Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock. The 1995 death of lead vocalist Shannon Hoon halted the band's activity, and the members went on hiatus until officially disbanding in 1999. The band reformed with new lead vocalist Travis Warren in 2006, and although Warren departed two years later, he has since resumed performing with the band.
Soup
Blind Melon Lyrics
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Is washing away the face before
Now tell me what's wrong you see everyone's gone
You gotta do your best to decorate this dying day
This dying day
All over a bowl of bitter beans
All over a bowl of bitter beans
Hanging over me
And now, I want that rocking chair outta there
'Cause he's no longer living here
It's no longer needed here
All over a bowl of bitter beans
All over a bowl of bitter beans
And I got a corner store and that's all the more
For me to praise upon the holidays
And now I'll close my eyes really, really tight
And make you all go away,
I'll make you all go all go away
And I'll pull the trigger and make it all go away
And I'll make it all go away, I'll make it all go away
The opening lines of Blind Melon's song Soup describe a disturbing image of a clothesline full of cold eyes that are seemingly washing away the face before them. This line is a metaphor for how the world views people who are different and how society judges and discards them. The next lines talk about everyone being gone, and the singer asking what's wrong. This could be interpreted as the feeling of being alone and isolated in the world, despite being alive. The lines, "You gotta do your best to decorate this dying day, this dying day" touches on the idea of making the most of life and making each day count since life is fleeting and will soon be over.
The verse, "All over a bowl of bitter beans" could have religious connotations, referring to the biblical story of Esau giving up his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup. This may suggest that the singer believes people are sacrificing important things in life for trivial matters. The chorus that follows, "And outside way, way up high, I got a quarter moon mist hanging over me" could symbolize a hopelessness and despair that overwhelms the singer.
The final verses involve the singer wanting a rocking chair removed because it's associated with someone who no longer lives there. This could indicate a sense of loss or grief. The last lines, "I'll make you all go away, I'll make it all go away" suggest thoughts of suicide or self-harm, and the singer wanting to escape from the pain and struggles of life.
Line by Line Meaning
The clothesline of cold eyes
The harshness and lack of emotion in people's gaze
Is washing away the face before
Causing the previous identity and emotions to disappear
Now tell me what's wrong you see everyone's gone
Asking what caused everybody to leave and what's the problem
You gotta do your best to decorate this dying day
Make the best of a bad situation and enjoy the remaining time
This dying day
The approaching end of something, emphasis on the limited time
All over a bowl of bitter beans
A small and insignificant disagreement that escalated beyond its worth
And outside way, way up high I got a quarter moon mist
A poetic illustration of a feeling of detachment from the ordinary world
Hanging over me
A feeling of being overshadowed by something not quite tangible
And now, I want that rocking chair outta there
I need to rid myself of a reminder of a deceased person
'Cause he's no longer living here
The person who used to occupy the chair is dead
It's no longer needed here
The chair's purpose has vanished due to the absence of its occupant
And I got a corner store and that's all the more
I only have a small and insignificant establishment to derive happiness from
For me to praise upon the holidays
The holidays are the only excuse for me to feel good about my life
And now I'll close my eyes really, really tight
Trying to escape reality by shutting off sensory input and imagination
And make you all go away
I do not want to deal with outside stimuli
I'll make you all go all go away
Emphasizing that the only way to achieve peace is by removing oneself from distractions
And I'll pull the trigger and make it all go away
Thoughts of suicide as a last resort to escape reality
And I'll make it all go away, I'll make it all go away
Reiteration of the desire to eliminate everything that stands in the way of peace
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Glen Graham, Shannon Hoon, Brad Smith, Thomas Stevens, Christopher Thorn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind