So many landmarks (Heroin)
September 20th 2006 00:57
Hey everyone, I can't think of much to write about, so I'll just point out all the cool landmarks around until I think of something.
Two posts ago was this 100th for this site. Wow...
Today is my 18th birthday
It's also my 6th last day of school ever. That's only 6 more days of not being allowed to bring my bag into the library (the food attracts animals) whilst the librarian brings her cat in to the building.
It's also the day I realised how bitter I am
What else important happens today?? I'm going to see Placebo tonight.
But about something interesting.
Below are the lyrics to 'Heroin' by Lou Reed and 'King Heroin' by James Brown. Two totally different genres, Punk Rock and Jazz, with some very similar themes.
I dont know just where Im going
But Im gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
cause it makes me feel like Im a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And Ill tell ya, things arent quite the same
When Im rushing on my run
And I feel just like jesus son
And I guess that I just dont know
And I guess that I just dont know
I have made the big decision
Im gonna try to nullify my life
cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the droppers neck
When Im closing in on death
And you cant help me not, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just dont know
And I guess that I just dont know
I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that Id sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
In a sailors suit and cap
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just dont know
Oh, and I guess that I just dont know
Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, its my wife and its my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then Im better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really dont care anymore
About all the jim-jims in this town
And all the politicians makin crazy sounds
And everybody puttin everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds
cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really dont care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that Im as good as dead
Then thank your God that Im not aware
And thank God that I just dont care
And I guess I just dont know
And I guess I just dont know
Ladies and Gentlemen
Fellow Americans
Lady Americans
This is James Brown
I wanna talk to you about one of our
Most deadly
Killers in the country today
I had a dream the other night, and I
Was sittin' in my living room
Dozed off to sleep
So I start to dreamin'
I dreamed I walked in a place and
I saw a real strange, weird object
Standin' up talkin' to the people
And I found out it was Heroin
That deadly drug that go in your veins
He says:
I came to this country without a passport
Ever since then I've been hunted and sought
My little white grains are nothin' but waste
Soft and deadly and bitter to taste
I'm a world of power and all know it's true
Use me once and you'll know it, too
I can make a mere schoolboy forget his books
I can make a world-famous beauty neglect her looks
I can make a good man forsake his wife
Send a greedy man to prison for the rest of his life
I can make a man forsake his country and flag
Make a girl sell her body for a five-dollar bag
Some think my adventure's a joy and a thrill
But I'll put a gun in your hand and make you kill
In cellophane bags I've found my way
To heads of state and children at play
I'm financed in China, ran in Japan
I'm respected in Turkey and I'm legal in Siam
I take my addicts and make 'em steal, borrow, beg
Then they search for a vein in their arm or their leg
So, be you Italian, Jewish, Black or Mex
I can make the most virile of men forget their sex
So now, no, my man, you must (you know) do your best
To keep up your habit until your arrest
Now the police have taken you from under my wing
Do you think they dare defy me, I who am king?
Now, you must lie in that county jail
Where I can't get to you by visit or mail
So squirm -- with discomfort -- wiggle and cough (hack!)
Six days of madness, hah! You might throw me off
Curse me in name! Defy me in speech!
But you'd pick me up right no if I were in your reach
All through your sentence you've become resolved to your fate
Hear now! younng man and woman, I'll be waitin' at the gate
Don't be afraid, don't run! I'm not chased
Sure my name is Heroin! You'll be back for a taste
Behold, you're hooked!
Your foot is in the stirrup
And make -- haste!
Mount the steed!
And ride him well
For the white horse of heroin
Will ride you to Hell!
To Hell!
Will ride you to Hell!
Until you are dead!
Dead, brother! Dead!
This is a revolution of the mind
Get your mind together
And get away from drugs!
That's the man!
Back! Back
Both songs refer to heroin as a killer, which, considering how many Punks and Jazz musicians have died from teh drug, it's not surprising. However, Lou Reed presents a different side, through the lines
"Because when the smack begins to flow
I really dont care anymore
About all the jim-jims in this town
And all the politicians makin crazy sounds
And everybody puttin everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds"
Now, the first 5 lines from that selection, give the impression that Lou Reed supports the drug, as it helps him deal with the pettiness of humankind. However, the last line shocks that opinion out of the way, and changes the whole 6 lines and the song to a warning about the dehumanising effect of heroin addiction.
Peace
Oh, and sorry to sound like a public service announcment, but check out this site if you need help with drugs.
Two posts ago was this 100th for this site. Wow...
Today is my 18th birthday
It's also my 6th last day of school ever. That's only 6 more days of not being allowed to bring my bag into the library (the food attracts animals) whilst the librarian brings her cat in to the building.
It's also the day I realised how bitter I am
What else important happens today?? I'm going to see Placebo tonight.
But about something interesting.
Below are the lyrics to 'Heroin' by Lou Reed and 'King Heroin' by James Brown. Two totally different genres, Punk Rock and Jazz, with some very similar themes.
I dont know just where Im going
But Im gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
cause it makes me feel like Im a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And Ill tell ya, things arent quite the same
When Im rushing on my run
And I feel just like jesus son
And I guess that I just dont know
And I guess that I just dont know
I have made the big decision
Im gonna try to nullify my life
cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the droppers neck
When Im closing in on death
And you cant help me not, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just dont know
And I guess that I just dont know
I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that Id sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just dont know
Oh, and I guess that I just dont know
Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, its my wife and its my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then Im better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really dont care anymore
About all the jim-jims in this town
And all the politicians makin crazy sounds
And everybody puttin everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds
cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really dont care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that Im as good as dead
Then thank your God that Im not aware
And thank God that I just dont care
And I guess I just dont know
And I guess I just dont know
Ladies and Gentlemen
Fellow Americans
Lady Americans
This is James Brown
I wanna talk to you about one of our
Most deadly
Killers in the country today
I had a dream the other night, and I
Was sittin' in my living room
Dozed off to sleep
So I start to dreamin'
I dreamed I walked in a place and
I saw a real strange, weird object
Standin' up talkin' to the people
And I found out it was Heroin
That deadly drug that go in your veins
He says:
I came to this country without a passport
Ever since then I've been hunted and sought
My little white grains are nothin' but waste
Soft and deadly and bitter to taste
I'm a world of power and all know it's true
Use me once and you'll know it, too
I can make a mere schoolboy forget his books
I can make a world-famous beauty neglect her looks
I can make a good man forsake his wife
Send a greedy man to prison for the rest of his life
I can make a man forsake his country and flag
Make a girl sell her body for a five-dollar bag
Some think my adventure's a joy and a thrill
But I'll put a gun in your hand and make you kill
In cellophane bags I've found my way
To heads of state and children at play
I'm financed in China, ran in Japan
I'm respected in Turkey and I'm legal in Siam
I take my addicts and make 'em steal, borrow, beg
Then they search for a vein in their arm or their leg
So, be you Italian, Jewish, Black or Mex
I can make the most virile of men forget their sex
So now, no, my man, you must (you know) do your best
To keep up your habit until your arrest
Now the police have taken you from under my wing
Do you think they dare defy me, I who am king?
Now, you must lie in that county jail
Where I can't get to you by visit or mail
So squirm -- with discomfort -- wiggle and cough (hack!)
Six days of madness, hah! You might throw me off
Curse me in name! Defy me in speech!
But you'd pick me up right no if I were in your reach
All through your sentence you've become resolved to your fate
Hear now! younng man and woman, I'll be waitin' at the gate
Don't be afraid, don't run! I'm not chased
Sure my name is Heroin! You'll be back for a taste
Behold, you're hooked!
Your foot is in the stirrup
And make -- haste!
Mount the steed!
And ride him well
For the white horse of heroin
Will ride you to Hell!
To Hell!
Will ride you to Hell!
Until you are dead!
Dead, brother! Dead!
This is a revolution of the mind
Get your mind together
And get away from drugs!
That's the man!
Back! Back
Both songs refer to heroin as a killer, which, considering how many Punks and Jazz musicians have died from teh drug, it's not surprising. However, Lou Reed presents a different side, through the lines
"Because when the smack begins to flow
I really dont care anymore
About all the jim-jims in this town
And all the politicians makin crazy sounds
And everybody puttin everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds"
Now, the first 5 lines from that selection, give the impression that Lou Reed supports the drug, as it helps him deal with the pettiness of humankind. However, the last line shocks that opinion out of the way, and changes the whole 6 lines and the song to a warning about the dehumanising effect of heroin addiction.
Peace
Oh, and sorry to sound like a public service announcment, but check out this site if you need help with drugs.
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Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Anyway, I think the Velvet Underground song is better because its not as one-sided as James Brown's soapboxy, public service announcement. On the other hand, the Velvet Underground were one of the first bands to glamourise a lot of the wasted decadence that turned up later in punk, so maybe their more ambivalent approach isn't so great.
Still, James Brown is the shit and I haven't heard the song, so if it puts a glide in my stride and a dip in my hip, I could be persuaded to get aboard his mothership (or something).
Oh, and congratulations on your birthday, finishing school, and your 100th post.