I feel, as do others, the song is about trying not to succumb to the temptations of Siam(Bangkok). One minute the writer feels the Angel sliding up to them; later he feels the Devil sliding up to him. As a kid, I always thought " muddy old river" or " reclining Buddha" were some kinds of chest moves. I can tell you after spending time in Thailand, the writer is referring to the Chao Praya River and the statue of the reclining Buddha in a temple in the city of Bangkok. Also, the song is filled with euphemisms for sex with transsexuals. The lyric, "You'll find a god in every golden cloister and if you're lucky then the god's a she". Well, the cloister can be meant as a doorway and God can be taken to mean woman. So what he really means is, you can find a girl in every door way and if you're lucky the girl is a girl and not a guy dressed as a girl(ladyboy) as they call them. "A little flesh, a little history" referrers to the tourist that looks for sex in Bangkok but covers it up with history tours of the city. So when he's asked about his vacation, he can show all the wonderful pictures of the ancient temples and buildings. Now you know.
I feel, as do others, the song is about trying not to succumb to the temptations of Siam(Bangkok). One minute the writer feels the Angel sliding up to them; later he feels the Devil sliding up to him. As a kid, I always thought " muddy old river" or " reclining Buddha" were some kinds of chest moves. I can tell you after spending time in Thailand, the writer is referring to the Chao Praya River and the statue of the reclining Buddha in a temple in the city of Bangkok. Also, the song is filled with euphemisms for sex with transsexuals. The lyric, "You'll find a god in every golden cloister and if you're lucky then the god's a she". Well, the cloister can be meant as a doorway and God can be taken to mean woman. So what he really means is, you can find a girl in every door way and if you're lucky the girl is a girl and not a guy dressed as a girl(ladyboy) as they call them. "A little flesh, a little history" referrers to the tourist that looks for sex in Bangkok but covers it up with history tours of the city. So when he's asked about his vacation, he can show all the wonderful pictures of the ancient temples and buildings. Now you know.