The Desert Sessions are a musical improv series "that cannot be defined." F… Read Full Bio ↴The Desert Sessions are a musical improv series "that cannot be defined." Founded by Josh Homme in 1997. Artists such as PJ Harvey, Jeordie White, Dave Catching, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan, Chris Goss, Alain Johannes, Dean Ween, Gene Trautmann, and many others have contributed as songwriters and musicians.

The Sessions began in August 1997 at a place called Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, California, when Homme brought together musicians from the bands Monster Magnet, Goatsnake, earthlings?, Kyuss and Soundgarden. The ranch is an old house filled to the brim with rare and unique recording equipment and instruments and is owned by Dave Catching and the late Fred Drake. Songs are written on the spot in matters of hours usually, and no place in the home is safe from the music. Legend after myth after story has grown around the Sessions, and most of them are most likely quite true. For example, the song "Creosote" from Volumes 9 & 10 was written by Dean Ween and Alain Johannes on the ranch's front porch immediately after meeting each other in four minutes. The first "session" was not actually a Desert Session per se, but Homme and his band at the time (The Acquitted Felons) playing for three days straight under the non-stop influence of mushrooms. Since then the ranch has grown legendary and the Sessions have only grown in intensity and artistic merit.

The Desert Sessions Volumes

1997 - The Desert Sessions Volume 1 and 2:
Vol. I: Instrumental Driving Music for Felons
Vol. II: Status: Ships Commander Butchered

1998 - The Desert Sessions Volume 3 and 4:
Vol. III: Set Co-Ordinates for the White Dwarf
Vol. IV: Hard Walls and Little Trips

1999 - The Desert Sessions Volume 5 and 6:
Vol. V: Poetry For The Masses (Sea Shed Shit Head By The She Sore)
Vol. VI: Poetry For The Masses (Black Anvil Ego)

2001 - The Desert Sessions Volume 7 and 8:
Vol. VII: Gypsy Marches
Vol. VIII: Can You See Under My Thumb?... There You Are

2003 - The Desert Sessions Volume 9 and 10:
Vol. IX: I See You Hearin' Me
Vol. X: I Heart Disco

Though not updated for a long time, the official website is located at http://www.desertsessions.com.

Cover Songs
The Desert Sessions have provided the Queens of the Stone Age with ample cover material, with songs being culled from all but the first two volumes.

From Volumes 3 & 4
Avon appears as Avon on Queens of the Stone Age. Avon, performed by Josh Homme, is the 'sister song' of the track Nova, which has different lyrics and is performed by Peter Stahl. Monster In The Parasol appears as Monsters In The Parasol on the critically acclaimed Rated R. Eccentric Man is a cover of The Groundhogs' 1960s Eccentric Man.

From Volumes 5 & 6
You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire appears on Songs for the Deaf as You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire with Nick Oliveri singing in place of Mario Lalli. Rickshaw is often performed by QOTSA live, and was played by QOTSA and Friends during the Natasha Shneider Benefit Show on August 16, 2008 in Los Angeles.

From Volumes 7 & 8
Hanging Tree appears as Hangin' Tree on Songs for the Deaf.

From Volumes 9 & 10
In My Head...Or Something appears on Lullabies to Paralyze as In My Head, and I Wanna Make It wit Chu finds double duty as Make It wit Chu on Era Vulgaris.

Nova
Desert Sessions Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Feels so good to have it
Can't stop that broken faucet
Now and again, spill to the floor
I'm up to my neck, I'm swimming in you
Step in the nude, I'm singing the blues

If I can't sing my blues
Can I drink my booze?

I have paid my dues
You can hide like fools, oh yeah

Feels so good to have it
Feels so good to have it
There's no more we can do
Hey, it is true
Now I am through

If I can't sing my blues
Can I drink my booze?
I have paid my dues
You can hide like fools, oh yeah

Feels so good to have it
Feels so good to have it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Nova" by Desert Sessions seem to suggest a feeling of satisfaction and release, with the repeated phrase "Feels so good to have it" implying that the singer has achieved something they wanted or needed. However, this feeling is contrasted with the image of a broken faucet that can't be stopped, which suggests that there may still be some unresolved issues or emotions that the singer is struggling with. The line "Step in the nude, I'm singing the blues" adds to this sense of vulnerability and suggests that the singer is baring their soul in some way.

The second verse introduces the idea of drinking as a coping mechanism for difficult emotions, with the lines "If I can't sing my blues, can I drink my booze? I have paid my dues" suggesting that the singer has experienced pain and struggle but has found a way to deal with it. The final lines of the song, "There's no more we can do / Hey, it is true / Now I am through", suggest that the singer has come to a resolution of some kind and is ready to move on from whatever was causing them distress.

Overall, the lyrics to "Nova" convey a sense of emotional complexity, with the repeated refrain of "Feels so good to have it" suggesting a feeling of relief or release, while the other imagery and lyrics suggest that this release may be hard-won and may not completely resolve all of the singer's issues.

Line by Line Meaning

Feels so good to have it
Having something so satisfying feels great and brings happiness

Can't stop that broken faucet
There is something challenging that keeps on recurring and is overwhelming to handle

Now and again, spill to the floor
At times, things don't go as planned and end in a mess

I'm up to my neck, I'm swimming in you
Being deeply involved in something or someone, with no room to escape or breathe

Step in the nude, I'm singing the blues
Being vulnerable and exposed, and expressing one's sadness or troubles

If I can't sing my blues
Without the ability to express one's emotions, especially when sad or troubled

Can I drink my booze?
Is it acceptable to drown one's sorrows with alcohol?

I have paid my dues
Having gone through hard times and tough experiences, and having suffered the consequences

You can hide like fools, oh yeah
Ignoring or avoiding problems doesn't make them go away and won't solve anything

There's no more we can do
Having done everything possible, but still unable to change the situation

Hey, it is true
Acknowledging the reality of the situation