A Chicago native, O'Rourke's work has found equal luck with experimental jazz and noise fanatics, chill room denizens, and bedroom experimentalists, and has had the resultant effect of cross-pollinating many otherwise isolated compositional communities. In early 1993, he formed an avant-rock group with Darin Gray and Dylan Posa called Brise-Glace. The band released one studio album, When in Vanitas..., in 1994.
Subsequently, O'Rourke has released a fair bit of material as a soloist, although more often in the electro-acoustic/musique concrète vein. Dealing most often with prepared guitar in improvisational group settings, he's collaborated with such contemporary improv heroes as Derek Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost and Keith Rowe (of English improv group AMM), KK Null, David Jackman (Organum), and early Krautrock experimentalists Faust. O'Rourke is also engaged in an ongoing exploration of experimental rock as a member of Gastr del Sol, who've released albums through the Teen Beat and Table of the Elements labels.
Beginning with guitar at the age of 6, it wasn't until his collegiate career at DePaul University that O'Rourke's interest in the less obvious possibilities of the instrument led him through the early catalogs of the post-classical and electro-acoustic traditions. While at DePaul, O'Rourke completed much of the work that would constitute his first few releases. He also had the opportunity to meet up with noted improvisational guitarist Derek Bailey, whose invitation to O'Rourke to play at the British improv festival Company Week led to further collaborative projects with Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost, and David Jackman. O'Rourke began working with Dan Burke's Illusion of Safety project in the early '90s, releasing three albums through Staalplaat and Tesco, before moving on to form experimental "rock" group Gastr Del Sol with David Grubbs. Although focusing more on collaboration after a string of solo releases in the early '90s, O'Rourke has shifted back to solo work of late, releasing Terminal Pharmacy through John Zorn's Tzadik label and completing commissioned pieces for the Kronos Quartet and the Rova Saxophone Quartet. In 1995, O'Rourke was invited by German experimental electronic label Mille Plateaux (Oval, Steel, Microstoria) to conduct an extended remix of their entire back catalog. He also produced and co-wrote a good portion of innovative German outfit Faust's Table of the Elements release, Rien. O'Rourke is also noted for his work as a producer. This role led to another project during the mixing of Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, when O'Rourke combined with Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche to form Loose Fur.
Fuzzy Sun
Jim O'Rourke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I call weeding out
And what you call the rain
Comes out of my mouth
Fuzzy sun
Gets you one by one
Fuzzy sun
Rolling drunks for their cigarettes
Frightening babies that aren't born yet
You feel I've passed you by
You feel that you've been robbed
Well nothing will feel worse
Than dying on the job
Fuzzy sun
When you have come undone
Fuzzy sun
A boy must have his fun
A cigarette to brand a baby's arm
A bit of ash in his face keeps him warm
The lyrics of Jim O'Rourke's Fuzzy Sun are cryptic and mysterious, leaving much room for interpretation. The first two lines can be interpreted as the difference in perception and tolerance. What one person may consider a burden or pain, another may see as merely weeding out the unnecessary. The next two lines seem to imply that the singer has control over the weather, or at least possesses the power to manipulate it in some way.
The refrain of "fuzzy sun" is repeated throughout the song, and it is unclear what exactly it refers to. It could be the feeling of being high or drunk, or it could be a reference to something more abstract such as the haze of life or the confusion that comes with it. The line "gets you one by one" suggests that this fuzzy sun has a way of slowly enveloping people, almost like a drug.
The third verse is the most surreal and disturbing, with the image of someone rolling drunks for their cigarettes and frightening unborn babies. It's unclear who is doing this or why, but it adds to the general uneasy feeling of the song. The final verse seems to imply that the singer is living life on their own terms and enjoying themselves despite the critiques of others.
Overall, Fuzzy Sun is a song that leaves much room for interpretation and forces the listener to fill in the gaps themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
What you call a pain
I see it as an opportunity for growth
I call weeding out
As I work through this pain, I am able to remove the things that don't belong
And what you call the rain
The sadness you experience is something I can express through my art
Comes out of my mouth
My music captures these emotions and shares them with others
Fuzzy sun
This feeling of warmth and comfort is difficult to put into words
Gets you one by one
Slowly but surely, this pleasant sensation overtakes you
Gets the job well done
It accomplishes what it needs to do - make you feel good
Rolling drunks for their cigarettes
Taking without giving back
Frightening babies that aren't born yet
The future is unknown and therefore can be scary
You feel I've passed you by
You think I've left you behind
You feel that you've been robbed
You feel like you've been cheated out of something
Well nothing will feel worse
There are few things worse than this
Than dying on the job
Than feeling trapped in a cycle of work that you don't enjoy
When you have come undone
When things have fallen apart and you feel lost
A boy must have his fun
It's important to enjoy life
A cigarette to brand a baby's arm
A small act of cruelty can leave a lasting mark
A bit of ash in his face keeps him warm
A strange way of finding comfort amidst discomfort
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JIM O'ROURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
W H T V R
thank you for uploading this. Jim's been a favorite since I was 16.
tannerin
everything going on at 0:50 is perfect
astrosticks
"A cigarette to brand a baby's arm..."