Lead songwriter and vocalist of the now reunited Pixies, Frank Black adopted a reversal of his former alias, Black Francis, and embarked on his solo career after the 1992 breakup of Pixies. He released his debut self-titled album, Frank Black in 1993. It contains his biggest rock radio hit, Los Angeles (#4 US Modern Rock). A year later came the critically acclaimed Teenager of the Year.
Frank Black's solo career covers a much more diverse range of styles and genres compared to his time with The Pixies. His works have feature a much more melodic touch, yet his lyrics are still often spiced with his quirky and inventive touch.
Frank Black regularly posts and responds to questions on the forums of his official fan site, frankblack.net, under the alias "frnck blck".
He began recording and touring as Black Francis in 2007, with the album Bluefinger, an album about the late Dutch musician and painter Herman Brood, and the mini album Svn Fngrs in 2008. On this tour he abandoned encores in favour of precores; a free mini gig at a public location earlier in the day. The gigs proper featured only current songs, the precores being more flexible.
Black Francis released NonStopErotik in March 2010.
The Pixies, minus original bassist Kim Deal, reunited for a United States and world tour in 2014 and have subsequently released three additional studio albums: Indie Cindy (2014), Head Carrier (2016) and Beneath the Eyrie (2019).
Sing For Joy
Frank Black Lyrics
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He used to kiss the world till it made him cry
He was under the bottle's command
But one winter he got it together and
Happiness came with the warmer weather laying across all the land
He had a love she also liked to drink
She got it together
I think she was still feeling glum
She took a gun and she shot him in the head
She shot herself and so they were wed as the air conditioner hummed
Sing for joy
Sing for laughs
Sing for joy
Sing for joy
If nothing else
Sing for joy
Mamma killed a pumpkin
She thought it was a sweet
She put it on the table
But it was still meat
She forgot the sugar again
Daddy came home, she had tears in her eyes
He said "Gimme grilled cheese
And paper bag French fries"
See, he forgot the sugar again
We had a wander seven years out West
It wasn't exactly the wilderness
But I felt like an Israelite
Mamma is a gypsy, she'll never find her town
Daddy went to sea but the boat went down
And the flames shot into the night
Sing for joy
Sing for laughs
Sing for joy
Sing for joy
If nothing else
Sing for joy
I know a girl who lives on the hill
I don't know if her sister will
Or I was thinking about her best friend
Oh listen to me
I'm a desperate boy
I think I better have a sing for joy
And I guess this has just got to end
I'll get away in my get away car
Every now and then I'll send my regards
From a payphone down in the flats
I'm sorry for the love
I'm sorry for the pain
I'll say I'm sorry baby again and again
I'm sorry we're joining the stats
Sing for joy
Sing for laughs
Sing for joy
Sing for joy
If nothing else
Sing for joy
Frank Black's "Sing For Joy" is a deeply poignant and deliriously catchy track that offers a series of disconnected and seemingly unrelated vignettes. Georgie Porgie used to get intoxicated and kissed the world, but one winter, he got it together, and happiness arrived with the warmer weather. However, his love, who also enjoyed drinking, shot him in the head and then shot herself. Mamma killed a pumpkin thinking it was a cake, and Daddy forgot to add sugar to her tea again. Black then proceeds to sing about seven years spent in the West, his nomadic Gypsy mother's search for her town, and his father's ill-fated voyage, which ended with flames shooting into the night sky. The song ends with Black apologizing for the pain and love he's caused, which he admits will add to the long list of statistical miseries of the world. Black emphasizes that it's important to sing for joy even as the world keeps piling on the misery.
The lyrics of the song are cryptic and often don't appear to make sense. The first two stanzas of the song focus on the story of Georgie Porgie, who experiences some change in his circumstances that enables him to enjoy the warmer weather that has come around. The second verse talks about Mama killing a pumpkin thinking it was a sweet and Daddy forgetting to add sugar to her tea. The third verse is about Black's family's seven-year wandering across Western America, while the fourth one focuses on Black's girl troubles. But despite the song's seeming lack of coherence, there's a sense of disorienting pain that runs throughout. In the end, the lyrics of the song seem to suggest that even as the world around us crumbles, it's still essential to take some time out to sing for joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Georgie Porgie used to get real high
Georgie Porgie was a person who used to consume drugs in large quantities
He used to kiss the world till it made him cry
Georgie Porgie was a person who was overwhelmed by the world around him
He was under the bottle's command
Georgie Porgie's addiction to drugs controlled him
But one winter he got it together and
One winter, Georgie Porgie was able to pull himself out of his addiction
Happiness came with the warmer weather laying across all the land
The arrival of spring/summer brought happiness to Georgie Porgie
He had a love she also liked to drink
Georgie Porgie was in a relationship with someone who also had issues with addiction
She got it together
But you know what I think?
His partner got over her addiction, but the singer thinks she was still sad
I think she was still feeling glum
She took a gun and she shot him in the head
She shot herself and so they were wed as the air conditioner hummed
Despite her getting herself together, his partner killed him and then killed herself
Sing for joy
Sing for laughs
Sing for joy
Sing for joy
If nothing else
Sing for joy
The artist implores the audience to sing for joy despite the tragic events just mentioned
Mamma killed a pumpkin
She thought it was a sweet
She put it on the table
But it was still meat
She forgot the sugar again
Daddy came home, she had tears in her eyes
He said "Gimme grilled cheese
And paper bag French fries"
See, he forgot the sugar again
The artist's mother tried to make something sweet for dessert but accidentally made something savory. It made her very upset. The father tried to make her feel better but ended up forgetting the sugar he was supposed to pick up
We had a wander seven years out West
It wasn't exactly the wilderness
But I felt like an Israelite
The singer and their family went on a journey out West for seven years. Although it wasn't exactly the wilderness, the singer felt like a biblical character (Moses leading the Israelites through the wilderness)
Mamma is a gypsy, she'll never find her town
Daddy went to sea but the boat went down
And the flames shot into the night
The artist's mother is someone who can't settle in one place. The father went out to sea but the ship sank, and the artist witnessed it
I know a girl who lives on the hill
I don't know if her sister will
Or I was thinking about her best friend
Oh listen to me
I'm a desperate boy
I think I better have a sing for joy
And I guess this has just got to end
I'll get away in my get away car
Every now and then I'll send my regards
From a payphone down in the flats
I'm sorry for the love
I'm sorry for the pain
I'll say I'm sorry baby again and again
I'm sorry we're joining the stats
The singer talks about a girl he knows but is not sure if her sister will be interested in him. He is a desperate person and thinks he needs to sing for joy. He plans on leaving and contacting her from a phone booth. He is apologizing for something that has led them to become part of negative statistics
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Charles F Jurgus
on Repo Man
This is actually a cover of an Iggy Pop song.