Califone is the musical project of former Red Red Meat frontman Tim Rutili. Its regular and rotating contributors include many former members of Red Red Meat and some members of other Chicago bands, such as Tortoise. Their music is less rooted in blues-rock than Red Red Meat and is more directly inspired by experimental music and early American folk music as can be found on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music.
Califone's current lineup includes Joe Adamik (drums), Jim Becker (banjo, violin), Ben Massarella (percussion), and Tim Rutili (vocals, guitar, keyboards). Each member is a multi-instrumentalist.
Tim Rutili has collaborated with a number of other artists as well. He joined up with Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock and others in 2002 to release the album Sharpen Your Teeth under the band name Ugly Casanova. Some members also toured with Freakwater and served as a backing band to record the album Thinking of You in 2005. In 2006, Tim Rutili teamed up with Wil Hendricks and Michael Krassner under the name The Unseen Hand to record the soundtrack for Rank, a documentary about bullriding. In the same year Califone worked with animator/musician Brent Green on a series of performance art pieces featuring animation, live music, and spoken word. They are also featured on the soundtrack for the movie Stranger than Fiction.
Silvermine Pictures
Califone Lyrics
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Unholy fine with a broken charge
Black hearted wife in the growling yard
Silver mine pictures and tongues of flame
Small hands wished away and held back
Painted ocean floor
Pipe and seed
Razor to the tape
Out to thread taste the silver jets
As they lose control over you
Punctured houseboats in punch drunk cases
Four Sunday shoes caught under the stall
Read the rope and steer the pitch fork lost on you
Motel sex still fresh on your hand
Razor to the tape
The lyrics to Califone's song "Silvermine Pictures" are complex and enigmatic, full of vivid images that suggest a sense of unease and tension. Some of the lyrics seem to allude to broken relationships, perhaps between the singer and his partner or between different characters in the song. The lines "She's a loose tooth and she's a bare wire" suggest someone who is unpredictable or unstable, while "Black-hearted wife in the growling yard" implies a sense of danger or aggression.
Other lines in the song hint at a broader sense of decay or disintegration. The mention of "silver mine pictures and tongues of flame" suggests something precious or valuable being consumed by fire, while "punctured houseboats in punch drunk cases" conjures up an image of something fragile and unstable. Throughout the song, the lyrics create a strong sense of atmosphere, filled with a mix of darkness and beauty.
Overall, the meaning of "Silvermine Pictures" is difficult to pin down, but it's clear that the song is full of rich, evocative language that conveys a very specific mood and tone.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a loose tooth and she's a bare wire
Describing a reckless person who is dangerous to be around
Unholy fine with a broken charge
Despite being damaged, the person still has an attractive quality about them
Black hearted wife in the growling yard
Referring to a woman who is cruel and unfeeling in a rough environment
Silver mine pictures and tongues of flame
Painful memories from the past that still burn brightly
Small hands wished away and held back
Feeling restricted and helpless in a situation
Painted ocean floor
A beautiful facade that disguises something much darker below the surface
Pipe and seed
A metaphor for the corrupting influence of power
The weight relaxes
A sense of relief from a burden being lifted
Razor to the tape
A reference to self-harm or destructive behavior
Out to thread taste the silver jets
Seeking out dangerous experiences despite the risks
As they lose control over you
Letting these experiences take over and dominate one's life
Punctured houseboats in punch drunk cases
Broken dreams and hopes caused by one's own mistakes
Four Sunday shoes caught under the stall
Symbolizing feeling trapped and unable to move forward
Read the rope and steer the pitch fork lost on you
Trying to regain control and make sense of a chaotic situation
Motel sex still fresh on your hand
Feeling guilty and dirty after engaging in risky behavior
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Temistoclas Hugo Rutili
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind