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.
Looking Forward to Seeing You
Golden Smog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the sunshine of my time
In a station off the coastline
Coming in view
Looking forward to seeing you
In that one room down the hallway
With two doorways and a window
It all comes in threes
I purchase six and I still got three
Looking forward to seeing you
Where the sun shines off the coastline
In a station on your time
Coming in view
Looking forward to seeing you
In that one room down the hallway
With two windows and a doorway
We can't get through
It all comes in threes
I purchase six and I still got three
Looking forward to seeing you ...
The lyrics of Golden Smog's song "Looking Forward To Seeing You" portray a sense of anticipation and excitement for a desired meeting with someone special. The first verse mentions waiting for the person to arrive at a station off the coastline, where their presence will bring sunshine to the singer's time. The second verse describes a particular room with two doorways and a window that lacks a view; while this space may seem unremarkable, it holds special significance in the singer's mind as a place where they hope to see the person.
The chorus repeats the phrase "looking forward to seeing you," emphasizing the eagerness and longing the singer feels. There is a hint of melancholy in the lyrics, as well; the line "we can't get through" suggests possible barriers or obstacles to the meeting, and the repetition of the phrase "it all comes in threes" implies a sense of uncertainty or incompleteness. Despite these potential concerns, the overall tone of the song remains one of hopeful anticipation.
Overall, "Looking Forward To Seeing You" is a poignant, beautifully written love song with simple yet evocative lyrics. It captures the excitement and uncertainty of waiting for a long-awaited reunion with someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking forward to seeing you
Eagerly anticipating the moment of meeting again
In the sunshine of my time
In the bright moments of my life
In a station off the coastline
In a place near the shore
Coming in view
Becoming visible
In that one room down the hallway
In that particular room that is down the hallway
With two doorways and a window
Containing two doors and one window
Without a view
Lacking a pleasing sight outside the window
It all comes in threes
Things seem to happen in patterns of three
I purchase six and I still got three
Despite buying six of something, three are still remaining
Where the sun shines off the coastline
Where the sunlight reflects off the shore
In a station on your time
In a place that is convenient for your schedule
In that one room down the hallway
In that specific room located down the hallway
With two windows and a doorway
Containing two windows and one doorway
We can't get through
Unable to enter or pass through
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KRAIG JARETT JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind