Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt
DJ Shadow Lyrics


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Producing

From listening to records i just knew what to do
I mainly tought myself
And, you know, i did pretty well
Except there were a few mistakes
But um, that i made, uh
That i've just recently cleared up

And i'd like to just continue to be able to express myself
As best as i can with this instrument
And i feel like i have a lot of work to do
Still, i'm a student - of the drums
And i'm also a teacher of the drums too

What makes cancer tenatious?

The moon rules the fluids
Including the inner juices of human beings
That which assimilates and feeds the body
So the crab feeds his astral plane
Assimilating and distributing all he receives
Slowly, until it becomes apart of you

I fly to the strangest lands

And i would like to able to continue
To let what is inside of me
Which is, which comes from all the music that i hear
I would like for that to come out
And it's like, it's not really me that's coming
The music's coming through me





The music's coming through me

Overall Meaning

The first verse of the song “Building Steam With a Grain of Salt” by DJ Shadow begins with the producer reflecting on his journey and passion for music. He reveals that he taught himself how to produce music by listening to records, and despite making a few mistakes, he has cleared them up over time. The producer acknowledges that he still has a lot of work to do and sees himself as both a student and a teacher of the drums. Thus, he wants to express himself in the best way possible and let the music that is within him flow out. He believes that the music is not coming from him, but through him.


The second verse delves into the astrological sign of Cancer and its tenacity. It is said that the moon rules the fluids, including the inner juices of human beings that assimilate and feed the body. Cancer, which is a water sign, is ruled by the moon, and the crab feeds on his astral plane, assimilating and distributing all he receives slowly, until it becomes apart of the individual. The producer is fascinated by this aspect and is constantly seeking to explore strange lands.


Overall, the song's lyrics capture the essence of a musician's journey and their unwavering passion for expressing themselves through music. The producer sees himself as both a student and a teacher, and acknowledges that he still has a lot to learn and explore.


Line by Line Meaning

From listening to records i just knew what to do
By simply listening to music, I learned how to produce and create my own sound.


I mainly tought myself
I am self-taught in music production.


And, you know, i did pretty well
I have been successful in my music production.


Except there were a few mistakes
However, I have made some errors along the way.


But um, that i made, uh
I have corrected those mistakes recently.


And i'd like to just continue to be able to express myself
I wish to continue producing music that reflects who I am.


As best as i can with this instrument
I want to create the best music possible using my production skills as an instrument.


And i feel like i have a lot of work to do
I believe that there is still room for improvement in my music.


Still, i'm a student - of the drums
Although I have learned a lot, I am still a student, especially when it comes to drums.


And i'm also a teacher of the drums too
I have also developed skills in teaching drums to others.


The moon rules the fluids
In astrology, the moon affects human fluids, including those that nourish the body.


Including the inner juices of human beings
The fluids that the moon rules include those within the body, such as blood and digestive juices.


That which assimilates and feeds the body
These fluids nourish and sustain the physical body.


So the crab feeds his astral plane
In astrology, the sign of Cancer (the crab) is associated with nourishing the spiritual body.


Assimilating and distributing all he receives
Cancer assimilates and distributes nourishment to others in the form of emotional support and care.


Slowly, until it becomes a part of you
This nourishment is received gradually and becomes a part of one's emotional makeup.


And i would like to able to continue
I hope to continue producing music.


To let what is inside of me
To allow my inner thoughts and emotions to be expressed through music.


Which is, which comes from all the music that i hear
My music comes from a variety of musical influences that I have heard throughout my life.


I would like for that to come out
I want my music to reflect the different styles and genres that I have been exposed to.


And it's like, it's not really me that's coming
Although I create the music, I feel like it is not just me but also my musical influences that are reflected in it.


The music's coming through me
I feel like the music is created through me rather than solely by me.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEREMY STORCH, JOSH DAVIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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