Jeffrey Lewis is an American singer/songwriter and comic-book artist, part of the Anti-folk movement. Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song, concerning the song by Leonard Cohen, and The History of The Fall. Like Cohen, Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a depressing world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Born in New York City and growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Island his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs namechecking places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.
Jeffrey Lewis was born in New York in November 1975. He attended State University of New York at Purchase College and graduated in 1997; his final thesis was on the Alan Moore graphic novel "Watchmen".
After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane, and in 2003 he released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through. Lewis later released the album City & Eastern Songs, in the U.K. in November 2005. All three albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote and sang a number of the songs. He has also performed and collaborated with fellow New York Anti-folk singers Kimya Dawson and Diane Cluck.
His latest album, 12 Crass Songs was released on Rough Trade in Europe in September of 2007. As the title suggests, it is 12 covers of the British anarchist punk band Crass. It features vocals, keyboard and recorder from Helen Shriner, bass by both John Kessel and brother Jack Lewis, drums by David Beachamp (live drummer/The Bloodugars) and Raphi Gottesman (who often plays with Jack Lewis). Shwervon's Nan Turner also contributes vocals to various tracks.
Jeffrey Lewis is a Welsh composer. After graduating from University College, Cardiff, he studied composition with Stockhausen, Ligeti, and Boguslaw Schaffer, and electronic composition with Don Banks. His early career was spent as a pianist with the Paris Chamber Ensemble; after his return to the U.K, in 1973 he joined the Department of Music at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.
don't be upset
Jeffrey Lewis Lyrics
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Sea creatures stared at us and
We stared back at them
My baby freaked when she peeked at that
8 legged blob with a beak
She was too scared to speak
I said don't be upset it's only an octopus
Don't bother it and i'm sure
Please don't be upset my darling
Please don't get upset
My baby came riding to meet me one time
On the crowded last car
Of the downtown-bound 9
She was brave but she caved
When the train was delayed
It was just the last straw
In her hard busy day
I said don't get upset 'cause
It's not a catastrophe
Nothing will happen and soon you'll
Be back with me
Please don't be upset my darling
Please don't be upset
My gal's got a headache
Her ankle is hurting too
The boots she bought gave her a
Rash and her wisdom tooth
Is coming in and it's damp
Out and she's having cramps
And she's so mad at me 'cause I didn't shave
I said don't be upset
I know you're feeling sensitive
I'll try to be kinder and be more attentive
Please don't be upset, my darling
Please don't get upset
Darling I said, I'm gonna be 27 soon
And I've only got rejection letters and
A sense of impending doom
And I think it's too late for me
All the comic book companies hate me
And I try but it's always the same
I guess my art is just lame
And it's strange but still somehow I'm
Always "not suiting their needs at this time"
And she said: Don't be upset
You know that you're wonderful
Just keep on trying
(and actually what she really said was)
All you ever wanna talk about is yourself
And your comic books and your
Album and your tour
And every time I see your
Friends they just ask
Me where you are again and it hurts
It makes me feel like dirt
I'm just gonna write where you
Are on my shirt and i said don't be upset
Don't be in a bad mood
Let's just go to a show and
Hang out and feel good
Come on, please don't be upset my darling
Please
Don't be upset, i'll do anything baby
Just don't be upset
The lyrics of Jeffrey Lewis's song "You don’t have to be a scientist to do experiments on your own heart" talk about the exploration of one's own heart and soul, without having to be a scientist or an expert in any field. The song conveys a sense of freedom and experimentation, where one can "throw out some past and make way for more future" and become a better person in the process. The lyrics also talk about the challenges of growth, how events can shape us more than we can change ourselves, and how conscious attempts at growth can be seen as arrogant or unnecessary.
The lines "Now I'm standing on the scene between my memories and dreams / Balanced on the seam between my memories and dreams / Floating down the stream between my memories and dreams and I see a better person waiting his turn to be me" refer to the idea of self-improvement and the potential for growth that lies within oneself. The chorus reinforces the idea that one can experiment with their own heart without needing any special expertise.
The lyrics also paint a vivid picture of the singer's journey, running down runways between gigantic numbers with a zero for a halo, and leaving a girl behind as he sets out on his adventure. The laundry metaphor in the final verse speaks to the idea of letting go of past experiences and moving forward with a sense of freshness and newness.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't have to be a scientist to do experiments
It's not necessary to have formal training or education to try new things
I had no place to put myself but I had lots of time
I had free time but didn't know how to use it productively
Now I'm standing on the scene between my memories and dreams
I'm caught between past experiences and future aspirations
And you don't have to be a scientist to do experiments on your own heart
One can explore their emotions and inner self without expertise
I'm running down the runway in between gigantic numbers
I feel overwhelmed by the choices and possibilities in life
My halo's got a hole in it so it don't keep me dry
My optimism is not always enough to shield me from hardship
I had a girl I had to leave I saw her face upon my sleeve
I had to end a relationship and it was difficult to move on
And as it spun and spun it tried to ask me what I'd done
My thoughts and emotions were hard to ignore and kept questioning my actions
But you don't have to be a scientist to do experiments on your own heart
Personal growth and self-discovery are attainable without professional training or expertise
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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