Ben Vaughn is an American musician, music producer and a longtime Rambler e… Read Full Bio ↴Ben Vaughn is an American musician, music producer and a longtime Rambler enthusiast.

Born in Collingswood, New Jersey, Vaughn's interest in music began at age 6 when his uncle gave him a Duane Eddy record. The Ben Vaughn Combo released two albums and toured the US from 1983 to 1988. Vaughn then had a solo career, 1988 to 1994, recording four albums and touring Europe and the United States. As a musician, he is perhaps best known for his "Rambler '65" album that was recorded entirely in his car.

As a producer, Vaughn made albums for artists such as Charlie Feathers and Los Straightjackets. He also collaborated with Alan Vega and Alex Chilton and contributed a cover, "Paradise" to an Alex Chilton tribute album released by Munster Records based in Madrid, Spain.

In 1996, Vaughn produced Ween's cult classic ten track exploration of country music - 12 Golden Country Greats. Musically, 12 Golden Country Greats was, more or less, classic country sounds. Ween and Vaughn went so far as to enlist the services of veteran Nashville session musicians. However, while even the vocal performances where an exquisite mimic of country singing, the album's lyrics were decidedly twisted.

Vaughn also re-recorded "I Found Her Telephone Number Written on the Boy's Bathroom Wall" for the Mad Magazine-inspired song compilation "Mad Grooves".

Now living in California, Vaughn works in film and television. Notable for his work on "That '70s Show", "3rd Rock from the Sun", "Black Mask" and "Psycho Beach Party". "That 70s Show" has another Alex Chilton connection, with the title song being a re-worked version of "In The Street", a Big Star song.

Dressed in Black
Ben Vaughn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby here you come, all dressed in black
You look like my dog days, coming back
You know it's been a long time, since i've seen your face
That expression you got, love could never embrace

Hey hey hey hey
Oh yeah
Hey hey hey hey

Oh yeah

You smoke a cigarette, so long and dumb
Yeah I know this world, is tearing you apart
So baby here you come, and you know it's true
You're looking for someone to live in hell with you

Hey hey hey hey
Oh yeah

Hey hey hey hey
Oh yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Dressed in Black" by Ben Vaughn is a melancholic tune that seems to evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia. The opening lines, "Baby here you come, all dressed in black, You look like my dog days, coming back," creates an image of a familiar face returning after a long absence. The lyrics suggest that the person weeping all black has a certain power over the singer and a familiarity that he hasn't seen in a while. Perhaps, the lady in black is someone whom he used to know and may have shared a romantic entanglement with in the past.

As the song progresses, the lyrics describe the lady in black's current state, "You know it's been a long time, since I've seen your face, That expression you got, love could never embrace." These words show that the lady in black has been through some tough times, and her experiences have altered her in ways that are virtually irrevocable. The singer then makes an allusion to the idea that the lady's life is like a lit cigarette that would eventually burn out. The lines, "You smoke a cigarette, so long and dumb, Yeah, I know this world, is tearing you apart," indicate that the lady in black is aware of her struggles and may be trying to cope through smoking.

The chorus "Hey, hey, hey, hey, Oh yeah," serves as a resolution to the verses, emphasizing a sense of longing and familiarity that he has been waiting for that moment for so long. Overall, "Dressed in Black" is a heartbreaking testament to a deep sense of longing and nostalgia, with poignant lyrics that penetrate the soul.

Interesting Facts about "Dressed in Black":
- "Dressed in Black" was first featured in the 1990 film "Wild At Heart" directed by David Lynch.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby here you come, all dressed in black
You arrive dressed in a black outfit

You look like my dog days, coming back
You resemble the difficult period I went through in the past

You know it's been a long time, since I've seen your face
I haven't seen you in a while

That expression you got, love could never embrace
The facial expression you have is incapable of reflecting love

You smoke a cigarette, so long and dumb
You smoke a cigarette that is long and meaningless

Yeah I know this world, is tearing you apart
I realize that the world is painfully affecting you

So baby here you come, and you know it's true
You come here to me and you know the reality of the situation

You're looking for someone to live in hell with you
You want to find someone who can share the challenging life with you

Hey hey hey hey
Repetitive interjection for rhythm

Oh yeah
Repetitive interjection for rhythm