Spiders are singing in the salty breeze
Spiders are filling out tax returns
Spinning out webs of deductions and melodies
On a private beach in Michigan

Why can't they wish their kisses good
Why do they miss when their kisses should
Fly like winging birds fighting for the keys
On a private beach in Michigan

This recent rash of kidsmoke
All these telescopic poems
It's good to be alone

Why can't they say what they want
Why can't they just say what they mean
Come clean, listen and talk
Hello private callers, IDs blocked

The sun will rise, we'll climb into cars
The future has a valley and a shortcut around
Who will wear the crown of drowning award
Hold a private light on a Michigan shore

You fool me with a kiss of kidsmoke
From a microscopic home
It's good to be alone

I'll be in my bed
You can be the stone
That raises from the dead
And carries us all home

There's no blood on my hands
I just do as I am told



Lyrics submitted by eastcidskl


Spiders (Kidsmoke) song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think Tweedy is saying he feels out touch with the rest of generations that became business professionals, doctors, lawyers, and just working people in general because he is in hist late 30's and playing in a rock band. Tweedy sees how over-rated and boring and uninteresting that life can be, so he says its good to be alone. I visualize a disheveled Tweedy on a dock outside the shitty city, looking over across the water to private shore with mansions.
    Flag burnthestrawmanon May 11, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah you gotta see this done live. The way they transition between the musical melodies is just AMAZING. I couldn't believe that they'd be able to pull it off live until I saw it with my own two eyes and heard it with my own two ears.
    Flag bigwilcofanon December 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:Does anyone think the riff in the instrumental part is a ripoff of a song by Rush? I can't remember the name, tho..

    Any Rush fans?
    Flag calskiaon September 30, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:you guys are all wrong, what kind of effort do you think tweedy really puts into his lyrics?
    Flag carrot rope jiveon April 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I saw wilco open for neil young the other night at MSG. I am a huge ghost is born fan (wasn't, until I saw them live for the first time) and think this is definitely one of its best songs.

    there are a lot of angles to interpret this song through and I think it is beautifully abstract. The lyrics are very confusing. I think we have to try to listen to the music. One image that comes to me listening to this song is intense speed: an image of hundreds of huge, people-sized spiders just racing at incredible speed for the entire duration of the length of the song. Just running and running and running, across the ocean, along their spider webs.

    The jagged guitar solos sound like spiders feet running along on spider webs. The rhythm and pace builds the intensity. But the absolutely mind-blowing main guitar line...Essentially grabs the listener and rips them out of their body and high into the sky above and throws them around through the clouds and sky for a few minutes. Whatever that means.

    Tweedy acoustic version is on youtube I believe.
    Flag Friendlyon December 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Just stumbled upon this site. It's pretty cool. badbunny is right. If you haven't heard the Tweedy acoustic version of this song, in my opinion you haven't heard the true meaning behind the song. I found it on Limewire. I think it was recorded at Lounge Ax, a Chicago club that I believe no longer exists. Download it. You will be blown away.
    Flag Gwildonon October 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Very Krautrock-influenced. It tests your patience in some ways, but it's pretty awesome.
    Flag YummyTreeSapon September 22, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I actually think some of this song is a response to school shootings. This explains the "recent rash of kidsmoke." The second verse seems an attempt at coaxing a teenager to talk about their issues, and offers a sort of weird hope with "the sun will rise, we'll climb into cars/The future has a valley and a shortcut around." The last part about the stone rising reminds me of the easter story, as does a lot of the record. But I think the most telling part of the entire song is "there's no blood on my hands, I just do as I'm told." This was the most common defense of ordinary Germans turned into Nazis, and I think Tweedy is commenting on American dastardly complacency in response to such issues, particularly why American children are so violent. "It's not my problem, there's no blood on my hands," etc.
    Flag abrooks148on September 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hi all, this is the song that turned me on to Wilco. It's fantastic!!! Check out Neu! Hallogallo and Fur Immer (Forever) and of course, Television's Marquee Moon. These seem to be the parents of the song. Those damn spider accountants!!!
    Flag fina79on July 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i die a little inside everytime badbunny comments
    Flag Juggalo420on December 20, 2007   Link

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