After years playing violin as a session musician with the likes of John Mellencamp, Indigo Girls and Bob Dylan, Germano embarked on a solo career in 1991 with the understated but occasionally brilliant On The Way Down From The Moon Palace on her own label, which led to a deal with Capitol, who released her second album. Although Happiness was a massive step up in terms of confidence and songwriting, troubles at the label led to her buying back the rights. In 1994 4AD released a re-sequenced and remixed version of Happiness with a new sleeve and a few different tracks (including a gloomy version of the formerly scintillating ‘... Dresses’).
She turned out to be not just a great musician (she plays most of the instruments: piano, guitar, percussion and tape effects, as well as her trademark violin) and a wittily melancholy if kooky songwriter (‘I Love A Snot’, indeed), but a phenomenal arranger whose innovation and breadth of expression is comparable to PJ Harvey at her tape-mangling best.
As her style developed, so the music’s potential commercial appeal increased without compromising its uniqueness. Bright kaleidoscopes during an otherwise dark time in 4AD’s history, the following three albums, Geek The Girl, Excerpts From A Love Circus and Slide all won critical acclaim, but sadly failed to reach the wide audience they deserved; Germano was dropped in 1998, and announced her retirement from the music business.
(In 1997, she also released a collaboration with Giant Sand and future members of Calexico under the name OP8 Featuring The Ilk Of Lisa Germano).
Retirement didn’t suit her, and she was soon out on tour again, sessioning for David Bowie and Neil Finn, before, in 2003, releasing the self-funded Lullaby For Liquid Pig on ArtistDIRECT imprint Ineffable. A return to the woozy, after-the-carnival soundworld of ...Love Circus, the album was made with help from collaborators Finn, Johnny Marr and Wendy Melvoin.
Label-less again after Ineffable dissolved, Swans mainstay and longtime Germano fan Michael Gira snapped her up for his Young God label, which in 2007 released In The Maybe World, a stripped-down but ultimately hopeful reflection on mortality inspired by the death of, well, a cat, but also the imagined death of her Father. Young God subsequently reissued Liquid Pig with an extra CD of live recordings and demos, whose between-song banter highlighted Germano’s unique and cat-slanted take on life and death.
In September 2009 the album Magic Neighbor was released, again on Young God Records.
She also works with Maynard James Keenan's Puscifer
Official site: www.lisagermano.com
happiness
Lisa Germano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Happiness is like tv
On or off
It's up to me
Happiness yeah
Relationships
Are like a cow
Growing strong
Poor little cow
Mom and dad
Are like my head
I won't listen to them
Until they're dead
Or I'm dead
Sad but true
Sad but true
Self indulgence
Inconsiderate bitch
Inconsiderate bitch
You're nothing more than this girl
c'mon everybody, sing
Pain and sadness
Are real to me
They stick around
And let me be
Give it up
Try again
Give it up
Try again
Ain't life fun?
Happiness
Sad but true
Sad but true
Self indulgence
Inconsiderate bitch
Inconsiderate bitch
Ain't nothing more than this
Inconsiderate
Bitch
Yeah
Give it up
Try again
Give it up
Try again
Ain't life fun
Happiness?
Sad but true
Sad but true
Self indulgence
Inconsiderate bitch
Inconsiderate bitch
Ain't nothing more than this
You're inconsiderate
The song "Happiness" by Lisa Germano speaks about the experiences of the singer with regards to emotions such as happiness, sadness, pain, and the relationships she has in life. The song starts with the singer saying that happiness is like TV, which can be turned on or off at her will. Meaning that she has a certain control over her happiness as compared to other emotions which stick around more constantly.
The song then moves on to compare relationships to cows. Cows grow strong just for a while and then they are taken away for slaughter. Similarly, some relationships can only last for a short while before they fade away or end in a violent manner. The singer then sings about how her parents are like her head and she wouldn't listen to them until they are dead or she's dead. This shows a somewhat rebellious side of the singer, where she doesn't like to take advice from anyone or be told what to do.
The song then moves on to the idea of self-indulgence and the singer's realization that she is nothing but an inconsiderate bitch. She acknowledges the pain and sadness that exists in her life, but also highlights that they may stick around for a while. However, she concludes the song by saying that one must keep trying and keep pushing forward despite the hardships in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Happiness yeah
The singer acknowledges the presence of happiness in her life.
Happiness is like tv
The singer compares happiness to a television set - it can be turned on or off.
On or off
The switch to happiness is controlled by the individual.
It's up to me
It is the individual's responsibility to find and choose happiness.
Happiness yeah
The singer reiterates the existence of happiness.
Relationships
The singer compares relationships with a growing cow.
Are like a cow
Relationships grow and develop just like a cow.
Growing strong
Relationships strengthen over time.
Just for now
However, relationships are only temporary and can end anytime.
Poor little cow
The cow is a metaphor for relationships, and the word 'poor' suggests that it is difficult to maintain them.
Mom and dad
The singer uses her parents as a way of expressing her own thoughts.
Are like my head
The singer acknowledges the influence of her parents on her thoughts and decisions.
I won't listen to them
The singer rebels against her parents' advice.
Until they're dead
The singer suggests that she will only listen to her parents once they are no longer living.
Or I'm dead
Alternatively, the singer suggests that she may not follow her parents' advice until she dies.
Sad but true
The singer recognizes the harsh reality of certain situations.
Sad but true
The singer repeats her previous acknowledgment of the unfortunate truth.
Self indulgence
The singer berates herself for being selfish.
Inconsiderate bitch
The singer berates herself with a vulgar insult.
Inconsiderate bitch
The singer repeats her self-insult.
You're nothing more than this girl
The singer belittles herself by suggesting that she is unimportant.
c'mon everybody, sing
The singer calls for a unifying action, perhaps to bring about positivity and happiness.
Pain and sadness
The singer acknowledges the existence of negative emotions.
Are real to me
The singer confirms that she experiences real pain and sadness.
They stick around
Negative emotions linger and are difficult to shake off.
And let me be
The singer implies that these negative emotions consume her thoughts and actions.
Give it up
The singer encourages a new perspective or attitude towards life.
Try again
The singer suggests that one should not give up on finding happiness.
Give it up
The singer repeats her previous message of resilience.
Try again
The singer repeats her previous message of not giving up.
Ain't life fun?
The singer is being sarcastic, suggesting that life is not always pleasant.
Happiness
The singer repeats the presence of happiness in her life.
Sad but true
The singer repeats her earlier acknowledgment of the harsh reality of certain situations.
Sad but true
The singer repeats her previous repetition.
Self indulgence
The singer repeats her previous negative self-assessment.
Inconsiderate bitch
The singer repeats her previous self-insult.
Inconsiderate bitch
The singer repeats her previous repetition.
Ain't nothing more than this
The singer suggests that she is more than just her negative self-assessments.
You're inconsiderate
The singer repeats her previous self-insult.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LISA GERMANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind