The touring band consists of Bryan "Brain" Mantia on Drums, Mark "MIRV" Haggard on Guitar, Adam Gates on Bass (tuned an octave lower), and of course Les Claypool on Bass.
Highball With The Devil
Les Claypool And The Holy Mackerel Lyrics
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but he held back
'Cause his tongue was tied by shy
So he laid the money down and he drank up
Put the sparkle in his eye
Sittin' down you saw his paunch
so he stood up
And he gazed across the room
so he slipped back
He knew he left his seat too soon
A-Haw
Come the morning
We'll be waiting
and weilding the power
to paralyze
So we state now
for the records
you brought this upon you
Paralyze, agonize, terrorize
The song "Highball With The Devil" by Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel talks about an interesting character who wants to conquer something but his shyness suppresses his abilities. He eventually drinks alcohol to boost his confidence and puts the sparkle in his eyes. However, due to the toxin squeeze, he has a setback and becomes paranoid, thinking he left his seat too soon.
The song goes on to talk about how he will now have to face the consequences of his actions when the morning comes, and the power to paralyze, agonize and terrorize him will be wielded by those he wronged. The lyrics describe a man whose lack of confidence and addiction to alcohol leads him down a dangerous path.
Overall, the song serves as a warning against the dangers of substance abuse, and how it can lead to disastrous consequences in a person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
He came to conquer what he could
He arrived with the intention of winning but not necessarily overcoming everything in his path.
but he held back
But he chose not to go forward with his full might.
'Cause his tongue was tied by shy
This is because he was shy, and therefore embarrassed to go ahead with full force.
So he laid the money down and he drank up
He settled down, drank something, and gave it up while he waited.
Put the sparkle in his eye
Drinking made him feel better, which gave him a different attitude.
Sittin' down you saw his paunch
If he sits down, he can show his girth.
so he stood up
So he stood up, and it wasn't much better.
And he gazed across the room
He looked around the room, observing all of the people present.
The toxin squeezed the head
The drink worked its way into his system, giving him a headrush.
so he slipped back
He quickly dwindled back to his original position.
He knew he left his seat too soon
He realized that he should've stayed in his seat a little bit longer.
A-Haw
This is simply an exclamation.
Come the morning
By the morning
We'll be waiting
We (the singers, possibly) will be poised for action.
and weilding the power
And we'll possess the power
to paralyze
To immobilize our enemies
So we state now
We say right now
for the records
For the record books.
you brought this upon you
You (our enemy) caused this problem for yourself.
Paralyze, agonize, terrorize
These are the tactics that will be used against our enemies.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: LES CLAYPOOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind