Curt lives in Austin, Texas.
In 2006, his band Meat Puppets reformed with Cris and new drummer Tim Alexander (of Primus) as the replacement of Derrick Bostrom. The band has already planned to write and record their eleventh studio album, due for release sometime in 2007.
Ted Marcus now sits on the drums for the Meat Puppets. "CURT KIRKWOOD: Well, you know, it's basically the same lineup -- because it's my brother and I ... then Ted, the drummer, he's a Meat Puppets fan."
Light Bulb
Curt Kirkwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking at the things
That I seem to see
That are filling me with wonder
And the other day
When you were just a flower
And there was a snowstorm
Right inside the bedroom
You became a scarecrow
And we had some trouble
'Cause we took a light bulb
Tried to turn it on
To eliminate the clouds
But it took the darkness
And it made it double
I looked up in the sun
'Cause I thought I saw a light there
Up in the air
I know it was a rose
Still it was a nightmare
Up in the air
Platinum rings
Spinning in search
Shadows on a sandpaper wall
In a duststorm
And I got a mothball
Hanging from a candlewick
And a pair of capsize
And I got a nightstick
Everywhere I look
I think I see a shadow
Everywhere I step
Is looking like dumb luck
If I had a wish
I'd wish I was a caveman
So I could fly like a goldfish in quicksand
I looked up in the sun
'Cause I thought I saw a light there
Up in the air
I know it was a rose
Still it was a nightmare
Up in the air
Little black tinman
A fist full of powder
Melting like a sugartree
Standing in a rainstorm
If I had a lie
I'd give it wings
And if I had a wish
I'd wish for everything
I looked up in the sun
'Cause I thought I saw a light there
Up in the air
I know it was a rose
Still it was a nightmare
Up in the air
The song "Light Bulb" by Curt Kirkwood is a surreal, image-heavy piece that is difficult to pin down in terms of a concrete narrative. The lyrics are full of dreamlike imagery and metaphors that seem to evoke a sense of confusion and uncertainty. The first stanza describes a scene of wonder and confusion, with the singer observing things that seem out of place and unsettling. The reference to a snowstorm inside the bedroom and the transformation of the singer and another person into a bee and scarecrow respectively add to the surreal quality of the imagery. The second stanza introduces new images, such as platinum rings, shadows on a sandpaper wall, and a mothball hanging from a candlewick. The chorus repeats the phrase "I looked up in the sun/Cause I thought I saw a light there" and seems to suggest a sense of hope or possibility being overshadowed by a feeling of dread or nightmare. The last stanza introduces new elements, such as a little black tinman and a fist full of powder, and ends on a note of ambiguity with the lines "If I had a lie/I'd give it wings/And if I had a wish/I'd wish for everything."
The lyrics of "Light Bulb" are open to a variety of interpretations, and it's likely that each listener will derive their own meaning from the imagery presented. Some possible themes that emerge from the song include confusion, uncertainty, a sense of being lost or adrift, and the difficulty of finding meaning in a chaotic world. The repeated image of looking up at the sun and mistaking it for a light is suggestive of the search for enlightenment or insight, and the dashed hopes that can result from that search. The surreal and often nonsensical imagery, however, also suggests that trying to find meaning in a world that often defies rational understanding is a futile endeavor.
Line by Line Meaning
Running all around
Moving quickly and aimlessly
Looking at the things
Observing the objects around me
That I seem to see
The things that catch my attention
That are filling me with wonder
That are inspiring curiosity and amazement within me
And the other day
A recent moment in time
When you were just a flower
When you were innocent and fragile
And there was a snowstorm
A chaotic and intense emotional experience
Right inside the bedroom
In the closeness and intimacy of our private space
I became a bee
I was drawn to your beauty and sweetness
You became a scarecrow
You became a symbol of fear and danger
And we had some trouble
Our relationship was strained and difficult
'Cause we took a light bulb
We tried to find a solution to our problems
Tried to turn it on
Attempted to illuminate the situation
To eliminate the clouds
To get rid of the negative emotions and confusion
But it took the darkness
Instead of resolving things, more problems arose
And it made it double
Making the situation worse than it was before
I looked up in the sun
I searched for hope and positivity
'Cause I thought I saw a light there
I believed I found a solution
Up in the air
In the realm of imagination
I know it was a rose
It was a symbol of beauty and perfection
Still it was a nightmare
It was a distorted perception of reality
Platinum rings
Valuable symbols of commitment
Spinning in search
Looking for a way out of a difficult situation
Shadows on a sandpaper wall
Darkness and roughness in our environment
In a duststorm
In a whirlwind of chaos and confusion
And I got a mothball
A small reminder of something precious
Hanging from a candlewick
A symbol of light and warmth
And a pair of capsize
A reminder of danger and instability
And I got a nightstick
A symbol of authority and control
Everywhere I look
No matter where I turn
I think I see a shadow
I sense danger and uncertainty
Everywhere I step
In every situation I encounter
Is looking like dumb luck
Seems like an unlikely and random outcome
If I had a wish
If I could have anything I wanted
I'd wish I was a caveman
I'd wish for a simpler and more primitive existence
So I could fly like a goldfish in quicksand
So I could escape from my current life and problems
Little black tinman
A small but strong figure
A fist full of powder
A fragile and transitory substance
Melting like a sugartree
Disintegrating into nothingness
Standing in a rainstorm
Enduring a difficult and challenging situation
If I had a lie
If I could deceive myself
I'd give it wings
I'd make it seem believable
And if I had a wish
If I could have anything I wanted
I'd wish for everything
I'd wish for complete happiness and fulfillment
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CURTIS KIRKWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind