everybody cram
on the telephone ringing....... The 2nd coming or a Superhero!?

Louisiana.....Planets in sweet collision
Quietly violent... Karl must of had a few bad dreams... who knows..

[cacophony]

Originally Posted by Sappys Curry

That last part you said is basically what the lyrics are about for most UW songs with lyrics; as you have basically said yourself in an earlier post. I agree with that analysis. So, then, are there any UW songs that actually have a message that can be clearly interpreted? It is hard to come up with some off the top of my head. At the least, ALAF from Barking seems like a love song (seems like it, at least).

8 ball.

[ThingInABook]

i always thought about the spoonman equals an heroin addict and, yes, i also thought if karl did try it once. then i found out that he never tried any kind of drugs, excepting alcohol.

then i thought of trainspotting and danny boyle. probably a connection? don't know, the book is from 1993.

EDIT: also 8 ball. 'the white stuff' and such. but that is linked with trains too. mmm.

[cacophony]

today i saw a man with a flaming 8 ball tattooed on his arm.

seems pretty plain language to me.

[the mongoose]

You're forgetting that

"that White Stuff.....that stuff........that stuff makes me feel........feel.....feeeeeel.....Happy!"


probably just referring to a large glass of milk:

[Lx_Nen]

It's possible to write a song about something without actually having done it, you know!

Anyway, lot of 'dubno' is built around double meanings and homonyms, Karl used a lot of clever wordplay on that album, and it's evident in the videos too (Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Ice Cream so Much).

You can interpret spoonman as the ravings of a heroin addict, a catholic priest performing communion (talks to god, transfusion, into the blood) or even as a commentary on cunnilingus during menstruation (don't put your hand where you wouldn't put your face, nice bikini, she's a wound, into the blood).

None of that was necessarily intentional when the song was written, I believe it's intentionally unclear, in a way that makes it open to whatever interpretation you decide to give it.

[ultradave]

it's all surreal... think of a painting by Vladimir Kush or M.C Escher...

i think the only real link to actuality is born slippy w/the lager reference to karl's past battles with alcohol.

other than it's merely a play on words - he uses metaphors from the standpoint of drug use, however, he's not really referring to drug use... come on - Spoonman, 8 Ball, Jumbo, Beautiful Burnout... etc...

he's very good at it too.