Lyrics for Color Bars as interpreted by EnjOy IncUbus

Color Bars Lyrics
I see color bars when I come
Sergeant Rock broke the key off in the lock
To where I come from
Sir, no sir
We have no power in the air
The battle's on the ground
Laying low again
High on the sound

Bruno S. is a man to me
You're just some dude with a stilted attitude
That you learned from TV
You'll undo
But I'll be connecting everything
The traffic in my town
Riding high again
High on the sound

Everyone wants me to ride into the sun
But I ain't going to go down
Laying low again
High on the sound

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  • 23 Comments
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juicyclad
06-15-2004

Rated 0 
this song has the most beautiful begining, and following piano piece the entire way through!

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Little Timmy
12-06-2004

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Anyone know who Bruno S. is?

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lisalynn
01-12-2005

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bruno S starred in some interesting films by director werner herzog.. he said this in an interview:

more typical is the don't-tread-on-me defiance of "color bars." over a revved-up "dear prudence"-like arrangement, smith snipes at the shallowness of mainstream culture ("you're just some dude with a stilted attitude that you learned on tv") while simultaneously resisting its attempts to categorize him ("everybody wants me to ride into the sun/I don't want to go"). the song was inspired, he says, by werner herzog movies; more specifically, the brutish german actor bruno s., hardly an american beauty by any stretch of the imagination. "how come we have no bruno s. here?" smith asks. "how come he can be a film star in europe, but over here everybody has to look like they were computer generated?"

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manic_ash
01-26-2005

Rated 0 
if that's really true then I love how this song represents Elliott's desire to stay true to himself

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Welles-radio
02-12-2005

Rated 0 
Thanks for the info on Bruno S. people. I think it all makes a little more sense to me now. The phrase "color bars" might alsp refer to the standby signal you see on TV when a station signs off the air for the night. It makes sense when you want to shut off from the mainstream, or the mainstream wants to shuts you off. And of this song has some brilliant cinematic visuals. Also, "the sound" might be the loud beeeeeping you hear when the station goes off the air.

I picture Elliott just sitting on the couch alone late at night in front of the TV (which is how he said in an interview he often wrote songs with his guitar - brilliant!) and he just became one with the moment. That's what I love about Elliott, he could turn this simple moment into a reflection of his rugged individualism!

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Welles-radio
02-12-2005

Rated 0 
"Writing in the glow of the TV static" he sings earlier in the album.

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imajar
02-15-2005

Rated 0 
some great comments here. thanks guys

the simple instrumentation in this song is so great. it just nails the song in to your mind.

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1 Reply
_ellie
06-24-2005

Rated 0 
You just got to love the opening line. Unforgettable.

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samjuro
07-15-2005

Rated 0 
do some reading on bruno s - fucked up dude right off the bat.

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thagunk
02-28-2006

Rated 0 
Right on y'all, thanks for shedding a little light on one of the most puzzling ES songs I've come across.

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remembermaine
06-13-2006

Rated 0 
*dances*

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anaisisis
04-11-2007

Rated 0 
does the first line mean what i think it means? ;) that's what i thought since the first time i heard it.

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asdf123654
12-14-2007

Rated 0 
here's what i think:

I see color bars when I come
(he sees himself as unfit for TV, they put color bars up when he comes on)
Sergeant Rock broke the key off in the lock
(sergeant rock is mainstream, mainstream can be simplified as being rigidly in favor of beauty on tv)
To where I come from
(smith's culture/character)
Sir, no sir
We have no power in the air
(air is stuff that's different from mainstream)
The battle's on the ground
(ground is mainstream, grounded stuff so to say)
Laying low again
(first hook, smith's staying out of the limelight...)
High on the sound
(...deriving pleasure from writing his music)

Bruno S. is a man to me
(welles-radio sums this up)
You're just some dude with a stilted attitude
That you learned from TV
(mainstream culture contrast to bruno s.)
You'll undo
But I'll be connecting everything
(figuring out the complexities and staying true to himself)
The traffic in my town
Riding high again
High on the sound
(hook)

Everyone wants me to ride into the sun
(also see welles-radio comment, smith's pegged as a loner-indie hero, like cowboys, but he doesn't want to play a character in hollywood and portray himself without the complexities)
But I ain't going to go down
(he's putting up a fight to above comment)
Laying low again
High on the sound
(third hook)

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sweetadeline112358
09-04-2008

Rated 0 
there are many obscure and poetic references, yet the song seems to be about the power of music itself.

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abirata
10-10-2008

Rated 0 
Just a random reference: Sgt. (Frank) Rock was a DC Comic series. Rock was a tough-as-nails GI infantryman in WWII. He later appeared in the comic "Suicide Squad."

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abirata
10-10-2008

Rated 0 
And yeah, I think the first line means what anaisisis thinks it means.

What does it mean about connecting the traffic in the town?

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G-girl
11-14-2008

Rated 0 
'Ride Into The Sun' is an instrumental piece of 'The Velvet Underground' and it was one of Elliott's favorites...

"It's kind of a calm, soothing, cool sounding song. It is kinda does the same thing over and over again and I like it 'cause it puts me in a trance. It's kinda like a drug, but it's not, it's a song." Elliott Smith

Can be found in the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmB1eYOjgug

P.S. 'The Velvet Underground' have two songs named 'Ride Into The Sun', one is an instrumental and the second have lyrics. It's definitely the instrumental that Elliott was talking about in the quote.

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nikkiroth
11-17-2008

Rated 0 
this song is so beautiful elliott is so amazing

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stepsinred
01-11-2009

Rated 0 
i think color bars are related to music; i think this song is how he identifies with the creative sphere instead of the conventional one.

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jitterbugger
04-12-2009

Rated 0 
"I see color bars when I come" I don't think that has to do with what you gutterbrains are thinking.

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BeanBrains
04-30-2009

Rated 0 
I see 3D color patterns when...

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abirata
06-03-2009

Rated 0 
For some reason I was researching espionage techniques and one of them was "traffic analysis".

"Traffic analysis is the process of intercepting and examining messages in order to deduce information from patterns in communication."

It immediately made me think of this song. I really have no other insight to offer without making myself sound totally insane.

And I still believe the 'I see color bars when i come' reference is sexual / spiritual. It isn't obscene at all.

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iseecolorbars
09-20-2009

Rated 0 
obviously I love this song, but moreso love Elliott Smith... my favorite line(s) for some reason is "You'll undo, but I'll be connecting everything, The traffic in my town"...

I think asdf123456 has a nice analysis of the song.. The first line starts with almost a nostalgic feel and I noticed the overall song has a nostalgia feeling but is also a triumphant feel to it.



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