Eitzel's first solo album was the (now elusive) cassette-only 'Mean Mark Eitzel Gets Fat' (1982), which pre-dates his AMC work. He released a solo live album, songs of love live in 1991, featuring raw and emotional acoustic versions of his best AMC songs. His first solo album proper was 1996's 60 Watt Silver Lining, a highly personal, jazz-inflected work.
He went on to release albums of varying styles and quality, including another difficult-to-find effort in Lover's Leap USA, produced as a tour-only CD and notable for including two songs which Eitzel's own sleeve notes instruct the listener to skip past. This was followed by 1997's West, a collaboration with REM's Peter Buck, and the stark and harrowing Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby in 1998. 2001 saw him take a new electronic direction with The Invisible Man, followed in 2002 by two covers projects: Music for courage & confidence and The Ugly American, which included re-interpretations of American Music Club songs by Eitzel and a traditional Greek band!
american music club reformed in 2003, and released an album, Love Songs for Patriots, as well as touring the United States and Europe. Eitzel released new solo material in 2005, candy ass, which saw a return to the electronic experimentation of the invisible man. A new AMC record, The Golden Age was released in February 2008.
The Mark Eitzel discussion list Firefly can be found at http://mail.neurotica.com/mailman/listinfo/firefly
Old Photographs
Mark Eitzel Lyrics
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Black and white convictions
I remember the way you were facing this restriction
Old pieces of paper
Memories to fight over
Self-interest and loss
There's nothing to remember
We never told your family
Nothing to keep back
We lived up to your memory
Sayonara, old Singapore
Dancing women in barrooms,
probably not around anymore
Tattoos of sinking ships
Silver, long bruised black
Some old photographs
Fixing history won't get it back
Never told anyone
We never told the family
We tried to live up,
to live up to your memory
I don't believe in anything I ever said or did
The pain you kept buried
Life you kept hid
I live up to nothing
There's nothing to live up to
Just a rage that's buried
and a silence to live through
We never told anyone
We never told a soul
Never saw you get free
We lived up to your memory
We lived up to your memory
I don't believe in anything
I ever said or did
The song "Old Photographs" by Mark Eitzel reflects on memories of someone from the past, as the title suggests. The first verse describes old photographs and memories that are being fought over for self-interest and loss. The singer recalls how they tried to look back and remember the person, but they never told the family anything about them. The second verse mentions the location of Singapore and the memories that exist there, with dancing women and tattoos of sinking ships. The singer acknowledges that trying to fix history won't bring anything back. The chorus repeats that the singer and the person they remember never told anyone anything about their relationship and that they lived up to the memory of that person despite not believing in anything they ever said or did.
As a whole, the lyrics express a sense of longing for someone who is no longer present, a sadness and regret about what was not said or done. The memories are filled with tension, pain, and loss, yet the singer is looking back with a sense of tenderness and a desire to honor the person's memory despite acknowledging their belief that they never truly lived up to anything.
Line by Line Meaning
Old photographs
Remnants of a past long gone, captured on paper to remind us of what once was
Black and white convictions
Strong beliefs, firmly held, unwavering even in the face of reality
I remember the way you were facing this restriction
Recollection of how you dealt with limitations and obstacles in your life
Old pieces of paper
Fragments of old memories saved on paper, fragile and yellowing with time
Memories to fight over
Recalling past events can lead to disagreements and arguments over what really happened
Self-interest and loss
People often act in their own best interest, even if it means hurting others or causing a loss
There's nothing to remember
Sometimes memories fade away and disappear, leaving nothing but emptiness and a sense of loss
Sayonara, old Singapore
Farewell to a city that has changed so much over time, leaving behind only a memory of what it used to be
Dancing women in barrooms, probably not around anymore
A reflection on the transience of life, that even the most vibrant moments are fleeting and can never be recaptured
Tattoos of sinking ships, silver, long bruised black
Symbols of loss and destruction, etched into the skin as a permanent reminder of past events
Some old photographs fixing history won't get it back
While photographs can provide glimpses into the past, they cannot bring it back or undo what has already happened
We never told anyone, We never told the family
Keeping secrets and hiding the truth can have lasting consequences, even after those involved have passed away
We tried to live up, to live up to your memory
Striving to fulfill someone's legacy can be a burden, but can also be a way to honor their memory and keep them alive in our hearts
I don't believe in anything I ever said or did
Doubt and uncertainty about past actions and words, questioning whether they made any real difference or impact
The pain you kept buried, Life you kept hid
Recognizing that there are hidden struggles and hardships that others are facing, even if they choose not to share them with us
I live up to nothing, There's nothing to live up to
Acknowledging that we are not bound by anyone else's expectations, and that we have the power to define our own path in life
Just a rage that's buried, and a silence to live through
Sometimes we suppress our negative emotions rather than dealing with them, leading to a silent but simmering anger that we must endure
We never told anyone, We never told a soul
The weight of unresolved secrets and untold truths can be heavy, even years after the fact
Never saw you get free, We lived up to your memory
Despite wanting someone we cared about to be free, we often hold onto their memory and struggle to let go
I don't believe in anything I ever said or did
Repeating the earlier sentiment, still grappling with a sense of futility and doubt about past actions and words
Writer(s): Peter Buck Copyright: Night Garden Music
Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.