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.
The Circus
Firewater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Low and heavy across a sky of slate
I remember the angle of your elbow
As it doubled back
In the crack of fists across a face
I remember the suck of boots in mud
Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
Below the concrete bed
The smell of lilac in your hair
Where the stinging nettles grow
The the lonely rushes blow
I left you in a culvert there
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember dying to cry out
But throat-stuck with briars and stones
As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier
Step you lightly now
We must keep our voices down
The dogs of remorse
Follow close on the wind
Take your face off, don't be shy
They can't hunt you with their eyes
But surely they know the scent of sin
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town
I remember falling, falling back
Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Deflowered like a virgin bride
In the ground swell of spring
Underneath that deciduous canopy
Propped up with jagged scaffolding
Is that a train or thunder coming?
Is that a train or thunder?
The lyrics to Firewater feat. Jennifer Charles's song "The Circus" are filled with vivid imagery that paints a picture of intense emotions, violence, and the eventual decay of life. The song opens with a memory of a jet flying low across a dark gray sky, setting an ominous tone that is carried throughout. The second line describes the singer's memory of witnessing violence, with an elbow doubling back in a fight. The description of boots sucking in mud adds a physicality that makes the memory feel real, while the use of the word "guttural" adds a layer of sensuality that is both unexpected and unsettling.
The next section of lyrics transports us to a river's edge, where the singer has left someone in a culvert. The description of the surroundings is poetic but haunting, with the smell of lilacs and lonely rushes blowing. The chorus brings a sense of finality, with the repeated line "ashes to ashes and dust to dust," a nod to the inevitability of death and decay. The arrival of the circus is used as a metaphor for the passage of time and the crumbling of societal institutions.
The third verse brings a sense of desperation, with the singer wanting to cry out but unable to due to physical obstacles. The line "step you lightly now, we must keep our voices down" reinforces the sense of secrecy and danger that runs throughout the song. The final line, asking whether a sound is a train or thunder, feels like a moment of uncertainty and fear, as though something ominous is approaching.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember a jet slowly scraping
I recall a jet moving slowly and noisily
Low and heavy across a sky of slate
It was moving across a dull gray sky, making a deep and dull sound
I remember the angle of your elbow
I recall how your elbow was positioned
As it doubled back
As it moved backwards
In the crack of fists across a face
The sound of fists hitting a face
I remember the suck of boots in mud
I remember hearing the sound of boots sinking into muddy ground
Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
The sounds were deep and related to sex, coming from hidden and secret woods
Down at the river's edge
At the edge of the river
Below the concrete bed
Underneath the concrete structure above us
The smell of lilac in your hair
I noticed the scent of lilac in your hair
Where the stinging nettles grow
In the area where stinging nettles were found
The lonely rushes blow
The reeds were swaying alone in the wind
I left you in a culvert there
I abandoned you in a narrow tunnel under the ground
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
We all die and return to the earth
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Our aspirations and creations eventually disintegrate
Now all the flowers are turning brown
All the pretty things are fading away
'Cause the circus is coming to town
The chaos and drama is on its way
I remember dying to cry out
I wanted to scream but couldn't
But throat-stuck with briars and stones
My throat felt as if it were obstructed with thorns and rocks
As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier
Your lips became redder as blood flowed out of them
Step you lightly now
Walk carefully and quietly
We must keep our voices down
We must remain silent
The dogs of remorse
The feelings of guilt and regret
Follow close on the wind
The sense of remorse is always present
Take your face off, don't be shy
Remove your mask and stop pretending
They can't hunt you with their eyes
No one can see the real you
But surely they know the scent of sin
People can sense immorality
I remember falling, falling back
I recall falling backwards
Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Falling into a bed made of interwoven branches
Deflowered like a virgin bride
Lost innocence, like a young bride losing her virginity
In the ground swell of spring
During spring season, amidst the growing plants
Underneath that deciduous canopy
Beneath the leaves of a tree that sheds its leaves
Propped up with jagged scaffolding
Held up by uneven and sharp structures
Is that a train or thunder coming?
Do I hear the sound of a train or a storm approaching?
Is that a train or thunder?
What did I hear: a train or a storm?
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slink Richard
so beautiful
SAPICHOR
awesome
Jacob Easton
So did she ok I just want to know if she became consensual at some point like I'm sorry I shouldn't ask... I'd say if she's singing about it then she'll never forget it (in a good way?)
videovedo
Well, I can't find in the lyrics any hint of consent from the girl. The singing about being raped and killed - to which nobody would ever consent - might be the trace of a soul forever scarred and lingering about in the places of trauma. The only thing we could, as a risky interpretation, infer from the song might be that she went to the woods willingly, maybe to meet her killer, but without knowing it would be the end for her, for sure.