An avant-gardist with sense of daftness, his name resounded throughout the land since the track "E.V.A." was remixed by Fatboy Slim. At the age of 76 he released a new album. Nowadays he is known as one of the creators of pop music.
Perrey was born in France in 1929. He was studying medicine in Paris when he met George Jenny, inventor of the Ondioline. Quitting medical school, Perrey travelled through Europe demonstrating this keyboard ancestor of the modern synthesizer. At the age of 30, Perrey relocated to New York, sponsored by Caroll Bratman, who built him an experimental laboratory and recording studio. Here he invented "a new process for generating rhythms with sequences and loops", utilising the environmental sounds of "musique concrète." With scissors, splicing tape, and tape recorders, he spent weeks piecing together a uniquely comique take on the future. Befriending Robert Moog, he became one of the first Moog synth musicians, creating "far out electronic entertainment". In 1965 Perrey met Gershon Kingsley, a former colleague of John Cage. Together, using Ondioline and Perrey's loops, they created two albums for Vanguard — The In Sound From Way Out (1966) and Kaleidoscopic Vibrations (1967). Perrey and Kingsley collaborated on sound design for radio and television advertising. Perrey returned to France, composing for television, scoring for ballet and continuing medical research into therapeutic sounds for insomniacs.
The rap group Beastie Boys released an instrumental CD titled, as a tribute to Perrey & Kingsley, The In Sound From Way Out.
Most recently, Perrey had been collaborating with Seattle music/composer Dana Countryman, and they have released two CDs on Oglio Records, "The Happy Electropop Music Machine", and "Destination Space".
In 2010, his song "Chicken on the Rocks" was featured in an episode of "South Park".
His official website can be found at: http://www.jeanjacquesperrey.com/
On a Cloud
Jean-Jacques Perrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When will bombs drop on my house
This is why I keep my thoughts to myself
Cause when I open my mouth
I freak everyone out
When she died it made me wonder
How much time I've got left
Maybe that's morbid
Will I get hit by a car or go down in a plane crash
Will I drown in a lake or get stabbed in the stomach
I might get tired of waiting
And just end this
No apologies
And no fucking promises
Fuck off, Fuck off
You don't know me
And even if you tried
I'd
Tell you where to stick it
I'm so sick of this bullshit
Fuck off, Fuck off
Get out of my way
I hate myself
And everybody
Who says it'll be okay
It'll never be okay
Why should I stick around
Just to watch the whole world
Burn down
Why should I stick around
Just to watch the whole world
Burn down
I've been waiting for a mushroom cloud
When will bombs drop on my house
This is why I keep my thoughts to myself
Cause when I open my mouth
I freak everyone out
In these lyrics from Jean-Jacques Perrey's song, "On a Cloud," the artist explores themes of fear, mortality, and existential dread. The repeated mention of a mushroom cloud alludes to the imminent threat of a nuclear attack, symbolizing the constant looming fear of destruction and chaos. The singer expresses a sense of waiting and anticipation, wondering when disaster will strike and contemplating the potential ways they could meet their end.
The lyrics delve into a deep sense of isolation and alienation, as the singer reflects on the difficulty of sharing their innermost thoughts and fears with others. They acknowledge that their thoughts often disturb and unsettle those around them, causing them to keep their emotions bottled up inside. This sense of disconnect and inability to communicate effectively with others adds to the singer's feelings of despair and hopelessness.
The mention of a personal loss and its impact on the singer further underscores their preoccupation with mortality and the fleeting nature of life. The death of a loved one serves as a stark reminder of the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of how much time one has left. These thoughts lead the singer to contemplate their own mortality and the various ways in which they could meet their end, whether through accidents or acts of violence.
The repetition of the phrase "Why should I stick around / Just to watch the whole world / Burn down" reflects a profound sense of disillusionment and despair. The singer questions the purpose of their existence and struggles to find meaning in a world filled with pain and suffering. The refrain of "Fuck off" and the expression of self-hatred and disdain towards others further convey the singer's feelings of anger, resentment, and alienation. Overall, these lyrics paint a somber and introspective portrait of a person grappling with their fears, anxieties, and sense of isolation in a chaotic and uncertain world.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been waiting for a mushroom cloud
Anticipating destruction and chaos to validate my apocalyptic thoughts
When will bombs drop on my house
Contemplating the inevitability of conflict and violence hitting close to home
This is why I keep my thoughts to myself
Choosing to internalize emotions and fears to avoid rejection and misunderstanding
Cause when I open my mouth
Expressing oneself leads to alienation and discomfort from others
I freak everyone out
My genuine feelings and thoughts unsettle those around me
When she died it made me wonder
Reflecting on mortality and the uncertain amount of time left in life
How much time I've got left
Contemplating the limited nature of existence and potential for sudden tragedy
Maybe that's morbid
Acknowledging that dwelling on death may seem dark or unsettling to others
But I just can't help it
Unable to suppress morbid thoughts and fears about the future
Will I get hit by a car or go down in a plane crash
Considering various tragic ways in which life could end abruptly
Will I drown in a lake or get stabbed in the stomach
Pondering gruesome and unpredictable forms of demise
I might get tired of waiting
Growing weary of the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with anticipating disaster
And just end this
Contemplating the possibility of self-destructive actions to escape perpetual dread
No apologies
Refusing to express regret for one's thoughts and feelings, no matter how unsettling
And no fucking promises
Declining to offer reassurances or commitments to others about the future
Fuck off, Fuck off
Expressing frustration and anger towards those who fail to understand or support emotionally difficult thoughts
You don't know me
Rejecting the notion that others can fully comprehend or relate to one's inner turmoil
And even if you tried
Even if others attempted to empathize or connect, they would still fall short
I'd
I would
Tell you where to stick it
Bluntly informing others of their inadequacy in understanding or offering support
I'm so sick of this bullshit
Fed up with the insincerity and false optimism that surrounds discussions of difficult emotions
Get out of my way
Urging others to leave and cease interfering with personal struggles and thoughts
I hate myself
Struggling with feelings of self-loathing and despair in the face of overwhelming negativity
And everybody
Feeling alienated and disconnected from society at large, including individuals who claim to offer support
Who says it'll be okay
Rejecting attempts at false comfort and reassurance from others about the future
It'll never be okay
Believing that peace of mind and contentment will perpetually elude me
Why should I stick around
Questioning the purpose and value of remaining alive in a world filled with suffering and chaos
Just to watch the whole world
Merely observing as society and humanity experience continued turmoil and destruction
Burn down
Metaphorically or literally witnessing the collapse and decay of the world as I know it
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Rebecca Calvillo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind