After mk Ultra broke up in 1999, Vanderslice wasted little time building a solo reputation. In 2000, he gained national media attention over his single Bill Gates Must Die after concocting an elaborate hoax in which Microsoft supposedly threatened legal action over supposed trademark violations (the disc had a similar etching to a Windows installation disc).
Subsequent albums, Time Travel is Lonely, Life and Death of an American Fourtracker, Cellar Door, Pixel Revolt and Emerald City have gained critical acclaim for their melodic quality and sophisticated narrative lyrical content. Vanderslice has spent much of the last few years on tour across North America, Europe, and Japan.
Vanderslice also founded a recording studio in 1997 called Tiny Telephone. Located in the Mission District of San Francisco, Tiny Telephone has carved out a niche as the last all-analog recording studio in the Bay Area, and has a policy of setting recording rates under market prices. Bands who have used Vanderslice's studio include Beulah, Death Cab for Cutie, Okkervil River and Spoon.
Vanderslice is a proponent of using analog instruments and recording equipment to produce a richer, more raw sound which he has sometimes called "dirty hi-fi". He has collaborated closely with Scott Solter in the production of his recent albums, with Pixel Revolt being notably shaped by Solter.
Vanderslice was a contributing producer on the Spoon album, Gimme Fiction, and has collaborated and toured with The Mountain Goats. He is strongly influenced by film and is a fan of David Lynch, whose work is referenced in his song "Promising Actress". His declared musical influences are diverse, ranging from Neutral Milk Hotel to Public Enemy. He is an avid photography hobbyist. He has incorporated the poetry of William Blake and Robert Lowell into his music.
Several songs on the album Pixel Revolt referenced the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent global political situation. This is also true of Vanderslice's most recent album, Emerald City.
Lay Down
John Vanderslice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since security had your face in the ground
Oh how I admire your endless fight
Vengeance as pure as the silvery light
Lay down
Your days are over unless you lay down
If you don't settle this by May
You'll disappear in a cardboard box,
They'll feed you pickled greens and radish tops
The lyrics to John Vanderslice's song "Lay Down" tell a story of a person who has been absent from the singer's life due to some altercation with security. The lyricist admires the person's ability to fight endlessly for what they believe in, even if it means seeking revenge. However, the song takes a darker turn when the singer urges the person to "lay down" because their days are over. As a friend from the "old selenium days," the singer warns that if the person doesn't settle their score with security by May, they will meet a gruesome fate of disappearing in a cardboard box and being fed pickled greens and radish tops. It's a haunting and chilling message that speaks to the consequences of taking justice into one's own hands.
One interpretation of the song is that it's about the high personal cost of seeking revenge. The singer emphasizes that the person's fight for justice has been pure and admirable, but their determination to get even with security has come at too high of a cost. The singer warns that there are only two possible outcomes: lay down and move on, or face a brutal end. The lyrics also touch on themes of friendship and loyalty, as the singer clearly cares about the person and is imploring them to do what's necessary to save themselves.
Overall, "Lay Down" is a haunting and thought-provoking song that touches on complex themes of justice, friendship, and the high cost of seeking revenge.
Line by Line Meaning
I haven't seen you around
It has been a long time since we last met
Since security had your face in the ground
The last time we met, you were being punished by authority
Oh how I admire your endless fight
I really respect your relentless struggle for justice
Vengeance as pure as the silvery light
Your wrath against those who wronged you is completely justified
Lay down
Surrender and give up the fight
Your days are over unless you lay down
If you don't give up, you will face dire consequences
As a friend from the old selenium days
As someone who has known you for a long time
If you don't settle this by May
You need to resolve this issue before May
You'll disappear in a cardboard box,
You'll end up dead and buried in a cheap and unremarkable way
They'll feed you pickled greens and radish tops
Your funeral will be an unceremonious affair
Contributed by Mila E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Krys Smith
This whole EP is so good!