I Am A Scientist

It's about self analysis and being human (or mentally/emotionally unstable) Most gbv lyrics are a mix of intuitive psychology and magical experience and their relations. "Nothing else behaves like me" the strangeness of individuality. "I am a journalist" the use of language to describe something that is beyond the alphabet and defies explanation. "Pills and potions" as anyone who's done psychedelics will know, offer a great insight into themselves, which is "bottomless", as is most psychoanalysis or honest search for understanding. "Clues I choose to abuse" escapism over insight. "Shoot myself with rock and roll" is about personalisation in listening to songs, and the illusory nature and danger of doing such things (as we're all doing here) "Impurities and evils unknown" unpredictability and the concept of shadow (in jungian terms) He knows what's right, but loses sight, the human condition during an ongoing existential crisis. "But it's alright", acceptance. "Everything turns out right" synchronicity.

He's a clever fellow is that Mr pollard. Well done him :-B

This is the best song ever made.

it's about substance abuse

if you don't understand, consider yrself lucky

i am an incurable just unlock my mind ease yr painful lives the hole i dig is bottomless nothing else can set me free

think: "drinker's peace" without the ironic distance. think elliott smith's "a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free"

he speaks in a language immediately recognizable to anyone with an addictive personality and even the slightest bit of self-awareness. you know what i'm talking about.

I think this song is describing what it is to be a musician (or perhaps more accuratly a lyricist). In trying to explain/understand/clarify things to people (the listeners), they are like scientists. In trying to show/display things to people (perhaps things they already know but can't put into words), they are like journalists. In trying to heal people with their music and words, they are pharmacists. But in trying to do all this for others, they lose themselves (but for GbV at least, thats ok, as the closing lines would indicate).

The guitar work is dreary, depressing, apocalyptic, cold, dark, scary, numbing.

I think this song is not so much about substance abuse as it is about being seriously addicted to something. And in Robert Pollard's case, I believe he is talking about being addicted to Rock n Roll music and to writing songs. Pollard has show over time that if nothing else he is addicted to songwriting. It's as if he needs to write new songs to stay alive. His addiction and need to constantly write new songs is "bottomless" and it's the only thing in his life that can set him free. He's an "incurable" but through this songwriting process Pollard figures out who he is. He "unlocks" his mind and all of his thoughts are released. The "prescriptions" Pollard is filling are songs for you and I to listen to and enjoy to help ease our painful lives.

I'm not sure anyone in modern music is as prolific or has written more songs than Pollard (" nothing else behaves like me"). And although not all of his songs hit the mark, I'm not sure anyone has written more great songs than Robert Pollard.

This song is awesome. It deserves more comments. As far as the meaning goes, I think despairport is on the right track here.

This song is amazing, I seek to understand me

I am a lost soul, I shoot myself with rock 'n roll. Brilliant.

yeah, despairport, exactly...