The genesis of Loose Fur occurred in May 2000, when Jeff Tweedy asked multi-instrumentalist Jim O'Rourke to play with him at Chicago's Noise Pop festival. A few days before the festival, Tweedy and O'Rourke rehearsed together at the Wilco loft, and O'Rourke invited his friend, drummer Glenn Kotche, along. There, they worked on several new songs for Tweedy's May 14 performance at the Double Door (and which later appeared on their self-titled album in 2003). Tweedy was so invigorated from working with both O'Rourke and Kotche, that he brought them into his Wilco family soon after: Kotche became Wilco's new drummer (replacing Ken Coomer), and O'Rourke mixed their landmark album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
In 2005, the trio wrote and recorded songs for a new album. On November 17 of that year they appeared together during a solo Tweedy show in New York, where they performed Laminated Cat from their first album and a new song, The Ruling Class from their upcoming album.
Laminated Cat
Loose Fur Lyrics
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Snipers are harder to see my friends
Weeding out the weekends
Summer comes and gravity undoes you
You're happy because of the lovely way the sunshine bends
Hiding from your close friends
Weeding out the weekends
Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
It's not for the season
When autumn comes you sit in your chair and you stare
At the TV square
Hiding in the deep end
Weeding out the weekends
Winter comes and the days all start late
There's motion on the boughs where the dark shapes prowl
Feeling out the feelings
Feeling out the feeling
Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
They're not worth reading
The song Laminated Cat by Loose Fur is a mellow and introspective reflection on the passage of time through the four seasons. The lyrics describe the changing landscape and the changing moods that accompany each season. The song begins with the arrival of spring, when the leaves return to the trees and snipers become harder to see. The weeding out of the weekends hints at a desire to shed the mundane and focus on what's important. The arrival of summer brings a sense of weightlessness and joy, but also the need to hide from close friends. As autumn arrives, the chorus repeats, emphasizing the need for solitude and self-reflection. When winter comes, the days grow shorter and the mood turns inward, with the feeling out the feelings.
The repetition of certain phrases like Candy left over from Halloween, a unified theory of everything, love left over from lovers leaving, books, they all know they're not worth reading, reinforces the idea that time keeps moving forward, but certain things remain. We hold onto remnants of the past, try to make sense of the present, and contemplate what the future may hold. The lyrics seem to suggest that in the midst of all this change, we must find a way to sort through the noise and the distractions, to focus on what matters most and find our place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Springtime comes and the leaves are back on the trees again
The season of renewal is here and nature is alive again
Snipers are harder to see my friends
Things that used to stand out are now harder to spot
Weeding out the weekends
Getting rid of the distractions and focusing on what matters
Summer comes and gravity undoes you
The heat makes you feel lethargic and lazy
You're happy because of the lovely way the sunshine bends
Despite feeling lazy, the beauty of nature still brings joy
Hiding from your close friends
Withdrawing from social interactions to focus on internal reflection
Candy left over from Halloween
Remnants of past experiences that still exist but have lost their value
A unified theory of everything
The constant search for answers and understanding
Love left over from lovers leaving
The remnants of past relationships that still linger in one's heart
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
The realization that some things you once believed to be important are not
It's not for the season
Some things are not meant to stay, regardless of time or place
When autumn comes you sit in your chair and you stare
During the transitional period, you take time to reflect and observe
At the TV square
The endless stream of media and distractions that fill our lives
Hiding in the deep end
Retreating into oneself to avoid the chaos of the external world
Winter comes and the days all start late
The darkness and coldness of the season slows everything down
There's motion on the boughs where the dark shapes prowl
Even in darkness, there is still movement and life
Feeling out the feelings
Taking time to process and understand one's emotions
They're not worth reading
The final acceptance that some things are not worth the time or effort
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF TWEEDY, JIM O'ROURKE, GLENN KOTCHE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind