Sheela Na Gig - PJ Harvey

Artist: PJ Harvey
Song: Sheela Na Gig
Year: 1992
Album: Dry

Vintage Polly Jean.

Lyrics:
I've been trying to show you over and over
Look at these my child-bearing hips
Look at these my ruby red ruby lips
Look at these my work strong arms and
You've got to see my bottle full of charm
I lay it all at your feet
You turn around and say back to me

He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist

Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
*Just like the first time he said he didn't care
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before, no more
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Turn the corner another one there
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before

He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist

Put money in your idle hole
Put money in your idle hole

Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Just like the first time he said he didn't care
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before, no more
Gonna take my hips to a man who cares
Turn the corner another one there
Gonna take my hips to a man who cares
Heard it before

He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist

Put money in your idle hole
Put money in your idle hole

He said "wash your breasts, I don't want to be unclean"
He said "please take those dirty pillows away from me"

He said "wash your breasts, I don't want to be unclean"
He said "please take those dirty pillows away from me"

He said "wash your breasts, I don't want to be unclean"
He said "please take those dirty pillows away from me"

He said "wash your breasts, I don't want to be unclean"
He said "please take those dirty pillows away from me"

Angry Chair - Alice In Chains

Artist: Alice In Chains
Song: Angry Chair
Year: 1992
Album: Dirt

One of the few songs written entirely by Layne Staley.

Lyrics:
Sitting on an angry chair
Angry walls that steal the air

Stomach hurts and I don't care
What do I see across the way, hey
See myself molded in clay, oh
Stares at me, yeah I'm afraid, hey
Changing the shape of his face, aw yeah

Candles red I have a pair
Shadows dancing everywhere
Burning on the angry chair

Little boy made a mistake, hey
Pink cloud has now turned to gray, oh
All that I want is to play, hey
Get on your knees, time to pray, oh

I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
Lost my mind, yeah
But I don't mind, I-I-I
Can't find it anywhere
But I don't mind, I-I-I

Corporate prison, we stay, hey
I'm a dull boy, work all day, oh
So I'm strung out anyway, hey

Loneliness is not a phase
Field of pain is where I graze
Serenity is far away

Saw my reflection and cried, hey
So little hope that I died, oh
Feed me your lies, open wide, hey
Weight of my heart, not the size, oh

I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
Lost my mind, yeah
But I don't mind, I-I-I
Can't find it anywhere
But I don't mind, I-I-I

Pink cloud has now turned to gray
All that I want is to play
Get on your knees time to pray, boy

In My Defence - Freddie Mercury

Artist: Freddie Mercury
Song: In My Defence
Year: 1992
Album: The Great Pretender

Originally recorded in 1986, this was first issued as a single in 1992.

Lyrics:
In my defence what is there to say
All the mistakes we made must be faced today
It's not easy now knowing where to start
While the world we love tears itself apart

I'm just a singer with a song
How can I try to right the wrong
For just a singer with a melody
I'm caught in between
With a fading dream

In my defence what is there to say
We destroy the love - it's our way
We never listen enough never face the truth
Then like a passing song
Love is here and then it's gone

I'm just a singer with a song
How can I try to right the wrong
For just a singer with a melody
I'm caught in between
With a fading dream

I'm just a singer with a song
How can I try to right the wrong
I'm just a singer with a melody
I'm caught in between with a fading dream
Caught in between with a fading dream
Caught in between with a fading dream

Oh what on earth
Oh what on earth
How do I try
Do we live or die

Oh help me God
Please help me

Unholy - KISS

Artist: KISS
Song: Unholy
Year: 1992
Album: Revenge

KISS tends to be a cyclical band. It changes with the musical trends of rock. It hung up the costumes and washed away the makeup in the eighties and stayed away from it until the mid nineties. KISS has done disco, ballads, hair metal, heavy metal and everything in between. So this album was inevitable.

The death of drummer Eric Carr hit the band hard and grunge was starting to eat away at their late eighties successes. They decided to go heavy once again to fit in with the heavier sound that was on the airwaves. With a new direction, Gene Simmons took the lead vocals for the first time since the early eighties. His voice fit the heavier sound better.

After the sexcapades and airy sound of the eighties, this was a welcome change. While this album doesn't get a huge amount of respect, it was the right album at the time. KISS was forced to play their hand or be swept aside. This song and a few others on the album were co-written by Vinnie Vincent, who was fired by the band eight years prior. The heavier sound from that period returned.

The album is uneven, but that's only because KISS was in a transitional phase. This was the building block to something bigger that never quite happened. There are still the eighties type ballads like "God Gave Rock N' Roll To You II" on the album. Something this jarring couldn't be taken all at once. It's just a shame that KISS didn't continue on this path longer. Instead, they donned the costumes and makeup and gave the fans living in the past another look at their youth.

Lyrics:
I was there through the ages
Chained slaves to their cages
I have seen you eat your own
I'm the cycle of pain
Of a thousand year old reign
I'm suicide and salvation
The omen to nations
That you worship on all fours
I'm the infection and famine
That's knocking at your door

That's why you're feeling so

Unholy
Oh, I was created by man, you know I'm....
Unholy
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I am the incubus
I lay the egg in you
The worm that burrows
Through your brain
But you are the beast
That calls me by my name

You send your children to war
To serve bastards and whores
So now you know
You created me
On the day that you were born

Unholy
I was created by man, yeah I'm the Lord of the flies, you know I'm
Unholy
From the left hand of power comes the father of lies
Unholy - Unholy!

I lay you down to sleep
Your soul to keep
Better cross your heart before you die
And now you know
Know that you are mine

That's why you're feeling so

Unholy, Unholy, Unholy - Unholy!!

Footsteps - Pearl Jam

Artist: Pearl Jam
Song: Footsteps
Year: 1992
Album: Jeremy single

This is the third and final song in the mamasan trilogy. The first song is "Alive". The second song is "Once" and "Footsteps" completes the story arc. The first song is about the burdens of a fatherless child, who looks exactly like his father, to his mother. The child cannot deal with those extra issues. Eventually, he becomes a serial killer, as illustrated in "Once". "Footsteps" deals with his execution.

The style for this song is perfect. The original song was just an acoustic guitar. Harmonica was added to later versions of the song. It echoed the loneliness and isolation of an inmate awaiting his execution. You can feel the conflict inside the character by his thoughts and his regrets and his misplaced anger.

"Footsteps" was propelled the argument that Pearl Jam's b sides were sometimes better than the album tracks. "Yellow Ledbetter" would be the ultimate argument of that statement. I loved this song in the early nineties. Mostly because it was almost like my own secret Pearl Jam song. No one except the true fans knew about this stuff. And if the others did, they didn't bother to listen to it. This was a treat for the fans.

I think that this still holds true today. Pearl Jam litters their singles with quality b sides that could make wonderful albums on their own. The rest of the world has caught up to the fans with the release of Lost Dogs. It contains b sides and unreleased gems from throughout Pearl Jam's career. And yes, it contains this song. Now that the secret is out, I still feel that it my own special Pearl Jam treat.

Lyrics:
Don't even think about reachin' me
I won't be home
Don't even think about stoppin' by
Don't think of me at all
I did, what I had to do
If there was a reason, it was you...

Don't even think of gettin' inside
Voices in my head, voices
I got scratches, all over my arms
One for each day, since I fell apart
I did, what I had to do
If there was a reason, it was you...

Footsteps in the hall, it was you, you
Pictures on my test, it was you
It was you...

I did, what I had to do
And if there was a reason
Oh, there wasn't no reason, no
And if, there's something you'd like to do
Just let me continue, to blame you

Footsteps in the hall, it was you, you
Pictures on my chest, it was you, you

Walk - Pantera

Artist: Pantera
Song: Walk
Year: 1992
Album: Vulgar Display Of Power

I can't believe that four years have passed since the death of Darrell Abbott. He was better known as Dimebag Darrell, the amazing guitarist for Damageplan and Pantera. The Abbot brothers defined the sound of Pantera. From their glam beginnings to their cowboy heavy metal, they were the core. Of course Phil Anselmo's vocals pushed the vision into the limelight.

Pantera worked as a whole. When tensions split the band, the resulting projects never had the same life. Pantera was unique and special. It will never happen again. For years, I have associated December 8th with the birth of Jim Morrison and the death of John Lennon. Each have their own important place in rock history, but Dimebag Darrell should not be forgotten so easily. Like Lennon, he was murdered by a gun. Unlike Lennon, Darrell Abbott was playing on stage at the time.

"Walk" was the song that catapulted Pantera into the mainstream. It has a simple and effective guitar riff and a chanting chorus. It's just the type of song to whip a crowd into a frenzy. This was usually the song that started the mosh pits at a Pantera concert.

I was privileged enough to see Pantera twice. The first time was with White Zombie at Rosemont Horizon, which has since changed names. The second was at the Aragon Ballroom. Rosemont was a barn. The crowd ate Pantera up though. It was an enjoyable experience. The Aragon show was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. This crowd was there to see Pantera. There were no posers in the crowd. It was pure Pantera fans wall to wall in the venue. I am lucky to have seen that one.

Lyrics:
Can't you see I'm easily bothered by persistence?
One step from lashing out at you
You want in to get under my skin and call yourself a friend
I've got more friends like you, what do I do?

Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes who I am where I've been belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself, by yourself, stay away from me
A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time

Re-spect, walk
What do you say?
Re-spect, walk
Are you talkin' to me?
Are you talkin' to me?

Run your mouth when I'm not around, it's easy to achieve
You cry to weak friends that sympathize
Can you hear the violins playing your song?
Those same friends tell me your every word

Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes who I am where I've been belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself, by yourself, stay away from me
A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time

Re-spect, walk
What do you say?
Re-spect, walk
Are you talkin' to me?

Re-spect, walk
What do you say?
Re-spect, walk
Are you talkin' to me?
Are you talkin' to me?
No way punk!

Re-spect, walk
What do you say?
Re-spect, walk
Are you talkin' to me?

Re-spect, walk
What do you say?
Re-spect, walk
Are you talkin' to me?
Are you talkin' to me?
Walk on home boy.

Man On The Moon - R.E.M.

Artist: R.E.M.
Song: Man On The Moon
Year: 1992
Album: Automatic For The People

I was (and still am) a huge Andy Kaufman fan. My first memories of Andy came from the sitcom Taxi and his various appearances on Saturday Night Live. I adored his foreign man routine. It wasn't until much later that I began to see other things that Andy had accomplished in his short life. I say short life because I don't buy into the conspiracy that he faked his own death for the ultimate joke.

I had always liked the song "Man On The Moon", but it wasn't until a few years after its release that I connected it with Andy Kaufman. For whatever reason, I glossed over the obvious references and just enjoyed the song. When I did finally connect the dots, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The title of the song is a reference to the conspiracy theory that the American moon landing was faked. I find hilarious that a reference that had nothing to do with Andy became the title of his biography movie.

Despite the Andy Kaufman connection and the other obscure references scattered throughout, the song is an amazing work. It was one of the many songs on the album that I was instantly drawn to upon release. There are many wonderful classic songs on the album, but none hold a greater affection for the absurd than this song does.

At the karaoke bar that I occasionally go to, "Man On The Moon" is a gigantic hit. Many people get up and sing it in their own unique way. All of the versions are decent, surprisingly. It just stands as a testament to the music of R.E.M. and the mystique of Andy Kaufman working hand in hand.

Lyrics:
Mott the Hoople and the game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Monopoly, Twenty one, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
See you heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby. Are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Moses went walking with the staff of wood. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Newton got beaned by the apple good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Charles Darwin had the gall to ask. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey, Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby. Are you having fun?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Here's a little agit for the never-believer. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here's a little ghost for the offering. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here's a truck stop instead of Saint Peter's. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Andy Kaufman's gone wrestling [wrestling bears]. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey Andy are you goofing on Elvis, hey baby, are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Silent All These Years - Tori Amos

Artist: Tori Amos
Song: Silent All These Years
Year: 1992
Album: Little Earthquakes

This song was my first exposure to Tori Amos. I saw the video for this song on MTV, when they used to actually play videos. I know, it's a shocker. I was entranced with this gorgeous redhead singing about garbage trucks and the shape of her lips. I was hooked.

I jotted down the Tori's name and never heard anything from her until 1994. MTV played this song as a "Buzz Clip" and quickly dropped it. I wanted to know more, but my resources were limited back then.

The stark white background with Tori climbing in and out of this box kept running through my mind until I found her again in 1994. Q101 played her song "God" and I liked the song. They started playing "Cornflake Girl" and I liked that song. Then they started playing "Past The Mission" because Trent Reznor did the backing vocals. I liked that song too.

So, I picked up her second solo album shortly before my high school graduation in 1994. Then I saw the picture of Tori. It was the same girl from the video from two years ago.

Since then, I became a Tori fan. I would pick up every piece of music she came out with. From albums to singles. But it all started with this one song.

Lyrics:
excuse me but
can i be you for a while
my DOG won't bite
if you sit real still
i got the anti-christ
in the kitchen
yellin' at me again
yeah i can hear that

been saved again
by the garbage truck
i got something to say
you know but NOTHING comes
yes i know what you think of me
you never shut up
yeah i can hear that

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his
with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice
and it's been
HERE silent all these years

so you found a girl
who thinks really deep thoughts
what's so amazing
about really deep thoughts
boy you best pray
that i bleed real soon
how's that thought for you

my scream got lost in a paper cup
you think there's a heaven
where some screams have gone
i got 25 bucks and a cracker
do you think it's enough
to get us there

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his
with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice and it's been
HERE silent all these

years go by will i still be waiting
for somebody else to understand
years go by if i'm stripped of my beauty
and the orange clouds raining in my head
years go by will i choke on my tears
till finally there is nothing left
one more casualty
you know we're to EASY easy easy

well i love the way we communicate
your eyes focus on my funny lip shape
let's hear what you think of me now
but baby don't look up
the sky is falling

your MOTHER shows up in a nasty dress
it's your turn now to stand where i stand
everybody lookin' at you
here take hold of my hand
yeah i can hear them

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice
i hear my voice
i hear my voice
and it's been HERE silent all these years
i've been here silent all these years
silent all these
silent all these years