How appropriate that his fifth and latest disc bears the title “Balloons.” From the much-lauded 2000 LP “Icarus Grounded” (featured everywhere from the Chicago Tribune to the Discovery Channel) to this cloud-skimming new disc, Altergott always aims high. He yearns to break free, transcend boundaries … and take listeners with him for the ride.
Produced by Chicago drummer extraordinaire Chuck Harling and engineered by Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, Lloyd Maines), “Balloons” gathers 11 songs, played by the crack trio The Whole Fantastic World. Harling and Nashville young-’uns Daniel Sherron (guitars) and Craig Hamilton (bass) are joined on “Balloons” by prominent guests including horn deity Paul Von Mertens (arranger-bandleader, Brian Wilson) and Chicago folk chanteuse Heather Perry.
On the glorious title track, Jeffrey captures the contradictions we feel as soaring souls stuffed in flesh-and-blood cages: “Maybe if I can embrace/ things about myself I hate/ it would be less a coffin and more a womb.” Altergott sounds meditative and hopeful on “Dandelion,” a post-Paisley trip that blends electric piano and phased guitar like wild sprouts bursting from dark earth.
Closer to reality—reality TV, that is—Altergott takes on tabloid journalism with rapier wit and a kickass beat in “Dismal”: “You’ve got reality/ You’ve got the hospital/ You’ve the crime-scene drama/ Could it be that we’re addicted to trauma?”
“Balloons” picks up where his tender 2007 acoustic predecessor “Don't Be a Stranger” left off—but with just the right dashes of rock-your-ass-off swagger and playful shuffle that marked Altergott’s 2004 release, “Runt.” Altergott fleshes out two songs from “Stranger” with startling results. “Every Day Is A Reason” grafts earnest lyrics about the struggles of a gay couple onto a free-gallop backbeat: “Sticks and stones may break our bones/ We’re still a family anyway.” On the more whimsical side, “Kickstand”—filled to the brim with those juicy Mertens horns—sounds like it was channeled from an enchanted swing-era radio in an antique shop corner.
Altergott has garnered high praise from the likes of WXRT-FM deejay Richard Milne (as a “Local Anesthetic” capsule pick), the Chicago Reader, and LinuxTag—which handpicked the title song from “Icarus Grounded” for its first OpenSource compilation CD, released in Europe.
If you seek a smart, engaging interviewee who can talk about almost anything, from the spiritual thrust of his songs to electrical engineering (yes, Altergott built his own recording studio), then contact Justin Brown or Emily Lichter at public emily to set up an interview about the making of “Balloons,” by far his most engaging, challenging record to date.
Rock Star
Jeffrey Altergott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Living life of change
Know I'm a tadpole
In a puddle in the rain
Think you should stop now
Don't even know my name
I deceived you
Again I fool you
You think that I'm asleep
I pull you to me
And kiss your body clean
We sit on the floor
Your back to my chest
I deceived you
A cold hand blesses me
But it's too late
Some god I don't know
Already filled my plate
I toss a crumb to you
It makes me think I'm great
I deceived you
Will I be rich, will I be poor
I'm not a freak will I be ignored
The lyrics to Jeffrey Altergott's song Rock Star are reflective of the allure and pitfalls of fame. The song begins with a comparison between the singer and a rock star, highlighting the vast differences in their lifestyles. The rock star is living a life of constant change, while the singer feels like a helpless tadpole in a puddle in the rain. The rock star is unknown to the singer, emphasizing his insignificance on the larger scale of fame. The singer begs for the rock star to take pity and stop, as he feels overwhelmed and helpless in the face of the rock star's success.
The second verse takes a turn towards sensuality as the singer deceives someone whom he has brought close. By pretending to be asleep, he pulls them in and kisses their body clean. Their physical closeness makes them feel connected, as they sit with their backs to each other. However, the third and final verse of the song relates back to the struggles of fame. The singer feels like he has been blessed with a small crumb in comparison to the god that he does not know. It is as if he has a taste of what it feels like to be great, but it's just a small piece in comparison to what he desires. The chorus repeats the phrase "I deceived you," and ultimately the final lines express the singer's fears about his future, wondering if he'll be rich, poor, or simply ignored.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at the rock star
Observing the successful yet ever-changing persona of a rock star.
Living life of change
The constantly transforming and adapting lifestyle of the rock star.
Know I'm a tadpole
Realization of being a small, insignificant entity compared to the rock star.
In a puddle in the rain
Being in a vulnerable and exposed position, like a helpless tadpole in a puddle during a rainstorm.
Think you should stop now
Suggesting that the rock star should end their performance, although they don't even know the artist's name.
Don't even know my name
Further emphasizing the singer's insignificance to the rock star.
Again I fool you
Deceiving the same person, repeating a previous action.
You think that I'm asleep
Making the same person believe that the artist is unaware, in this case, pretending to be asleep.
I pull you to me
Drawing the same person towards the artist.
And kiss your body clean
Making an intimate connection, through the act of cleaning their body.
We sit on the floor
Both individuals sit on the floor together.
Your back to my chest
The physical position of the individuals when sitting on the floor.
A cold hand blesses me
A sudden feeling of something cold is experienced by the singer as a form of blessing.
But it's too late
Despite the blessing, it seems to have come too late to make a difference.
Some god I don't know
Reference to an unknown or unfamiliar god.
Already filled my plate
The artist's need or desire has already been satisfied before the blessing had any effect.
I toss a crumb to you
Giving a small, insignificant token to the same person.
It makes me think I'm great
The small offering makes the singer feel important or noteworthy.
Will I be rich, will I be poor
The singer is unsure whether they will achieve financial success or failure.
I'm not a freak will I be ignored
The artist hopes to avoid being completely disregarded or rejected despite being different from others.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN STORY, ANNA GAYE, ANNA GORDY GAYE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind