Twister
Fall Lyrics


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The magnificent structure straddled the river
As I dictated my autobiography to my biographer
When I heard this tune
My title was "Renegade Genius"
But was interrupted much too soon
Was interrupted much too soon
I received this line
Twister
From me in Hampstead he received a letter
I headed it "Dear Twister"
Up from West Hampstead I visited Keswick
On permission from the guard
I begun like this but could not continue it
When I heard this tune
(It begun like this but could not continue it)
My ears were burned
By this tune
My head swooned
By this tune

Twister
The train from London on day of lunacy
Was packed with innocents
Children tended by walkman'd parents
Cretins auditioning
For non-existent parts on TV One
The train was a tube
Within the crushing beauty of the countryside
On the London-Keswick run

Twister
[My head burned...burned...da da da da..my ears burned..
countryside has sold out..countryside...cheap phone calls home...
accent all around..cheap phone calls...ramble..grinning...
normally..rambled...in my ear hole...was day of lunacy..some things
like...explosives..of pages turned..shadows..massive fucking noises...pop stars.. heh heh hackles...try mystic meg..twister...rustic town...
twister]





Twister

Overall Meaning

The song "Twister" by the Fall is a vividly descriptive and autobiographical piece that takes the listener on a journey across different locations and experiences. The lyrics are packed with references to places such as the river, Hampstead, West Hampstead, and Keswick, and the singer's encounters with various people and situations. The song opens with the singer perched on a magnificent structure that straddles the river, dictating his autobiography to his biographer. He is interrupted by the tune of the song, which cracks his composure and sends his mind spinning. The singer then tells of a letter he received from someone he calls "Twister" and how he visited Keswick but was unable to continue his narration as he was burned and swooned by the tune of the song.


As the song progresses, the singer takes us on a train journey from London to Keswick, where he observes the scenery and the people around him. The train is packed with innocent-looking children and their parents, some listening to music on their walkman, while others are trying out for non-existent parts on TV. The countryside outside the train is described as both crushingly beautiful and sold out, with cheap phone calls and accents all around. The singer's head burns with different thoughts and sounds, from pop stars to shadows and explosions, as he tries to make sense of his surroundings.


Overall, the song is a stream-of-consciousness exploration of the singer's experiences, both external and internal, as he travels across different regions and meets different people. The theme of the "twister" and its role in interrupting the singer's thoughts and experiences adds a surreal and dreamlike quality to the song.


Line by Line Meaning

The magnificent structure straddled the river
There was a grand and imposing building that crossed over the river


As I dictated my autobiography to my biographer
I was telling the story of my life to the person tasked with documenting it


When I heard this tune
At the moment that I listened to this song


My title was "Renegade Genius"
I was calling myself a rebellious and brilliant thinker


But was interrupted much too soon
My thoughts and train of thought were cut off unexpectedly early


I received this line
There was a particular phrase or segment of the song that caught my attention


From me in Hampstead he received a letter
I sent a message to someone from the Hampstead area


I headed it "Dear Twister"
I addressed the recipient of my message as "Twister"


Up from West Hampstead I visited Keswick
I traveled from West Hampstead to Keswick


On permission from the guard
I had been granted permission to make this journey


I begun like this but could not continue it
I started a particular project or task, but was unable to finish it


My ears were burned
I was deeply affected by what I heard


By this tune
Specifically by the song that I was listening to


My head swooned
I felt dizzy or disoriented in my mind


The train from London on day of lunacy
On a particular day, there was a train leaving London that encouraged unpredictable or irrational behavior


Was packed with innocents
The train was full of people who were not aware of or involved in the strange goings-on


Children tended by walkman'd parents
The young passengers on the train were being looked after by adults who were listening to music through headphones


Cretins auditioning
There were foolish and unskilled people attempting to make their way in the entertainment industry


For non-existent parts on TV One
These individuals were hoping to secure roles on a television network that didn't actually exist


The train was a tube
The enclosed and crowded space of the train car made it feel like a small, confined space


Within the crushing beauty of the countryside
Despite the fact that the land outside was amazing and awe-inspiring, the interior conditions of the train made it unbearable


On the London-Keswick run
The train was following a particular route between the two cities


My head burned...burned...da da da da..my ears burned..
The song that I was listening to came on again and it was overwhelming and overpowering


countryside has sold out..countryside...cheap phone calls home...
At this point, the artist's stream of consciousness becomes scattered and hard to follow, with phrases seeming to touch on themes of commercialism and isolation


accent all around..cheap phone calls...ramble..grinning...
Lines like this continue the same train of thought, evoking an atmosphere of confusion and disorientation


normally..rambled...in my ear hole...was day of lunacy..some things like...explosives..of pages turned..shadows..massive fucking noises...pop stars.. heh heh hackles...try mystic meg..twister...rustic town...
The lyrics become increasingly fragmented and abstract, with images flitting by without any concrete sense


twister
The chorus line is repeated once more as the song concludes




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anthony Richard Michael Smith, Jonathan David Maris

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Nick Forbes-Warren

Fantastic guitar riffing - actually the whole damn tune is EPIC. One of the mighty Fall's best ones!! Never played live either as far as I know.

Sunil Chopra

What a monster track, big verses and eerie choruses. Epic

Phoenix

A masterpiece

Bethan Davies

A forgotten favourite. X

Leslie Schmidt

this one slipped by me

Romantotale Rant77

A very underestimated album to my ears

Romantotale Rant77

Exactly what I was thinking
🤔☠️👀

hannemankingtube

I think he meant Kendal which has a train station, not Keswick. (I live nearby, not a trainspotter)

Andrew Holburn

Ghost Informant

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