Focusing primarily on instrumental composition and playing, Kottke also sings sporadically, in an unconventional yet expressive baritone described by himself as sounding like "geese farts on a muggy day".[1] In concert, Kottke intersperses humorous and often bizarre monologues with vocal and instrumental selections from throughout his career, played solo on 6- and 12-string guitars.
Power Failure
Leo Kottke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Copyright 1971 Bluebeard Music Ltd., controlled in the you. S. A.
And Canada by Chrysalis Music Corp./Ascap
Recorded by Leo Kottke on:
1975 "Chewing Pine" (Capitol)
1978 "Leo Kottke The Best" (Capitol)
Climbing out of open windows,
Keeping watch on smoking cinders,
Falling over burning chairs.
Tossed and crossed, and screwed in transit.
Broken, splintered, bruised and thrown.
Badly shattered, gale forced frighty,
Rushed across and shown alone.
Speech reduced by poor relations
Strung from weeks of self-abused,
Chopped up, churned out, weeks of greazy
Spark plugs burnt up power's fused
The lyrics to Leo Kottke’s version of Power Failure are a poetic and vivid description of chaos and destruction, perhaps within the context of a natural disaster like a tornado. The opening lines suggest a sense of urgency and danger, as people flee from crumbling buildings, and the use of present participles creates a sense of ongoing action or movement. The second stanza continues this theme, with descriptions of people and objects being tossed around, broken, and battered by the forces around them. The line “rushed across and shown alone” could suggest a feeling of abandonment, as survivors struggle to make sense of the aftermath of the disaster.
The final stanza seems to refer to the aftermath of the event, with people struggling to communicate and put their lives back together. The phrase “speech reduced by poor relations” could indicate that people are struggling to find the words to express their experiences or connect with others, while the reference to “greazy/Spark plugs” and “power’s fused” suggests that the disaster may have been caused by some kind of power surge or electrical malfunction. Overall, the lyrics create a vivid and haunting picture of a chaotic and destructive event, while also hinting at the difficult process of recovery and rebuilding.
Line by Line Meaning
Climbing out of open windows,
Trying to escape through available but unconventional means.
Crashing down from broken stairs,
Falling down from unstable foundations.
Keeping watch on smoking cinders,
Vigilantly monitoring the aftermath of a disastrous event.
Falling over burning chairs.
Tripping over obstacles in a frantic escape attempt.
Tossed and crossed, and screwed in transit.
Subjected to a tumultuous journey with multiple setbacks and obstacles.
Broken, splintered, bruised and thrown.
Physically damaged and emotionally defeated.
Badly shattered, gale forced frighty,
Severely traumatized and shaken by intense external forces.
Rushed across and shown alone.
Experiencing overwhelming emotions in solitude.
Speech reduced by poor relations
Being rendered speechless due to strained interactions and poor communication.
Strung from weeks of self-abused,
Feeling emotionally drained and physically exhausted as a result of self-destructive behavior.
Chopped up, churned out, weeks of greazy
Going through a rough patch characterized by chaos, confusion, and unpleasant experiences.
Spark plugs burnt up power's fused.
A metaphor for a temporary or permanent loss of vitality and energy.
Contributed by Aaron R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.