A decisive moment came with the introduction in 1999 of Rhodes piano player and keyboardist Andy Lansangan, half way through writing (It (Is) It) Critical Band. Lansangan's style and musical presence gave the band's songs the ability to move in new directions. Although they retained much of their New Wave, art rock sensibility, the piano became the main instrument. Where once there had been angular unhinged riffs, there were now pastoral piano motifs. In 2002 the 90 Day Men went into record the new songs with John Congleton (of the pAper chAse) and the result was To Everybody, an album of outstanding breadth and depth. With nods to psychedelia and progressive rock and Congleton's breathtaking recording prowess, the album was a dearly loved artifact.
After a brief tour of Europe and the United States, they returned to the studio, again with Congleton behind the desk, but this time at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio and John McEntire's SOMA studios. The result was twofold: the Too Late Or Too Dead EP released in September 2003; and the album Panda Park which was released in early 2004. Their newer sound is more vocal-based but retains the progressive/psyche sound.
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
90 Day Men Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Completely by choice
And sometimes I do still, yeah, wonder
Who decides the speed our lives rotate
How long until the belt it breaks
How long until the motor dies
When do we bury the needle
Now I know what you mean by
I am losing my patience
Oh how I could have to chew all that
I love you
How long until the belt it breaks
How long until the motor dies
when do we bury the needle
"Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" by the 90 Day Men is a song that touches upon feelings of helplessness and the desire to escape from the speed and constant demands of life. The opening lines, "I wanted to disappear completely by choice / And sometimes I do still, yeah, wonder / Who decides the speed our lives rotate," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is questioning the power dynamics at play and is searching for a sense of control in their life.
The lyrics go on to mention the fear of things breaking down, using the imagery of a belt and motor dying. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the fear of the human body and mind breaking down due to the constant wear and tear of life. The line "When do we bury the needle" adds to this existential dread by alluding to the moment when the fear of mortality becomes a reality.
The chorus of the song, "Now I know what you mean by / I am losing my patience / Oh how I could have to chew all that / I love you," can be seen as a message to a loved one or even to oneself. The singer is acknowledging the impatience they feel with the world around them while also expressing their love for it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted to disappear
I had the strong desire to vanish or cease to exist.
Completely by choice
It was my deliberate decision to disappear.
And sometimes I do still, yeah, wonder
Occasionally, I ponder about certain things.
Who decides the speed our lives rotate
Who or what determines the pace at which we live our lives.
How long until the belt it breaks
When will the belt finally snap?
How long until the motor dies
When will the engine finally expire?
When do we bury the needle
At what point do we push the needle beyond its limits?
Now I know what you mean by
I finally understand what you were trying to convey.
I am losing my patience
I am becoming increasingly frustrated and annoyed.
Oh how I could have to chew all that
I would hate to have to endure that hardship.
I love you
I have strong affection or deep care for you.
Contributed by Ryan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mikiutube1
Great song, a work of art!
@MsMiguel70
Great post. Loved what I knew of these guys, but never heard this. Fun video to set yo eyes on too! Thanks.
@crv110
Excellent tune...and a quirky but cool video. I know almost all the albums but not quite!
@Justin.R.Ferris
This is a great album. Tha is for sharing, although I recognize it was posted some time ago.
@trogdor125
searched math rock, found this, I like!
@grungegazer
wow a squirrel bait vinyl! that was great!
@slintank
Bring back MTV2!
@jeramiebrockway8712
NICE
@ebonylightrainvampire6894
i dress like this
@paratext
Melina Ausitkaitis from JoA at 00:52