twenty-five

[amethysting.livejournal.com]

A Shot in the Arm
Wilco
Summerteeth
1999

I had a heck of a time picking a song today--nothing seemed right!  I listened to tons of songs and nothing made me feel anything...the weather and Summer made me think of another Wilco song, "Heavy Metal Drummer" which was a mixtape staple the summer of 2002.  Wilco is one of those life-long loves (I've seen them in concert three times).  And, while "Heavy Metal Drummer" is an awesome song, it wasn't THE song to share.  I instantly thought of "A Shot in the Arm" and had that awesome only-happens-in-our-community-feeling that I HAD FOUND IT, the absolute, most perfect choice.  

This song paints a good (sonic) picture of Wilco as a band.  They use noise beautifully (A Ghost Is Born takes this to a whole other level).  I love that there is something happening behind the basic drum and guitar beat (and that lovely piano melody)...almost like the sound of airplanes, screaming, pounding, reverb...something broken or struggling.  This song highlights my heart-in-my-throat-love for Jeff Tweedy's lyrics (poetry):  "The ashtray says you were up all night...And you finally slept while the sun caught fire" and "We fell in love in the key of C".

This song has been a recurring theme song of mine ("What you once were sure isn't what you want to be anymore").  The past few weeks especially, I've let myself first sink into a ditch and then dig and dwell until I was standing in a self-inflicted abyss.  Really I should and could have pulled myself out.  I need to think of things that I can rely on to be my shot in the arm.

Aside: I GUESS the lyrics are "Something in my veins, bloodier than blood" but I have ALWAYS (and still) hear (and sing) "Slap it in my veins, bloodier than blood."

Comments

[cabaretlights.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I didn't comment on this -- I have a memory of doing so. What the fuck.


Okay so first of all, this song is one of my favourites you've posted in the community. Like I love all of them, genuinely, for many varying reasons -- but this one's got an all-powerful London!-esque I-just-love-it-PERIOD thing going on. The way it pulls together all those disparate elements, lyrically and musically (the noise you mentioned, YES; the STUNNING lyrics -- I love the "key of C" and "down the neck to D" ♥; the way his voice dips, so honestly, at "you've changed" --- GOD. AND THE "BLOODIER THAN BLOOD", FUCK, it hits HARD, man --- ). It is just a heartstoppingly BEAUTIFUL song, in every way. I feel it under my fingernails.