Escovedo's family tree includes former Santana percussionist Pete Escovedo and Pete's daughter, Sheila E (also Prince's former drummer and later a pop star). He began his music career with the Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco. He co-founded the pioneering cowpunk band Rank and File in 1979, which moved to Austin, Texas, in 1981 after a stint in New York City. The band released Sundown on Slash Records in 1982, but shortly after, Escovedo left to form the True Believers with brother Javier. The band recorded two albums for EMI and toured the country, often as an opening act for Los Lobos. However, EMI opted not to release the second album, which eventually led to the group's break-up. (It eventually surfaced as a bonus item when Rykodisc reissued the first set on CD in 1994.)
Escovedo released a solo album in 1992 on Watermelon Records, Gravity, uniting his wide variety of styles; the album was produced by Stephen Bruton of Bonnie Raitt's band. Escovedo also began gigging periodically with the band Buick MacKane, who fused old-school punk with 70's glam rock; after Rykodisc released Escovedo's With These Hands in 1996, they followed it up with Buick MacKane's long-awaited album. After Escovedo parted ways with Rykodisc, he signed with the Chicago-based alt-country label Bloodshot in 1998, who released the live album More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996 and the acclaimed studio set A Man Under The Influence.
In April of 2003, Escovedo collapsed following a show in Phoenix, AZ, and he was subsequently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. An outpouring of support from musicians led to a series of successful benefit concerts to help pay Escovedo's medical expenses and keep his music before the public, followed by a tribute album, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which was released in 2004.
In June 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love.
Nickel and a Spoon
Alejandro Escovedo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn my back on what I was
And make you proud of what I'm not
If it's my life why tear it down
And make me feel this way
I do my best with what I've got
Why do you tear it down?
Mama's not talkin' now
Dad, he's fallen off the track
Sister's on a rampage
And brother, he's planning his silent attack
My family's up and moved away
They couldn't stand the heat
Why build a house just to burn it down
Another love-torn mystery
You take a nickel and a spoon
And a crooked lover's tune
Might not add up to much
Just a nickel and a spoon
The lyrics of Alejandro Escovedo's song "Nickel and a Spoon" are a reflection on the desire to break away from a dysfunctional family and make something positive out of life. The song speaks of the singer's ambition to turn his life around and make his family proud of the person he has become. He questions why his family tears him down, and why they cannot accept him for who he is. He juxtaposes this feeling with his own determination to make the most of his life and the talents that he has.
The song also paints a picture of a family in turmoil. The singer speaks of his mother's silence, his father's loss of direction, his sister's anger, and his brother's secrecy. All of these things contribute to the singer's desire to leave the past behind and start anew. Though his family has moved away, he is left to pick up the pieces and make sense of everything that has happened.
The title of the song is a metaphor for how the singer feels about his life. A nickel and a spoon may not seem like much, but they are enough to make a start. The song is about taking the small things in life and making them meaningful. Ultimately, the singer is determined to take control of his life and make the most of the opportunities that come his way.
Line by Line Meaning
When I turn twenty-one I'm gonna make a change
On my twenty-first birthday, I plan to make significant changes to my life.
Turn my back on what I was
I will abandon my past and everything associated with it.
And make you proud of what I'm not
I will make you proud of me by being different from what I used to be.
If it's my life why tear it down
It is my life, so why do you want to destroy it?
And make me feel this way
Your actions are making me feel bad about myself.
I do my best with what I've got
I try my hardest with the limited resources I have.
Why do you tear it down?
Why do you want to bring me down?
Mama's not talkin' now
My mother is not speaking to me anymore.
Dad, he's fallen off the track
My father has lost his way in life.
Sister's on a rampage
My sister is behaving recklessly and uncontrollably.
And brother, he's planning his silent attack
My brother is planning a secretive and hostile move against someone.
My family's up and moved away
My family has left me and moved away.
They couldn't stand the heat
They could not tolerate the challenges of living with me.
Why build a house just to burn it down
What is the point of creating something only to destroy it later?
Another love-torn mystery
This is another perplexing situation of love and its aftermath.
You take a nickel and a spoon
With only a nickel and spoon, the situation is not favorable.
And a crooked lover's tune
Coupled with a deceitful lover's song, things are not looking good.
Might not add up to much
This collection of items and circumstances may not amount to anything significant.
Just a nickel and a spoon
All that remains is a nickel and spoon, hardly enough to survive.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Connor Muggli-Manson
I can’t believe I can’t find this song on any streaming services... :( such a good song
Sheila IrishBrooklynGirl
Love it