"Clem Snide" is a character in several novels by William S. Burroughs, including Naked Lunch, The Ticket That Exploded, and Exterminator!. The band formed in 1991, when Barzelay wanted an outlet for his songwriting, but separated in 1994 after releasing a couple of 7" singles. A few years later, Barzelay met back up with Glasser and began writing songs again, performing under the name Fruit Key. After adding a bassist and drummer, they reclaimed the name Clem Snide, recorded songs, continued performing, and, in 1998, issued their first album, You Were a Diamond (produced by Adam Lasus) on Tractor Beam Records. This album received some short-term major label attention, enough for Clem Snide to release their second album, Your Favorite Music, on Sire Records, before being dropped prior to the album's release.
In 2001, Clem Snide released the album The Ghost of Fashion, which received some extra press due to the song "Moment in the Sun" being featured as the theme song for the second season of the NBC program Ed, after the show lost the rights to the Foo Fighters' "Next Year". Fans were allegedly distraught by the change, and Ed went back to the Foo Fighters for the third season; "Moment in the Sun" continued to be used as the theme song outside the U.S.
At this time, then-bassist Jeff Marshall left the band citing the touring schedule, as the band had performed a number of world tours in support of Fashion. He did, however, stay with the band to help record their fourth album, Soft Spot.
Clem Snide released their fifth album in 2005, End of Love, and in February 2006 Barzelay released his first solo album, Bitter Honey, on spinART Records. Barzelay' s latest solo record, Lose Big was released on June 17th 2008, on 429 Records. Barzelay confirmed that the band broke up during the proceedings, and that another record was completed around the same time, the newer recording set to be released first.
A live, tour-only, CD is also planned in conjunction with a fall tour by Barzelay.
In 2008, Eef Barzelay announced that Clem Snide has reformed and will release a full-length; "Hungry Bird" as well as an EP entitled "I Need You Now". They will support these releases with a tour.
A Parable
Clem Snide Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The taste of plastic in my smile
And I can suffer if you really want me to
For a parable that's worth your while
'Cause your life story about you
'Cause I just can't relate
But I've no reason to doubt you
Lay your head here on my breast 'cause I have food
Put your cookies in my milk
This metaphor is just a door that you walk through
Around the campfire; it was late
'Cause your life story about you
'Cause I just can't relate
But I've no reason to doubt you
It's great
Shuffleboard the afternoon away for two
The taste of plastic in my smile
And I can suffer if you really want me to
For a parable that's worth your while
The opening lines of "A Parable" describe a couple playing shuffleboard, but the scene is not as idyllic as it first appears. The singer tastes "plastic" in his or her "smile," suggesting a forced, artificial happiness that masks deeper pain. These lines set the tone for the rest of the song, which is ultimately about the difficulty of connecting with others and the power of storytelling to offer brief moments of solace.
The second verse continues in this vein, with the singer telling the other person to lay their head on their breast while offering them food. Again, the gesture is a kind one, but there's an undercurrent of sadness and loneliness: the metaphor of the "door" suggests that the singer is trying to create a moment of intimacy, but knows that it will ultimately be fleeting.
The chorus is where the song's themes come together most explicitly. The opening line - "Your life story about you" - suggests a fundamental impossibility of ever truly knowing someone else's experience. The rest of the chorus seems to acknowledge this fact, but also suggests that there's something valuable in simply being open to others' stories, even if we can't fully understand them.
Overall, "A Parable" is a quiet, melancholy song about the ways in which human connection can be both elusive and vital. The shuffleboard game and the milk-and-cookies metaphor offer brief moments of respite, but ultimately the sadness and isolation remain.
Line by Line Meaning
Shuffleboard the afternoon away for two
Passing time with you is my only pleasure
The taste of plastic in my smile
I'm putting on a fake smile to hide how I feel
And I can suffer if you really want me to
I'll go along with anything just to make you happy
For a parable that's worth your while
I'll listen to your story if it has a valuable lesson
'Cause your life story about you
Your story is all about yourself
'Cause I just can't relate
I can't identify with your experiences
But I've no reason to doubt you
I believe you're telling the truth
It's great
I'm glad you're happy
Lay your head here on my breast 'cause I have food
Rest your head on me and I'll provide for you
Put your cookies in my milk
Let's share our treats and enjoy each other's company
This metaphor is just a door that you walk through
My words are a gateway to deeper understanding
Around the campfire; it was late
We shared this moment together late into the night
Contributed by Aubrey A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JessPez 95
I love this song so much I can’t find it anywhere else please never delete it
E C
I came back after 10 years to say this song is so under rated.
loo227
thank you!! haha this is my favorite clem snide song too and i've been waiting for someone to get it up :)
E C
I heard this song for the first time in a Hollister store in 2005 and went home and downloaded it somehow when I was 17. I remember listening to it 2 weeks later while over at my girlfriend's at the time. Looking out a window over her parents pasture and watching the sun set. What I'd give to go back.
E C
Thank you so much!