The group took their name from the name of a Flintstones character, which, in turn, was a parody of singer Mel Torme's nickname; the Velvet Fog. The group first came together in the Minneapolis area in 1989 as a country-rock reaction to the punk and hardcore music that dominated the Twin Cities' musical scene at the time; eventually Golden Smog became something of a fixture at local clubs, where they would play a handful of shows annually. Golden Smog's lineup has often changed, though Run Westy Run guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson as well as guitarists Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) and Gary Louris (the Jayhawks) were relative constants.
The definitive beginning of Golden Smog is hard to pinpoint given the mercurial nature of the band's lineup. Some point back to a show in January of 1987 when a band billed as 'The Take It To The Limit Band' played an all Eagles cover show at the Uptown Bar in Minneapolis. This band consisted of Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner (both of Soul Asylum), Jim Boquist (later of Son Volt), and Martin Zellar (Gear Daddies). The show ended with a cover of then Bangles hit song Walk Like An Egyptian. This same band later played a The Rolling Stones themed show in 1989 under the name "Her Satanic Majesty's Paycheck."
Between these early covers shows, and Golden Smog's first album, it is unclear what happened. It's hard to claim that these early shows were by Golden Smog, but rather in hindsight they were played in the spirit of the early Golden Smog. In 1992, Dan Murphy, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman (bassist for The Jayhawks), Kraig Johnson, and Chris Mars (the Replacements) released Golden Smog's first CD, a covers EP entitled On Golden Smog. This was followed four years later in 1996 by their full-length debut, Down By The Old Mainstream, recorded at Pachyderm Recording Studio with a lineup that included Kraig Johnson, Dan Murphy, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, and Honeydogs drummer Noah Levy (all of whom recorded under pseudonyms as a result of contractual obligations). A few years later the band reformed with Jody Stephens (of Big Star) taking over for Noah on the drums (Jody had previously played with the band during a New Years Eve show in Chicago in 1996). This new incarnation of Golden Smog released Weird Tales in 1998.
In 2005 a new incarnation of the smog formed and recorded a new album in Spain. The new album is entitled Another Fine Day and was released on July, 18th 2006 on the Lost Highway Records. This album features both Jody Stephens and Linda Pitmon from Zuzu's Petals on drums. This album, like the previous couple is of a more coherent band, although Jeff Tweedy is only featured on a few songs. In the summer of 2006, the Smog played a couple of shows in Minneapolis and New York City. These shows were without Tweedy, as he had previously stated that he was too busy to tour with the band. A six-show mini-tour occured in September of 2006. In 2007 Golden Smog released an EP on Lost Highway called Blood On The Slacks.
Backstreet Girl
Golden Smog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want you to be down
Don't want to tell you no lie
Just want you to be around
Please come right up to my ears
You will be able to hear what I say
Don't want you out in my world
Please don't be part of my life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't you bother my wife
That way you won't get no help
Don't try to ride on my horse
You're rather common and coarse anyway
Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl
Please don't you call me at home
Please don't come knocking at night
Please never ring on the phone
Your manners are never quite right
Please take the favors I grant
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me
Don't want you part of my world
Just you be my backstreet girl
Just you be my backstreet girl
The lyrics to the song Backstreet Girl by Golden Smog describe a man's desire to keep a woman he is involved with, as a secret lover. He doesn't want her to be involved in his everyday life, or to be a part of his social circle. He doesn't want her to be too high or too down, he just wants her around, and wants her to keep to herself. He describes her as common and coarse, and asks her not to bother his wife. He doesn't want her to call him or show up unannounced, and asks her to behave a certain way when they are together. He wants her to be his backstreet girl, only available for him privately.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on societal norms and expectations when it comes to relationships. The man is in a position of power and privilege, and he wants to keep his secret lover from disrupting his lifestyle and social status. He doesn't want her to have a place in his world, but still wants her to be available to him when he desires. This song can be seen as a critique of this kind of power dynamic in relationships, and the objectification of women.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol
I don't want you to be down
I don't want you to be sad or depressed
Don't want to tell you no lie
I don't want to deceive you or withhold the truth
Just want you to be around
I want you to be present and spend time with me
Please come right up to my ears
Please come close to me so that you can hear what I say
You will be able to hear what I say
You will be able to listen to and understand what I am saying
Don't want you out in my world
I don't want you to be part of my public life or social circle
Just you be my backstreet girl
Just be someone I can have a secret relationship with, away from the public eye
Please don't be part of my life
Please don't become an integral part of my personal life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please maintain your privacy and don't reveal too much about yourself to me
Please don't you bother my wife
Please don't interfere with or disturb my marital status
That way you won't get no help
If you stay away from my wife, I won't help you out in any way either
Don't try to ride on my horse
Don't try to take advantage of my success or achievements
You're rather common and coarse anyway
You lack refinement and sophistication, so you wouldn't fit in with my lifestyle
Please don't you call me at home
Please don't contact me at my residence or personal phone number
Please don't come knocking at night
Please don't visit me at night or at any inappropriate time
Please never ring on the phone
Please don't call or contact me at all
Your manners are never quite right
You lack proper etiquette and behavior in social situations
Please take the favors I grant
Please accept the assistance or favors that I offer
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me
Show a polite gesture, but act indifferent towards anyone else, just for my sake
Don't want you part of my world
I don't want you to be part of my public life or social circle
Just you be my backstreet girl
Just be someone I can have a secret relationship with, away from the public eye
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind