Channel 3 centered around the friendship of Mike Magrann (vocals, guitar) and Kimm Gardner(guitar), which dated back to the second grade. Forming in 1980, the foursome included Larry Kelley (bass) and Mike Burton (drums, later replaced by Jack DeBaun). They released an EP, Channel 3, in the summer of 1981 and began playing shows in the Los Angeles area. In the summer of 1982, their first album Fear of Life was released, and the band began their first US tour.
After 1983 the band experimented with other styles, alienating many of its original fans. Eventually it returned to its roots, touring Europe in the 1990s and releasing a more punk-oriented CD in 2002.
Jim harrison
Channel 3 Lyrics
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Crystal, tripe and calm incest
Soul of a poet, mind is a mess
Guilty by excess
Bought by a chick half Cherokee
She kicked my ass while she sang to me
Shot my foot in an UP storm
Jim Harrison is trying to kill me!
Jim Harrison is trying to kill me!
Stomach lining stuffed with grouse
Puttanesca capered sauce
Ate the snout trying to look cool
Painted my pants with puke
Taking the literary literal
Ending up with the usual
Drinker with a writing problem
What's a word that rhymes with problem?
Save me, Chinaski!
The lyrics of Channel 3's song "Jim Harrison" seem to describe a highly personal and somewhat chaotic experience, expressed through a series of fragmented images and associations. The first verse sets the scene in a nautical context, with a poetic soul adrift in the calm seas off Key West. However, this idyllic situation is soon disrupted by the presence of a half-Cherokee woman who appears to have some kind of hold over the singer. The mention of an "UP storm" suggests some kind of drug use, or perhaps a reference to the novel "Up in Michigan" by Hemingway, who lived in Key West for a time. The use of the word "incest" in the first line adds a disturbing element to this image, suggesting a kind of psychological conflict or confusion.
The second verse continues in this vein, with the singer indulging in decadent, gourmet eating habits ("stomach lining stuffed with grouse", "Puttanesca capered sauce") while attempting to cultivate a bohemian, intellectual image ("Taking the literary literal", "drinker with a writing problem"). The reference to Jim Harrison in the chorus suggests that the song is a kind of tribute or homage to the legendary writer, who was known for his hard-drinking, rugged individualism, and love of nature. The line "save me, Chinaski!" at the end of the song is a clear reference to the character created by Charles Bukowski, another writer known for his brutal honesty and unapologetic lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunk the skiff of off Key West
I crashed my small boat near Key West
Crystal, tripe and calm incest
The water was peaceful, clear and calm but I had mixed feelings of disgust and admiration
Soul of a poet, mind is a mess
My spirit is artistic, but my mental state is chaotic
Guilty by excess
I am culpable for the self-indulgent way I live
Bought by a chick half Cherokee
I was charmed by a girl who is half Native American
She kicked my ass while she sang to me
She vigorously beat me while making music with her voice
Shot my foot in an UP storm
While there was hurricane-force wind and rain, a bullet accidentally hit my foot
Just trying to stay warm
I only went outside to heat myself up a bit
Jim Harrison is trying to kill me!
I am feeling paranoid and thinking that Jim Harrison wants to harm me
Stomach lining stuffed with grouse
I ate too much of this game bird and can feel it in my stomach
Puttanesca capered sauce
I had pasta sauce with capers and olives
Ate the snout trying to look cool
I tried to impress others by eating an unappealing part of the animal
Painted my pants with puke
I vomited so much that the vomitus covered my pants
Taking the literary literal
I am interpreting literature in its exact sense rather than metaphorically
Ending up with the usual
I'm predictable and tend to follow the same patterns
Drinker with a writing problem
I am someone who drinks heavily and also has difficulty expressing myself through writing
What's a word that rhymes with problem?
I cannot think of a word that sounds similar to problem
Save me, Chinaski!
I am requesting Charles Bukowski, or someone like him, rescue me from my own misery
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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