This song originally was an ode to a fish that I killed, but it ended up being a conduit for a lot of other emotions, fears and general guilt about being human. I think the original lyrics were "I killed Smart Boy", which was the name of this fish, who really was smart. But then I killed him, (albeit by mistake), so then he was just dead.
ka
I love this tune, but as I said with regard to Elephant, it's box office poison on stage. I've been trying to do a weird, peppy version of it and get the band behind it; so far, no salt. I think it's probably my favorite melody/harmony combination I've written, and Kelly sings the song beautifully. I remember working on this song with Kelly in her bedroom, not far from the aforementioned aquarium containing the unfortunate victim of Kelly Atkins' negligence. In her defense, she was going through a hard time, and a neon tetra (I think it was) is not the easiest animal to keep alive.
Kiddie Porn Sting was a headline I saw in a newspaper, and it had to become a title for something, so it became a title to our instrumental track on this album. I like surfy, disjointed instrumentals, and I think this was one of my "brain" songs; something I sang and heard in my head during distracted moments until I realized that it could be more than just a mental time-killer in line at the post office.
-gg
lyrics
Down to the wire
forced to revive in
shy silent water, unbearable pressure
Found you face down
Can you hear me, upside down one?
Used to laugh some, used to smile
You have suffered gear fed monsters
You're forgiven, but am I?
I won't remember lifting you out
Once it's all over, I won't remember
Look how you flush boy, look how you fly...
How the currents pull
you will rise and fall
Don't you leave me now
Don't you leave me
Don't go alone
Let me come with
you've run out on life
What did it feel like?
Lost underwater
Terrible lights
I found you face down, silent and shy...
Can you hear me, upside down one
Used to laugh some, used to smile
You have suffered gear fed monsters
You're forgiven, but am I?
credits
from Decline of Day,
released October 23, 2001
Music: Giles/Atkins
Words: Atkins
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