Although born in California, frontman Mark Eitzel spent his formative years in Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1980. After a brief stint with the punk band The Naked Skinnies he founded American Music Club in 1983 with guitarist Vudi, bassist Dan Pearson, keyboardist Brad Johnson, and drummer Matt Norelli. This lineup would change over the next several years but Eitzel always remained the core of the band in terms of its vocals, lyrics and thematic focus.
Their 1985 debut, The Restless Stranger, offers a rough outline of their increasingly eclectic sound and firmly established Eitzel's worldview, a harrowing vision of life as seen through the bottom of a shot glass. 1987's Engine honed the formula: the addition of producer Tom Mallon as a full-time member expanded the group's sonic palette.
American Music Club earned a solid cult following on the strength of 1988's California. Their next LP, 1989's United Kingdom, appeared only in the nation which lent the record its name and consisted of leftover material and live tracks.
In 1991 American Music Club emerged with the record that is widely considered their masterpiece, Everclear. Critical acclaim attracted the attention of several major labels. Eventually AMC -- now consisting of Eitzel, Vudi, Pearson, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Kaphan, and drummer Tim Mooney -- signed with Reprise in the U.S. and Virgin throughout the rest of the world.
1993's Mercury followed and, despite positive reviews, Mercury fared poorly on the charts and earned virtually no recognition from radio or MTV. In 1994, AMC issued San Francisco, an erratic collection which balanced confessional tunes like Fearless and The Thorn in My Side Is Gone alongside slick pop constructs. Like Mercury, the record found critical acclaim yet foundered commercially and American Music Club disbanded as result.
Eitzel eventually explored a solo career, and purchased a Pro-Tools set up to record solo material, some released through Reprise and other albums through Matador. Vudi joined Swans for their last album and farewell tour, documented on Swans are Dead (Black Disc)/Swans are Dead (White Disc).
In 2003, American Music Club reunited to record a new album, Love Songs For Patriots, which was described by reviewer Mark Deming as "a stronger and more coherent effort than the group's last set, 1994's San Francisco, and while it's too early to tell if this is a new start or a last hurrah for AMC, it at least shows that their formula still yields potent results. Here's hoping Eitzel and Vudi have more where this came from."
Broken Glass
American Music Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll give you beautiful dreams
I'll give you beautiful dreams
I'll put it right up front
I'll make you understand
You see yourself, lover, through my eyes
Across the desert sand
That I'm afraid to deal back too much
Because there's reasons live in these blue skies
You're such an easy touch
You're such an easy touch
I'll give you the future
I'll give you the past
I'll give you diamonds In the lonely mess where we got our name
Violence is such a good friend
Yeah, it's such a good friend
Your arms are feathers someone caught
And they're as lovely and pure as the rain
Rain is made of more than water
As injury is made of more than pain
I'll give you the future
I'll give you the past
I'll give you diamonds
I'll give you
I'll give you
For your beautiful face
For your beautiful face
I'll give you
If you think it will do any good
I'll give you
Broken Glass by American Music Club is a poignant song that delves into themes of love, insecurity, and vulnerability. Mark Eitzel's haunting voice and poetic storytelling style convey the emotions behind the lyrics. The song starts with the lines, "With an ounce of gold and an ounce of sage, I'll give you beautiful dreams," which symbolize the promise of a better future that the singer offers to their lover. They want to make them see themselves through their eyes and offer them everything they can.
The second verse of the song speaks about the singer's fear of hurting their lover. They are so touched by their tenderness that they are afraid to give back too much for fear of damaging what they have. The line, "You're such an easy touch," serves as a metaphor for their lover's vulnerability, which makes them easy to hurt. The lines, "Violence is such a good friend, yeah, it's such a good friend," point towards a darker side of human nature that coexists with love and tenderness.
The chorus of the song repeats the lines, "I'll give you the future, I'll give you the past, I'll give you diamonds." The singer wants to offer everything they can to make their lover happy, even if it means giving away their most precious possessions. The final lines of the song, "For your beautiful face, I'll give you, If you think it will do any good, I'll give you," show the desperation of the singer to do anything to make their lover happy, even if they know it might not be enough.
Line by Line Meaning
With an ounce of gold and an ounce of sage
I have something valuable and something that brings wisdom, which I offer to you in hopes of giving you beautiful dreams.
I'll put it right up front
I'll be honest and straightforward with you.
I'll make you understand
I want to help you see yourself in a way that you may not be able to on your own.
You see yourself, lover, through my eyes
I want you to see yourself as I see you, with love and appreciation.
Across the desert sand
Despite any obstacles, I want to help you see yourself clearly.
Your touch is such a tender thing
Your touch is gentle and loving, but I am scared to be too open with mine in return.
Because there's reasons live in these blue skies
There are underlying reasons for my hesitation that are not immediately visible or easy to explain.
You're such an easy touch
You are quick to give and receive love, but I am hesitant and reserved.
I'll give you the future
I want to offer you the promise of a better future and a better life.
I'll give you the past
I want to help you confront and make peace with your past so you can move forward.
I'll give you diamonds In the lonely mess where we got our name
In the midst of our struggles and hardships, I want to give you something that shines and reminds you of your worth.
Violence is such a good friend
We have both experienced violence and it has affected us deeply, making it a constant presence in our lives.
Yeah, it's such a good friend
Despite the harm it causes, violence is a familiar and even comforting presence in our lives.
Your arms are feathers someone caught
Your embrace is tender and comforting, like something fragile that has been rescued.
And they're as lovely and pure as the rain
Your arms are beautiful and have the ability to cleanse and purify.
Rain is made of more than water
The things we experience, like rain, are made up of more than what we can see on the surface.
As injury is made of more than pain
The harm caused by violence goes beyond just physical pain, affecting us on a deeper level.
For your beautiful face
I value and appreciate you for who you are, inside and out.
If you think it will do any good
I am willing to offer whatever I can to help you, even if I am unsure of whether it will make a difference.
I'll give you
I am offering myself and what I can give to you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN MARK EITZEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tropicwave1
Room Above the Club
American Music Club
Album: The Restless Stranger
00:00
Go ahead and help yourself if you think you can put me down
You just want to see a king losing his crown
Let's see some justice done in this dying town
Go ahead and help yourself if you think you can force one more down
Yeah hello my new friend well I'm your little fool
'Cuz I get intimidated by the smell of death on you
The road disappears before my car, yes I know what waits ahead
I don't need no pictures on the wall sending me messages from the dead
In the room above the club
She cries herself to sleep every night
In the room above the club
Why is it so hard to treat her right
In the room above the club
There's always room for you
In the room above the club
Yeah they're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
Come on tell me a punchline that I know you're dying to tell
'Cuz I'm the only one that ever saw you pissing in your wishing well
Come on mister bartender, I only want one more tear
'Cuz some no-name asshole outside wants to knock me back into the land of fear
In the room above the club
You cry yourself to sleep every night
In the room above the club
Why is it so hard to treat you right
In the room above the club
Yeah there's always room for you
In the room above the club
They're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
In the room above the club
They're just waiting, yeah they're just waiting
In the room above the club
They're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
@bjwnashe5589
Goddamn these guys should have been well-rewarded for all this great music. I remember seeing their gigs in SF in late 80s/early 90s. Great times. Hotel Utah.
@johnsideris590
Masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!( Words, so poor to describe...)
@MorgansTrainClips
I’ve been looking for a full upload of this album for literal years. Mad at YouTube for only showing me this now, this app is completely broken. Anyways thanks for the upload brotha
@shackbhoy
I thank you friend , from the bottom of my music loving heart.
@iantraylor3586
Wow. and just like that they are back again...
@tropicwave1
Room Above the Club
American Music Club
Album: The Restless Stranger
00:00
Go ahead and help yourself if you think you can put me down
You just want to see a king losing his crown
Let's see some justice done in this dying town
Go ahead and help yourself if you think you can force one more down
Yeah hello my new friend well I'm your little fool
'Cuz I get intimidated by the smell of death on you
The road disappears before my car, yes I know what waits ahead
I don't need no pictures on the wall sending me messages from the dead
In the room above the club
She cries herself to sleep every night
In the room above the club
Why is it so hard to treat her right
In the room above the club
There's always room for you
In the room above the club
Yeah they're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
Come on tell me a punchline that I know you're dying to tell
'Cuz I'm the only one that ever saw you pissing in your wishing well
Come on mister bartender, I only want one more tear
'Cuz some no-name asshole outside wants to knock me back into the land of fear
In the room above the club
You cry yourself to sleep every night
In the room above the club
Why is it so hard to treat you right
In the room above the club
Yeah there's always room for you
In the room above the club
They're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
In the room above the club
They're just waiting, yeah they're just waiting
In the room above the club
They're just waiting for some lucky thing like you
@jamiestuart4017
Broken glass is the one for me
@cbmorgan365
Broken Glass is an unbelievable song.
@jaymcburney1050
Love this, but there's a way better version of "I'm in Heaven Now" on the Homestead compilation, Human Music.
@GrumPeLemminG
i prefer this version or the one on the california rehearsals