Their last album (Cago) dates from 2002. This album was recorded in Chicago and produced by Steve Albini.
According to their site, they are holding an introspective break and will restart creativity throughout 2006.
Ham
Dead Man Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
stopped me halfway home
and nailed me right there
so I picked a fruit
a round thing
and mystified it
the further we were walking
the more I knew
the bottom'ld laugh at me
hit my forehead struck my shoulder
the fruit was glowing
hit the sidewalk taxi cab stopped
and left me hungry
hit mind or ham this town ain't good for nothing
hit mind or ham this town ain't good for nothing
some butcher girl
opened up her shop
and put a smile on
she threw a plate
with a pile of ham
and so I tasted it
we're proud of it we love it
the best ham you ever knew
if all this town would like our ham
we wouldn't be here
hit mind or ham this town ain't good for nothing
hit mind or ham this town ain't good for nothing
I'm gonna sell my senses
The lyrics to Dead Man Ray's "Ham" tell a story about a person who is walking home and is then struck by a "heavy tune." This tune seems to have a hypnotic effect on the person causing him to stop and pick a fruit. However, when he tries to eat the fruit, he realizes that the top is bitter, and the bottom is sweet, causing him to be mystified. As he continues on his journey, he encounters a butcher girl who offers him some ham. The ham is described as the best ever tasted, but the person seems to be disenchanted with the town and its offerings. The refrain of "hit mind or ham, this town ain't good for nothing" seems to suggest that there is a sense of disillusionment with the town.
The song's lyrics are enigmatic and can be interpreted in many ways. One interpretation is that the song is a metaphor for the struggle between the bitter and sweet aspects of life. The fruit could represent the complexities of life, and the ham could represent the simple pleasures that keep us going. Another interpretation is that the song is about disillusionment with society's offerings; the town is not good for anything, and it takes something as simple as ham to lift the person's spirits.
Line by Line Meaning
some heavy tune
A captivating melody caught my attention.
stopped me halfway home
It stopped me in my tracks and made me pause on my way home.
and nailed me right there
It hit me hard and I couldn't move on until it was over.
so I picked a fruit
I tried to distract myself by picking a fruit.
a round thing
A circular object in my hand.
and mystified it
I tried to find some sort of significance in this object.
the further we were walking
As we kept walking, I realized something.
the more I knew
I became increasingly aware of something significant.
if I would start to bite from top
However, if I were to start eating it from the top...
the bottom'ld laugh at me
I would be ridiculed for doing so, as it was not the correct way to eat it.
hit my forehead struck my shoulder
I was hit with a realization that was both mentally and physically jarring.
the fruit was glowing
The fruit suddenly seemed more important and valuable than ever before.
hit the sidewalk taxi cab stopped
I was so lost in thought and distracted that I didn't notice the taxi cab stopping in front of me.
and left me hungry
When I finally returned to the present moment, I realized I was still unfulfilled and hungry.
hit mind or ham this town ain't good for nothing
This town is devoid of any value or significance, both mentally and physically.
some butcher girl
A butcher girl caught my attention and seemed to offer me a solution.
opened up her shop
She opened up her place of business to me.
and put a smile on
She welcomed me with a warm, friendly attitude.
she threw a plate
She offered me a plate of food.
with a pile of ham
The dish she offered me was piled high with ham.
and so I tasted it
I sampled the ham and immediately felt satisfied.
we're proud of it we love it
The butcher girl and her community have a deep pride and appreciation for their ham.
the best ham you ever knew
They truly believe that the ham they offer is of the highest quality.
if all this town would like our ham
If the entire town could appreciate and enjoy their ham...
we wouldn't be here
They wouldn't be in this town; their ham would have taken them to greater places.
I'm gonna sell my senses
I am so taken with this ham and its power that I will do anything to experience it again.
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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