After Tod left his previous group, Cop Shoot Cop, he quickly regrouped and formed Firewater to explore the styles of music Cop Shoot Cop had only hinted at, including klezmer, cabaret, ska, jazz, and gypsy forms. More than one source described the original Firewater lineup as an "indie rock supergroup", based on members such as Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, Yuval Gabay of Soul Coughing, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields, and Hahn Rowe. This original lineup proved unable to tour, and Tod recruited new musicians for the band's first tour. While the lineup has changed over the years, with many different musicians appearing on different albums and tours, Tod remains the singer, songwriter, and bassist of Firewater.
Firewater has released six albums, and has seen some success, especially in Europe and on United States college radio stations.
Their previous album, Songs We Should Have Written, is a collection of cover songs. It includes songs written by Robyn Hitchcock, The Rolling Stones ("Paint It Black" reinterpreted as a crawlingly slow raga which "shove(s) a few downers down the song's throat to counter the original version's adrenaline-fueled fire" ), and a "dark and sweet" take of Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On", described as "10 times more ominous and 20 times more pleasurable" than the original. The album also includes a modern rendition of the Johnny Cash anthem "Folsom Prison Blues".
Their latest album, The Golden Hour, has been recorded with various local musicians and friends when Tod A went on sabbatical and travelled through Thailand, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Israel. The record was released May 6 in 2008. The band is currently (October, 2008) touring in support of the album.
She
Firewater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crippled wings
X's for eyes
And the clouds are screaminG headlines across a tabloid sky
this isn't me
It's just a joke
All this breathing makes me choke
(chrous)
She's the mistake
I've been dying to make
Since I can remember
Golden arrow
Straight to the MARROW
OLDER THAN FLAME
She is the drug
I've been dying to take
Forever and ever
I'm hooked and helpless
Tangled and hopeless
Floating away
the music stops and there she stands
With a promise in her hands
She's a surveillance camera super star
Without a prayer
And every passing LIGHT that penetrates my shutterED mind
Illuminates the grim parade
That swirls around me
(chorus)2x
The lyrics to Firewater's song "She's the Mistake" depict the singer's struggle with addiction and their desire to indulge in a dangerous obsession with a mysterious woman. The imagery of "coming down from on high" with "crippled wings" and "X's for eyes" suggests a fallen angel or someone who has hit rock bottom. The "tabloid sky" and "screaming headlines" create a sense of chaos and confusion.
The singer acknowledges that their desire for this woman is irrational and potentially harmful, saying "this isn't me" and "it's just a joke". However, they are unable to resist the urge to pursue her, describing themselves as a "puppet skeleton" on "twisted wires" being controlled by their addiction.
The chorus is a refrain of the titular line, "She's the mistake I've been dying to make". The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's sense of inevitability and recklessness in their pursuit of this woman. The use of language like "golden arrow", "older than flame", and "drug" paint her as a dangerous but irresistible temptation.
Overall, the lyrics to "She's the Mistake" are a vivid portrayal of addiction and the self-destructive tendencies it can inspire. The use of poetic imagery and repetition create a haunting, almost hypnotic effect that captures the allure and danger of obsession.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming down from on high
Descending from a higher place
Crippled wings
Unable to fly due to damage
X's for eyes
Eyes closed or lifeless
And the clouds are screaminG headlines across a tabloid sky
The clouds are creating dramatic and exaggerated headlines in the sky
this isn't me
This behavior or situation is not typical of me
It's just a joke
This is not a serious matter
All this breathing makes me choke
Feeling suffocated or overwhelmed
And I hang like a puppet skeleton on twisted wires
Feeling helpless or controlled by external forces
She's the mistake
Referring to a person as a mistake
I've been dying to make
Desperately wanting to make a mistake
Since I can remember
For as long as I can recall
Golden arrow
A metaphor for a powerful attraction
Straight to the MARROW
Striking at the core of one's being
OLDER THAN FLAME
An attraction that has existed for a long time
She is the drug
Referring to a person as a drug
I've been dying to take
Desperately wanting to take this drug/person
Forever and ever
For all time
I'm hooked and helpless
Feeling addicted and unable to resist
Tangled and hopeless
Feeling confused and without hope
Floating away
Drifting off or losing oneself
the music stops and there she stands
A sudden pause in the music as a person enters the scene
With a promise in her hands
Holding something promising or enticing
She's a surveillance camera super star
A metaphor for a person who is always watching and observing
Without a prayer
Without hope or help
And every passing LIGHT that penetrates my shutterED mind
Any positive thought or possibility that enters a mind that has been closed off
Illuminates the grim parade
Makes the sad reality more clear
That swirls around me
Referring to negative circumstances that are beyond one's control
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sleuthed
Tod really shows off his vocal range here. I can usually sing along almost spot on with his songs but he's given me a bit of a challenge here by going all the way down to a D2.
Ricardo Petinga
Coming down from on high
Crippled wings
X's for eyes
And the clouds are screaming headlines across a tabloid sky
This isn't me
It's just a joke
All this breathing makes me choke
And I hang like a puppet skeleton on twisted wires
She's the mistake
I've been dying to make
Since I can remember
Golden arrow
Straight to the marrow
Folded in flame
She is the drug
I've been dying to take
For ever and ever
I'm hooked and I'm helpless
Tangled and cold
Floating away
The music stops
And there she stands
With a promise in her hands
She's a surveillance camera superstar without a prayer
And every passing light
That penetrates my shattered mind
Illuminates the grim parade that swirls around me
She's the mistake
I've been dying to make
Since I can remember
Golden arrow
Straight to the marrow
Folded in flame
She is the drug
I've been dying to take
For ever and ever
I'm hooked and I'm helpless
Tangled and cold
Floating away...
David Chalupiak
It's that one that didn't end well but was worth it.
ni ha
great great band...i saw them 2001 in "ebensee" Austria ;)
IAmKrow
"All this breathing makes me choke"
Wulfiebaby
Tod sees what's inside my head and gives words to it. Too bad it doesn't stop me from making the same mistakes...