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.
Powdered Wig Machine
Desert Sessions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This dance with me
Spinning
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Won't you take my hand
Dancing
Come on
Singing
Come on
Come on
Come to me
Spinning
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Take off your mask
Singing
Come on
Your mask, kiss me
Spinning
Dancing
Spinning
Kissing
Singing
Come on
Come with me
Spinning
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Kissing
Come on, dance on my heart suit your feet
Come on
Singing
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Singing
Come on
Come on
Come to me
Spinning
Come on
Dancing
Come on
Kissing
Come on
Singing
Come on
Awwwww, come on
Come on
Spinning
Spinning
Spinning
Spinning
Singing
You chocked the joy right out of me
Spinning
Spinning
Spinning
Singing
Singing
Singing
Singing
So joyous my mind make my heart sing
The lyrics of "Powdered Wig Machine" by Desert Sessions appear to be an invitation to dance and let loose. The singer asks the listener to join them in a dance, spinning and singing. They urge the listener to take off their mask, perhaps meaning to let go of any inhibitions or pretense, and kiss them. The repetition of the words "dancing" and "spinning" creates a sense of movement and momentum, as if the music itself is propelling the dancers forward.
The chorus shifts focus slightly, as the singer asks the listener to "come with me" and "dance on my heart suit your feet." This could be interpreted as an invitation to connect emotionally with the singer, to join them in a shared experience. The final lines, "So joyous my mind make my heart sing," suggest that the act of dancing and being present in the moment is a source of joyful liberation.
Overall, "Powdered Wig Machine" seems to celebrate the freedom and release that comes from dancing without inhibition. The repetition of key phrases and the urgent tone of the lyrics suggest a desire to let go and be fully present in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you take this dance
Asking someone to dance with him/her
This dance with me
Inviting the person to dance with him/her
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to dance
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Won't you take my hand
Asking the person to join hands with him/her
My hand with me
Inviting the person to hold hands with him/her
Singing
Singing while dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Come to me
Asking the person to come closer
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to dance
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Take off your mask
Asking the person to reveal his/her true self
Singing
Singing while dancing
Your mask, kiss me
Asking the person to reveal himself/herself and kiss him/her
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Kissing
Referring to the act of kissing
Singing
Singing while dancing
Come on, dance on my heart suit your feet
Asking the person to dance on his/her heart
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Kissing
Referring to the act of kissing
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the kiss
Singing
Singing while dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Singing
Singing while dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to come closer
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Kissing
Referring to the act of kissing
Singing
Singing while dancing
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Dancing
Referring to the act of dancing
Kissing
Referring to the act of kissing
Singing
Singing while dancing
Awwwww, come on
Expressing an enjoyable moment
Come on
Encouraging the person to join the dance
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Singing
Singing while referring to the loss of joy in life
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Spinning
Referring to the movement while dancing
Singing
Singing while still referring to the loss of joy in life
Singing
Referring to the act of singing
Singing
Referring to the act of singing
So joyous my mind make my heart sing
Expressing the immense joy in his/her heart through the act of dancing and singing
Contributed by Grayson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.