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."
Clouds
American Music Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Places mirrors at my feet
A wardrobe filled with blood
And nasty lies to repeat
Well let me give you something
Cause everything's for free
Yeah let me give you something
With a magic finger
I'll smooth the lines on your face
And no bad feelings linger
But your disgust and my disgrace
You wanna get excited
So I'll push you too far
You wanna get excited
That's just too bad
Here they come
They've got shotguns and transparent skin
And they will stand around like rain
And they all want in
So come on in, you're welcome in
Storm picks up valuable things
Places mirrors at my feet
A wardrobe filled with blood
And nasty lies to repeat
You wanna get excited
So I'll push you too far
You wanna get excited
That's just too bad
Here they come
They've got shotguns and transparent skin
And they will stand around like rain
And they all want in
So come on in, you're welcome in
Here they come
Tell me how you know my name
The song "Clouds" by American Music Club is a haunting and enigmatic piece that deals with themes of loss, power, and vulnerability. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the piece, with the singer describing a storm that picks up "valuable things" and places "mirrors at my feet." The use of mirrors is a powerful symbol of self-reflection and introspection, suggesting that the singer may be grappling with their own identity and place in the world.
As the song progresses, the singer gives the listener a warning, telling them to take what they want before it's taken from them. The line "A wardrobe filled with blood and nasty lies to repeat" is particularly evocative, implying that the singer has been involved in some kind of violent or deceitful behavior. Despite this, they still offer something to the listener, "before you take it from me." The magic finger referenced in the lyrics is a metaphor for the singer's ability to smooth over any conflict, but the line "your disgust and my disgrace" suggests that this ability comes at a cost.
The climax of the song describes a group of people, "they've got shotguns and transparent skin," who want to come in and be a part of the world that the singer has created. The closing lines, "tell me how you know my name," reinforce the idea that the singer is struggling with their own identity and place in the world. Overall, the lyrics of "Clouds" are highly metaphorical and open to interpretation, but they create a vivid and atmospheric world that draws the listener in.
Line by Line Meaning
Storm picks up valuable things
The chaos around me collects things that are important to me
Places mirrors at my feet
The turmoil I face forces me to examine myself deeply and honestly
A wardrobe filled with blood
My past is full of trauma and pain
And nasty lies to repeat
I am haunted by the past and cannot escape its poisonous influence
Well let me give you something
I am willing to be vulnerable and share something of value with you
Cause everything's for free
My offerings come without a price or expectation of something in return
With a magic finger
I have the power to heal and soothe your pain
I'll smooth the lines on your face
I can help you forget your troubles and find peace
And no bad feelings linger
We can move past any negative emotions together
But your disgust and my disgrace
There are some wounds that cannot be healed or forgiven
You wanna get excited
You crave something intense and thrilling
So I'll push you too far
I will take you beyond your comfort zone and test your limits
That's just too bad
If you can't handle it, that's your problem
Here they come
The outside world is closing in on me
They've got shotguns and transparent skin
They are armed and dangerous, and I can see right through their false exteriors
And they will stand around like rain
They are everywhere and impossible to escape
And they all want in
They are eager to invade my private space and take what belongs to me
So come on in, you're welcome in
Despite my reservations, I am willing to open up and let others in
Tell me how you know my name
Even as I try to let others in, I am still guarded and suspicious of their motives
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN MARK EITZEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
semprini77
There is no other song like this. There is no other band like American Music Club. Thanks for posting.🙂
MrKindermusik
Great song. Thanks for posting this.
pic venti
grande grande musica
Gabriele Pennacchi
Il Re dello Spleen-rock........... LOVE LOVE LOVE