Frenetically creative, and playing only by his own rules, Thirlwell has never stopped experimenting and evolving his sound. While his music is most often outside of any genre, it is most frequently described as Industrial or No-Wave. His earlier music is usually quite harsh and distorted, although since Love, his music has become increasingly orchestral and symphonic, sometime sounding like a full orchestra, but is actually only J.G Thirlwell himself, though sometimes assisted by guest musicians on select tracks. His latest album, Hide, goes even further in this direction than Love did, beginning with an operatic piece sung by Abigail Fischer.
He has inspired many following industrial artists; like Nine Inch Nails, Pig and Cop Shoot Cop, among others, with his sonic assault and innovative use of studio technology, and was a key contributor on Coil's groundbreaking debut album Scatology as well as appearing on a few early Nurse With Wound recordings.
Thirlwell has also worked on collaborations under the names of Steroid Maximus (multiple collaborators), Stinkfist (with Lydia Lunch), Flesh Volcano (with Marc Almond), Baby Zizanie (with Jim Coleman) and Wiseblood (with Roli Mosimann of Swans); and does remix work as well, often under the name of Foetus. He also lent his voice to the introduction of album Misguided by Argyle Park.
Thirlwell is currently the Composer In Residence for Adult Swim's "The Venture Brothers".
For the video release of Season 3, a soundtrack album was also released, titled "The Venture Bros.: The Music of JG Thirlwell". This is the same audio CD included as a bonus with the Blu-ray version of Season 3. While the CD release was originally made available at Adult Swim's website, it was given a wide release on May 12, 2009;[15] the vinyl LP release came out a month earlier. It can also be downloaded from most major digital retailers. The CD features 20 tracks, while the vinyl LP release is 16 tracks.[16]
In the episode "The Trial of the Monarch," The Monarch mentions a picture of Dr. Girlfriend "skinny dipping with Jim Foetus," a reference to Thirlwell.
Someone Who Cares
Foetus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Needles and pins
A happy man is a man that wins
Just waiting for ships that never come in
But it ain't over til the fat lady sings
Pins and needles
Needles and pills
Through the clouds up the mouhntain
I took the back stairs
You got me confused with someone who cares
Swastikas drifting outta my credo
I left my libido in a rented tuxedo
The low man on the totem pole
Well I'm-a gettin old, I'm-a gettin sold
Feast or famine baby banquet or beast
You got me confused
With someone who cares
Whatever don't kill you makes you stronger
Into the eye of the hurricane
I worry about what never happens
There's a last time for everything
Pins and needles
Needles and pins
A happy man is a man that wins
Beast or famine baby beggar or beast
You got me confused
With someone who cares
With someone who cares
Pins and needles
Needles and pills
The lyrics of Foetus's song Someone Who Cares speak of a cynical and scarred man, who seems to have given up hope on the good things in life. The first stanza of the song has a contradictory statement that says a happy man is a man that wins, yet the singer is waiting for ships that never come in. He seems to have accepted that his happiness is just a mirage that he cannot achieve because he is stuck in a cycle of hopelessness. The last line of the stanza, "But it ain't over till the fat lady sings," is a popular idiom that means nothing is finished until the very last moment.
The second stanza has a more intense and violent tone compared to the first. The character, who is under the influence of drugs, says that a happy man is a man who kills. He seems to have taken refuge in drugs and violence. "Through the clouds up the mountain, I took the back stairs. You got me confused with someone who cares," shows that he is trying to escape reality by taking drugs and going up the mountain. He does not want to face his problems, and he has no concern for others.
The third stanza has a lot of contradictory statements, which could symbolize the confusion and turmoil inside the singer. The line "Swastikas drifting outta my credo" is a reference to the Nazi ideology he may have once subscribed to. The line “I left my libido in a rented tuxedo” is a metaphor for his loss of sexual desires. The line "The low man on the totem pole, well, I'm-a gettin old, I'm-a gettin sold" would suggest that he used to be at the bottom of the society and is now getting old with troubles he cannot overcome.
Overall, Someone Who Cares is a song that depicts the sad reality many people go through, where they have lost hope in life and have turned to violence and drugs. The singer has become numb to everything around him and feels like he doesn’t care for anyone or anything. He accepts that he has no control over his life, and even the good things that happen are just temporary or don't come at all.
Line by Line Meaning
Pins and needles
Feeling worried and anxious
Needles and pins
Experiencing physical or emotional pain
A happy man is a man that wins
Success is a key ingredient for happiness
Just waiting for ships that never come in
Feeling disappointed when things don't work out as planned
But it ain't over til the fat lady sings
Anything can happen until the very end
Needles and pills
Using drugs to cope with pain and stress
A happy man is a man that kills
Some people find pleasure in causing harm to others
Through the clouds up the mouhntain
Trying to overcome obstacles and challenges
I took the back stairs
Taking a different, unconventional approach to a situation
You got me confused with someone who cares
I don't care about your problems or what happens to you
Swastikas drifting outta my credo
Expressing hateful or extremist beliefs
I left my libido in a rented tuxedo
I'm not interested in sex or romance
The low man on the totem pole
Being at the bottom of the social ladder
Well I'm-a gettin old, I'm-a gettin sold
Feeling like you're losing control of your life
Feast or famine baby banquet or beast
Life is unpredictable and can be either good or bad
Whatever don't kill you makes you stronger
Adversity can make you stronger and more resilient
Into the eye of the hurricane
Facing a dangerous or difficult situation head-on
I worry about what never happens
Being anxious about things that are unlikely to occur
There's a last time for everything
Everything comes to an end eventually
Beast or famine baby beggar or beast
Life can be either bountiful or scarce
You got me confused
I'm not who you think I am
With someone who cares
I don't care about you or your problems
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cloak&Dagger
One of my favorite Foetus songs
Eschaton Immanentizer
Same, just like all the other songs on this album, and his other albums.
So hard to pick a favorite Foetus song.
🌸Carina🌸
Brutal choir harmonies! <3
Worse Than Hitler pt. 2
I played this live on keyboard with 5 tracks of pre-played shit then I played the drums live damn the instrumentation is hard to emulate
Nick N
Absolute genius
IAmKrow
"I left my libido in a rented tuxedo" LOL
Nacho Herrera
Sounds like a slowed version of word up
Miss Red
JG Thirlwell I love you
carl den carliga carlos
lel