In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I want to shut you down
Love your sight and sound
I want to spin you round, till your. underground
I want to strip you down
Till you feel the round
I want to feel your shine
I want to waste some time
I want to paint my face
Like a model out of place
Cause I'm supposed to dare
The machine will tear
I'll throw up sometime
And then you'll be mine
I want to serve you down
While my mind is on the ground
I want to move your switch
Make you go squish
My desiring machine
Yeah it's made pretty clean
Now I'll turn the dial
And I'll put you in a pile
Modern women cry
Modern women don't cry
Cry don't cry
You hut me with your lie
Touch the fire in the rain and
See the children
Stop their play and
Look for shelter
In the garden of their
Make believe and I
I believe
Perfection is a
I can see what you're going through but
I can't melt my head to what you're
Whisked away to light the bomb a
Thousand leaves are left to stay and...
Love your sight and sound
I want to spin you round, till your. underground
I want to strip you down
Till you feel the round
I want to feel your shine
I want to waste some time
I want to paint my face
Like a model out of place
Cause I'm supposed to dare
The machine will tear
I'll throw up sometime
And then you'll be mine
I want to serve you down
While my mind is on the ground
I want to move your switch
Make you go squish
My desiring machine
Yeah it's made pretty clean
Now I'll turn the dial
And I'll put you in a pile
Modern women cry
Modern women don't cry
Cry don't cry
You hut me with your lie
Touch the fire in the rain and
See the children
Stop their play and
Look for shelter
In the garden of their
Make believe and I
I believe
Perfection is a
I can see what you're going through but
I can't melt my head to what you're
Whisked away to light the bomb a
Thousand leaves are left to stay and...
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The title of the song reminds me of the movie Flashdance.
apparently this is Kim Gordon's "answer song" to that god-awful song "Bitch" by 90s one-hit-wonder Meredith Brooks.
also, the second half of the song is from a different recording session than the first half, though it is pieced together quite nicely. one of my favourites not only from 1000 Leaves but in general. Killer riffs you just wanna play LOUD.
This song to me is about doing work from a females' perspective- a stereotypically dumb or inept woman who has learned to be a car mechanic. This song is like her thoughts while she's working.
"It's a little bit of an answer song," says Gordon. "The media, which are predominantly made up of men, are always writing what they think 'women in rock' is, and it always winds up being some sexually seductive object."
more sources of my info:
"It's worth mentioning," says Kim. "That the song, 'Female Mechanic on Duty' was inspired by 'Bitch' by that famous Lilith-type female singer, Meredith Brooks. It's an answer song." "I have a particular dislike for that song," says Steve. (from sonicyouth.com/history/ographies/1000-lvs.html)
and:
"Not all of the album was recorded in Echo Canyon -- the second half of "Female Mechanic Now On Duty" actually comes straight from the "Sessions @ West 54th St." broadcast, with vocals overdubbed." (from sonicyouth.com/mustang/lp/lp14.html)
@scrimshaw What does Lilith refer to in this context? The biblical Lilith?