Grant Lee Buffalo has an Americana-tinged sound, clearly influenced by the likes of Neil Young and elements of old-fashioned country music, and often tackled political and social issues in their lyrics (for example, "Lone Star Song" from Mighty Joe Moon references the infamous Waco siege). They toured with major bands of the early-to-mid 1990s such as R.E.M., Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins.
Jupiter and Teardrop
Grant Lee Buffalo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And her sweetheart on parole
Parents named her jupiter
To bless her with a lucky soul
He's a boy who never cried
When they locked him up inside
And she nicknamed him her teardrop
For the tattoo by his eye
Now she's sleeping in her bed
And he's sleeping in her bed
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and teardrop
She divines by radio
Pushing buttons show to show
And she wonders 'bout the fate of
Lovers in the barrio
She forgets after a while
When she tunes in on the dial
Jackie wilson's lonely teardrops
And she drives another mile
Now she's sleeping in her bed
And he's sleeping in her bed
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And they want to have a child
Walk together down the aisle
But the world they live in is mean
And it's built on sheer denial
The phone rings it's for her
Got to see ya jupiter
I'm in trouble with the law
Bring my 38 caliber
Now she's sleeping in her bed
As she pulls the phone plug dead
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and teardrop oh
And it's jupiter and teardrop
And it's jupiter and tear oh
And it's jupiter and tear
Oh oh
Oh oh oh
The song “Jupiter and Teardrop” by Grant Lee Buffalo is a melancholic ballad portraying the story of two young lovers, Jupiter and Teardrop. Jupiter is named after the planet by her parents for good luck, while Teardrop is a nickname given to him by Jupiter for the tattoo by his eye. Teardrop is on parole and has been locked up on the inside several times, but he never cries. Jupiter, on the other hand, is a girl who always says "yes" and is easily swayed by people's emotions. She spends a lot of time listening to the radio and choosing which songs to listen to. Jackie Wilson's Lonely Teardrops is one song she always finds herself tuning into.
The song then shifts towards depicting the couple's dreams of having a child and walking down the aisle together. However, this dream is overshadowed by the harsh and dangerous world they live in where phone calls could mean life or death. And when Teardrop calls Jupiter required to bring his 38 caliber, she is forced to make the ultimate decision to protect her life by disconnecting the phone and lying in her bed, as Teardrop sleeps by her side. The song ends with the chorus of “Jupiter and Teardrop,” a somber reflection of their love and the challenges they face.
**Fun facts about Jupiter and Teardrop:**
* The song was featured on the 1994 album “Mighty Joe Moon” and released as a single later that year.
* It was Grant Lee Buffalo's most commercially successful song, peaking at #28 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
* The song was featured in the soundtrack of the 1996 film “Curdled.”
* “Jupiter and Teardrop” was inspired by a real-life couple who singer/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips had met, though their identities have never been revealed.
* Actor Tim Robbins, who was a fan of the band, directed the music video which features the 1955 Lincoln Capri that is seen in many of his films.
* The album "Mighty Joe Moon" was recorded at "The Complex" in West Los Angeles, which is known for being the studio where Johnny Cash and June Carter recorded their duet album.
* Rolling Stone magazine named the album "Mighty Joe Moon" as one of the "Essential Recordings of the 1990s."
* Former Police drummer Stewart Copeland played drums on the album.
* The song has been covered by several artists, including Counting Crows and K's Choice.
* Grant Lee Buffalo disbanded in 1999, but Grant Lee Phillips continues to perform as a solo artist.
**Chords (as played live):**
Verse: Em D C G (repeated throughout the verse)
Chorus: A D G (repeated twice before going back to the verse)
Line by Line Meaning
Just a girl who can't say no
There's a girl who is known for never saying no.
And her sweetheart on parole
She's in a relationship with a guy who is out on parole.
Parents named her Jupiter
Her parents chose the name Jupiter for her to give her a lucky soul.
To bless her with a lucky soul
Her parents named her Jupiter in the belief that it would give her good fortune.
He's a boy who never cried
The guy she is with is stoic and doesn't cry.
When they locked him up inside
He was imprisoned at some point in his life.
And she nicknamed him her teardrop
She refers to him as her teardrop due to the tattoo by his eye.
For the tattoo by his eye
He has a tattoo by his eye that makes her think of a teardrop.
Now she's sleeping in her bed
She is currently in bed asleep.
And he's sleeping in her bed
Her partner is also asleep in the same bed.
And it's jupiter and teardrop
They are often referred to as Jupiter and Teardrop.
She divines by radio
She uses the radio to search for meaning in life.
Pushing buttons show to show
She changes radio stations frequently.
And she wonders 'bout the fate of
She contemplates what happens to people like her and her partner.
Lovers in the barrio
She's thinking about couples in her neighborhood.
She forgets after a while
She eventually forgets her thoughts and moves on.
When she tunes in on the dial
When she finds a song she likes on the radio.
Jackie Wilson's lonely teardrops
This is the name of a song she hears on the radio.
And she drives another mile
She continues driving while listening to the music.
And they want to have a child
They both want to have a child.
Walk together down the aisle
They want to get married and walk down the aisle together.
But the world they live in is mean
The world they live in isn't kind to people like them.
And it's built on sheer denial
Their society is in a state of refusal and ignorance.
The phone rings it's for her
She receives a phone call.
Got to see ya jupiter
The person on the phone wants to speak with her partner.
I'm in trouble with the law
The person on the phone is in legal trouble.
Bring my 38 caliber
The caller is requesting a gun for protection.
As she pulls the phone plug dead
She disconnects the phone call by pulling the plug from the wall.
And it's jupiter and teardrop
They are still known as Jupiter and Teardrop.
And it's jupiter and teardrop oh
Continued acknowledgment of themselves as Jupiter and Teardrop.
And it's jupiter and teardrop
They are again referred to as Jupiter and Teardrop.
And it's jupiter and tear oh
A brief mispronunciation of the name.
And it's jupiter and tear
Final reference to them as Jupiter and Tear.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Grant Phillips
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charleigh195
I was 23 when I first got this song I’m now 51 and I still love it but fuck me I feel old.
@reacher29
Shakespeare himself would stand and applaud this. Epic and timeless
@Free.Speech.
It doesn't get much better than this...
@lyonslaforet
Fuzzy is one of the most important albums released in 1993.
@deadsherry
why?
@adampoe2797
@@deadsherry
;)
@RichardWHardwick
Jupiter and Teardrop - a song for all those good men and women, boys and girls, I've met living in hostels and prisons, and all those people struggling in and out of love, when the cards they were dealt were not the easiest ...
@craigjames2851
My best mate used to give me a new song every day and this was one of them. He's gone now too early but I have all these songs that he left me with.
@shoeaddict666
I love that, that he cared enough to give you something new every single day and now you have his life in music to remember him by. Sweet. Sorry he's gone, he sounds great.
@simonsherratt1484
What a great song, what an amazing singer