Sunday, November 8, 2009

3 versions of Glycerine

Bush's 1994 album Sixteen Stone was the first album I purchased with my own money, I was 10. It cost me around a month's worth of allowance. That was money well spent because I haven't stopped listening to the album since 1994. In the days before p2p online music sharing, I wanted the album for track number 10 Glycerine. That track knocked me out back then, and it still does. As far as meaning found within the lyrics, dictionary.com says that the term Glycerine is a derivative of the term gycerol.

glyc⋅er⋅ol

–noun
a colorless, odorless, syrupy, sweet liquid, C3H8O3, usually obtained by the saponification of natural fats and oils: used for sweetening and preserving food, in the manufacture of cosmetics, perfumes, inks, and certain glues and cements, as a solvent and automobile antifreeze, and in medicine in suppositories and skin emollients.
Also called glycerin, glycerine.


Sweetening , as in a sickeningly sweet and likely damaging
relationship. The lyrics are heavy and for some screwed up reason they spoke to young Jack, even though it's never been easy with women, but who has it been easy for?

It must be your skin I'm sinking in
Must be for real 'cause now I can feel
And I didn't mind, it's not my kind
It's not my time to wonder why

Every thing's gone white and every thing's gray
Now you're here, now you're away
I don't want this, remember that
I'll never forget where you're at

Don't let the days go by, Glycerine, Glycerine

I'm never alone, I'm alone all the time
Are you at one or do you lie
We live in a wheel where everyone steals
But when we rise, it's like strawberry fields

If I treated you bad, you bruise my face
Couldn't love you more, you got a beautiful taste
Don't let the days go by
Could have been easier on you

I couldn't change though I wanted to
Should have been easier by three
Our old friend 'Fear' and you and me
Glycerine, Glycerine

Don't let the days go by, Glycerine
Don't let the days go by, Glycerine, Glycerine
Glycerine, Glycerine

Bad mood whine again
Bad mood whine again
As she falls around me

I needed you more when we wanted us less
I could not kiss, just regress
It might just be clear, simple and plain
Well, that's just fine, that's just one of my names

Don't let the days go by
Could have been easier on you, you, you
Glycerine, Glycerine, Glycerine, Glycerine


Bush - Glycerine official video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU6KhFWvKPM&feature=fvw

This video makes no sense to me, a lot of videos from this record make no sense to me. This track awakened something that's at the core of my being.

Bush - Glycerine at Woodstock 1999 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm9uqA-b-OU&feature=related

It pains me to say so but a lot of the top bands of the 1990's were at Woodstock '99. Whatever your feelings on the event, it was in my opinion one of the last times Bush was together doing the music that I enjoy so much. Gavin's quote "If you knew how good you fucking look" is my current favorite phrase. This was Bush as kings of their musical mountain.

Bush - Glycerine live on television http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfatUZ5RDG0&feature=related


This version of Glycerine encompasses what I wanted to be when I grew up. Not so much for the money, fame or legions of adoring fans. I wanted to move people with the music I made. This performance did and does that for me. Gavin Rossdale is by himself on stage leaving himself vulnerable both emotionally and physically. As the performance begins rain starts falling, as it progresses the rain falls harder and harder. The man is playing an electric guitar in the pouring rain, risking electrocution any second. I don't know why he risked his life to do this track that night. Was it pride, stupidity? Rumor has it he told the crowd that if they were willing to stand in the rain and see him play, he would stand in the rain and play. Whatever his reason for doing it, I'm really glad he did. The guy has Adamantium balls in my book.


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