In 2006, Arthur's song "In the Sun" was covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Released for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program, the EP includes six versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe.
Arthur established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.
Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 album entitled Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
Kandinsky
Joseph Arthur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Holy Ghost in rags
I've been burning up this town
And flipping tiny bags
Zeus gave a blade
Apollo stuck him up
I committed to the fade
It's a dirty song that runs
For your fingers in your chest
Trying to feel for bombs and guns
Or a heart without a vest
Bullet proof, good or not
Wrecked the weekend coming now
I will see you at the spot
With my murdered sacred cow
Shadows are red inside
Shadows they dream in rainbows
Shadows cave into fountains of color
When we close and avert our eyes
Shadows recognize our poverty
Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin
Kandinsky is in my room
So is Edgar Allan Poe
The shadows dream in color
And that is their final revenge
When we go under
It's nothing but art deco black and white
Andy Warhol submarines
Frying fish of the ages
Shadows are red inside
Shadows dream in rainbows
Shadows cave into fountains of color
We close and avert our eyes
Shadows recognize our poverty
And even pray over us
With minds full of grey
And rapid eyes scanning the bottom of the ocean
On the middle of the day
Kandinsky is in my room
Smoking a brown cigarette
And I ignore him and read my orange book
Until suddenly he says 'hey'
And as I look up
He turns into a shadow
So that the cigarette falls
And the smoke rises slow
Filling the space where his body once was
Filling the space where his body once was
Filling the space where his body once was
The lyrics to Joseph Arthur's song Kandinsky are enigmatic and open to interpretation, but there are several themes that stand out. The song appears to be a contemplation of the relationship between art and life, and the struggle to find meaning in both. The lines "Shadows are red inside / Shadows they dream in rainbows / Shadows cave into fountains of color" describe the power of our inner selves to create beauty and meaning, even in difficult or dark times. The song also touches on the transient nature of existence, the fragility of life, and our attempts to cope with these realities through art and creativity.
The song's title, Kandinsky, refers to the Russian artist and theorist Wassily Kandinsky, who was a pioneer of abstract art. Kandinsky believed that art had the power to convey complex emotional and spiritual ideas in a way that words and language could not. The song's mention of Kandinsky, along with other artists like Edgar Allan Poe and Andy Warhol, underscores the idea that art can serve as a powerful conduit for human experience and emotion.
At its core, Kandinsky is a deeply introspective and poetic song that explores some of life's most profound mysteries. As with much of Joseph Arthur's work, the lyrics are open-ended and ambiguous, encouraging the listener to bring their own interpretation and meaning to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The whole world shakes me down
I feel overwhelmed by the world around me
The Holy Ghost in rags
I feel spiritually lost and unsure of my place in the world
I've been burning up this town
I've been living life to the fullest and making the most of my time here
And flipping tiny bags
Engaging in small-time drug dealings to make some quick cash
Zeus gave a blade
I was betrayed by someone I trusted
Apollo stuck him up
I was hurt by someone I looked up to and respected
I committed to the fade
I retreated into myself and tried to avoid the world and its problems
But then drank another cup
But I couldn't escape forever, so I turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism
It's a dirty song that runs
Life can be messy and complicated
For your fingers in your chest
You constantly search for meaning in your own life
Trying to feel for bombs and guns
You worry about the danger and unpredictability of the world
Or a heart without a vest
You fear vulnerability and being hurt by others
Bullet proof, good or not
You may try to protect yourself, but it's not always effective
Wrecked the weekend coming now
Something has ruined your plans for the near future
I will see you at the spot
We will meet and confront each other soon
With my murdered sacred cow
I will come prepared to fight and defend what I hold dear
Shadows are red inside
There's something dark and violent lurking beneath a seemingly normal surface
Shadows they dream in rainbows
But even in the darkness, there is something beautiful and hopeful
Shadows cave into fountains of color
When we let go of our fears and anxieties, we can experience true joy and beauty
When we close and avert our eyes
But sometimes we can't face the truth and prefer to ignore it
Shadows recognize our poverty
Our own weaknesses and limitations are always present, even if we try to hide them
Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin
Plagiarism and taking shortcuts are not honorable ways to succeed
Kandinsky is in my room
An artistic influence is present in my life
So is Edgar Allan Poe
Another artistic influence is present in my life, possibly a darker one
The shadows dream in color
Even in my darkest moments, I can find beauty and meaning
And that is their final revenge
The shadows represent the parts of myself I fear, but they can't hurt me if I accept them
When we go under
In moments of crisis or extreme emotion
It's nothing but art deco black and white
Our perceptions of the world are limited by our own biases and experiences
Andy Warhol submarines
Artistic beauty can be found in the most unexpected places
Frying fish of the ages
Another unexpected source of beauty and meaning
And even pray over us
In our time of need or desperation, we may turn to higher powers or something greater than ourselves
With minds full of grey
But our hopes and fears may prevent us from truly finding what we seek
And rapid eyes scanning the bottom of the ocean
We search for meaning or solutions in hidden, unknown places
On the middle of the day
Even in ordinary moments, we may seek something profound
Smoking a brown cigarette
Another artistic influence in my life, this one possibly more negative
And I ignore him and read my orange book
I may try to ignore or suppress my artistic inspiration or creative impulses
Until suddenly he says 'hey'
But sometimes, artistic inspiration and creativity can't be ignored
And as I look up
I must face my own artistic inspiration and creativity
He turns into a shadow
The artistic inspiration or creative impulse can be both beautiful and terrifying at once
So that the cigarette falls
The artistic inspiration has shocked or overwhelmed me
And the smoke rises slow
But even in these moments of uncertainty or fear, there is beauty and meaning to be found
Filling the space where his body once was
The artistic inspiration or creative impulse fills a void within me
Filling the space where his body once was
The artistic inspiration or creative impulse fills a void within me
Filling the space where his body once was
The artistic inspiration or creative impulse fills a void within me
Contributed by Brayden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.