Nick Currie (born February 11, 1960 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK)… Read Full Bio ↴Nick Currie (born February 11, 1960 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK), more popularly known under the artist name Momus (after the Greek god of mockery), is a songwriter, writer, blogger and artist. Most of his songs are self-referential or postmodern.

For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.

Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.

K's Diary
Momus Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hope, vague hope, but waking fears
Pride, but proud of wasted years
I fall asleep, awake at 5
Cymbals prove that I survive
Only guard this way of life
Against the sister and the wife
Somewhere a failing's saving me
The way is headlong, I'm drowsy

Somewhere a failing's saving me
The way is headlong, I'm drowsy
My face changed and those I saw
Functioned by a different law

Hope, vague hope, but waking fears
Proud but proud of wasted years

Overall Meaning

In Momus's song K's Diary, the lyrics speak to the conflicting emotions and thoughts that can consume a person's mind. The opening lines capture the feeling of both hope and fear that can exist simultaneously. The singer has a sense of hope for the future, but it is vague and undefined. They are also plagued by fears that they cannot shake. The next line suggests that the singer has a sense of pride, but it is tied to their recognition that they have wasted years. This line reflects the idea that one can have accomplishments but still feel like they have not lived up to their potential.

The lyrics then shift to the singer falling asleep but waking up at 5, which may suggest that they are restless and unable to find peace. The sound of cymbals serves as a reminder that they are still alive, surviving in some way. The singer then reveals that they are guarding a way of life, which may be a way of thinking or acting that is inconsistent with societal expectations. They are protecting themselves from being influenced by both their sister and wife, who may represent societal pressure to conform. The line "somewhere a failing's saving me" is intriguing and suggests that even though the singer has made mistakes, these failures may be helping them in unexpected ways. The final line repeats the earlier sentiment of hope and fear, which ties the song together thematically.

Line by Line Meaning

Hope, vague hope, but waking fears
I have hope, but it is not strong, as it is accompanied by fear that I will not achieve my goals.

Pride, but proud of wasted years
I have a sense of pride, but it is misguided as it is based on accomplishments that ultimately did not lead to any progress.

I fall asleep, awake at 5
I struggle to sleep well, often waking up early and feeling tired.

Cymbals prove that I survive
The sounds of the cymbals remind me that I am alive and functioning, despite my struggles and doubts.

Only guard this way of life
I am protective of my current way of living, as it is familiar and comfortable, even if it is not ideal.

Against the sister and the wife
I feel defensive of my choices and way of living, even in the face of criticism or disagreement from those closest to me.

Somewhere a failing's saving me
Although I am not succeeding in the traditional sense, my struggles and failures are helping me in some way that is not immediately clear.

The way is headlong, I'm drowsy
I am moving forward in life, but it is with reckless abandon and without a clear direction, despite feeling tired and drained.

My face changed and those I saw
I have changed as a person and my perspective on life has shifted, which affects how I see others and how they see me.

Functioned by a different law
I am operating by different values and rules than those around me, which can create tension or misunderstanding in my relationships.

Contributed by Max M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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