Then and Now

[Miss Fitt 2]

I was listening to a couple of my favorite Soul Asylum songs and was struck by something.

Twenty-year-old Dave sings, "Old man, you look like you’re dying - Is that all you want is a quarter from me?"

Forty-year-old Dave sings, "And when you just can’t handle one more panhandler, It leaves you wishing for change – a fast car to take you away.”

I thought the contrast between the sentiments was interesting.

Obviously, SA's music has changed a lot over the years, but any other interesting lyrical contrasts that have struck you?

[Homesick]

At the risk of being obvious, I can't help but smile at how drastically Dave's depiction of love has changed over the years:

Twenty-year-old Dave sings: "Now don't you admit that the reason you are here
Is just to get fucked tonight?"

Forty-year-old Dave sings: "When you smile, it brings me peace
It's like everything I ever wanted"

[Miss Fitt 2]

Forty-year-old Dave sings: "When you smile, it brings me peace
It's like everything I ever wanted"

Actually, I always got the impression he was thinking of/singing about his son and parenthood with that line - and with that song in general.

But yes, interesting contrast.

[Closer]

I've noticed that the albums from the 80's, when Dave was in his early to mid twenties, are not very dark lyrically, then the ones from the 90's, when he was in his late twenties/early thirties, are much darker, and the Silver Lining, now that he is in his forties, is lyrically not very dark either. I've noticed often with artists that their songs become more positive when they reach their late thirties/early forties. Maybe that's around the time most people get their shit together? I don't know.... I'm still in my twenties.

[Homesick]

Actually, I always got the impression he was thinking of/singing about his son and parenthood with that line - and with that song in general.

I've thought about that as well. The song does seem to allude to it in some ways, but I still think it's about romance and not about parenthood. After all, he sings "It's just me and you on a train moving slow to heaven," which would sound quite odd if it were about parenthood, given that there would also be a mother in the picture. I also think that the idea itself of wanting to "be good for" someone sounds more like "Give me a chance and I'll be a great boyfriend/husband" than "I'll be a great father to you".

Those are my two cents, at least. Is that all you want, is two cents from me?

[Closer]

I always assumed that the song is about romance too. I remember reading an article online when the Silver Lining was released where Dave talks about almost every song and what it's about but I don't remember anymore if he mentions Good For You too.

[CrazyLittleWoman]

I thought it was about romance, too. That "train moving slow to heaven" sounds like a sexual metaphor to me. (It also makes the obligatory train reference for the album.)

Obviously, SA's music has changed a lot over the years, but any other interesting lyrical contrasts that have struck you?

In his twenties, Dave sings, "I'm sick of the song 'bout how you lost your lover."

In his late thirties, Dave sings, "I'll never recover from losing my lover."

The older Dave gets, the less reluctant he seems to be to write straightforward love songs, which are conspicuously absent in his earlier work. The romance is sometimes there, but in glimpses and glances, a few lines or maybe even one verse, but not usually an entire song.

[soulasylum99]

hey

sorry to bother, but which song is: "Now don't you admit that the reason you are here Is just to get fucked tonight?"

thankss, good contrast by the way

[Homesick]

which song is: "Now don't you admit that the reason you are here Is just to get fucked tonight?"

It's Masquerade.

good contrast by the way

Thanks. I dare everyone else to find a sharper one!

[FnSquirrel]

Personally, I miss the angst of the older stuff.

Made to be Broken, While you were Out, and Hangtime have themes that are so intense and poetic set to such blazing and tuneful rock music that I am still shocked by the greatness of these albums. I mean WTF, if the lyrics weren't so intelligent and the themes so deep more people would have got it...








"You got the dagger, but I got the revolver..."