After years of recording in relative seclusion in the hills of Los Angeles, Ariel Pink (the first non-Animal Collective member on the Paw Tracks roster) made his official Paw Tracks debut with The Doldrums. Recording at home with a guitar, bass, keyboard, and 8-track (the drum sounds were created with his mouth).
Ariel Pink blends Lite FM and warped lo-fi pop into something by turns beautiful and confusing. Some may find his personal yet detached approach highly addictive, while others may be instantly turned off by the obvious lo-fi production and the vocal drumtracks.
In the summer of 2003, Pink passed a CD-R on to New York based band Animal Collective after being introduced by mutual friend Jimi Hey (of All Night Radio and Beachwood Sparks) at one of their shows. Unbeknownst to Pink, Animal Collective had recently started their own record label, Paw Tracks, and several weeks later they contacted him expressing an interest in releasing his music. Pink became the first musician on the label aside from the members of Animal Collective. The next year, the label reissued The Doldrums, an album which had been originally recorded in 1999. Since then, Paw Tracks (now co-owned by Carpark Records) has released two other reissues of Pink's previous recordings, Worn Copy and House Arrest.
Pink has gradually caught the attention of media sources around the United States as well as internationally. As most of his albums are self-made, many of them have never been heard by fans. Almost all of Pink's albums which have been commercially released come from his yet-unfinished "Haunted Graffiti" series and are thus the best known.
Pink's tours have generally been met with much negativity, primarily because his music was never intended to be performed live for commercial audiences. As he explained to LA Weekly:
“People boo me everywhere...They don't even hide their contempt. I'm used to it now...Hey, I'm giving audiences the real thing...For better or worse, I'm out there, and those are the circumstances. People don't like it when it seems like you don't know what's happening, or I'm getting bummed out with certain aspects and I can't hide it. I think people feel that pain and just think it's bad.”
Initially playing shows alone with pre-recorded music, Pink has since employed the efforts of keyboardist Kenny Gilmore, bassist Tim Koh (White Magic), drummer Jimi Hey, and guitarist Cole M. Greif-Neill (Ethnik Klensr) as Haunted Graffiti. However, even with a backing band unfamiliar audiences are generally hostile towards the unrehearsed nature of the live compositions.
In July, the band embarked on Pink's "Thanks Mom, I'm Dead" tour.
One genre that may interestingly define Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is one known as Hauntology.
The List
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The list
When this song became my favourite song
I wrote the list it sat on top
For weeks it pushed the others down down
But I never reached the bottom of the list
Cause it would lie and lie
And I would cry and cry
Cause it would lie and lie
Fast forward one month
When this song became my favourite song
I wrote that list with it on top
For weeks it pushed my favourite song down
Second third and fifth
But I never reached the end of that list
Time has torn that list to pieces I know
And I would cry and cry
Cause it had lied and lied
And I would cry and cry
Cause it had lied and lied
Why did that song have to lie to me
Why couldn′t it be just another
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
For years I put my faith in print
As if the truth could be discovered there
My list could hold my soul intact
Like paintings like
Photographs
Why did my song have to lie to me
Why couldn't it be just another
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
It was the wrong song as long as this went on
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
"The List" by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is a reflective and introspective song about the power and influence of music on our emotions and perceptions. The singer describes how a particular song becomes their favorite and how they create a list with this song at the top. The song holds so much significance for them that it pushes other songs down on the list. However, the singer realizes that the song has been lying to them, causing them sadness and disappointment. The song becomes the wrong song in their eyes as long as it continues to deceive and disappoint them.
The lyrics evoke a sense of disillusionment and betrayal, as the singer had trusted and put their faith in the song. They question why it had to lie to them and wish it could have been just like any other song. The use of repetition in the lyrics emphasizes the emotional impact and frustration felt by the singer.
The song delves into a deeper theme of the singer's relationship with music and how they have relied on it for solace and understanding. They mention putting their faith in print, suggesting that they have looked to music as a source of truth and guidance. However, they come to the realization that even their favorite song can deceive and mislead them.
Overall, "The List" is a contemplative exploration of the complexities of personal connections to music and how it can shape our emotions and perceptions.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my favourite song
I really love this song and it holds a special place in my heart.
The list
Referring to a list I created to rank my favorite songs.
When this song became my favourite song
At a certain point in time, this song became my absolute favorite.
I wrote the list it sat on top
I created the list and ranked this song as the best, placing it at the top.
For weeks it pushed the others down down
For weeks, this song dominated my list, pushing other songs lower in ranking.
But I never reached the bottom of the list
There was no end to the list, and I couldn't determine the least favorite song.
And I would cry and cry
I would become emotional and cry.
Cause it would lie and lie
Because this song would deceive me in some way.
Fast forward one month
Skipping ahead in time by a month.
I wrote that list with it on top
I created a new list and ranked this song as the best once again.
Second third and fifth
This song pushed my previous favorite songs to lower positions.
But I never reached the end of that list
Similar to before, I couldn't find the least favorite song on the list.
Time has torn that list to pieces I know
As time passed, the list lost its significance and importance, becoming fragmented.
Why did that song have to lie to me
I wonder why this specific song deceived me.
Why couldn't it be just another
I wish this song could have been like any other, without deceiving me.
For years I put my faith in print
For a long time, I believed in written lists and their ability to reflect the truth.
As if the truth could be discovered there
I had the mistaken belief that the truth could be found in these lists.
My list could hold my soul intact
I believed that the list could preserve my identity or essence.
Like paintings like photographs
Similar to how paintings and photographs capture moments, the list held significance for me.
I never should have put my favourite song on the list
In hindsight, I realize it was a mistake to include my favorite song on the list.
Writer(s): Ariel Marcus Rosenberg
Contributed by Alex H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.