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.
Old Friend New Flame
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hadn't seen in years
To a party
That would end in tears
He'd told me on the phone
His new lover was appealing
Beautiful and young
I tingled to my bones
Watching my friend's new squeeze
He'd always been alone
Now he had somebody
Stuck by the fridge door
Bored by the disco sounds
I found magnetic letters
Started to push them around
My magnetic game
Seemed to draw people to me
My old friend's new flame
Came tiptoeing over to me
Satan possessed my soul
As she stood watching me
I spelled out B L O
W space M E
I saw her young eyes stretch
But my old friend's new lover
Laid, the unfaithful wretch
Her head upon my shoulder
I saw my friend nearby
Suddenly stone cold sober
No longer my friend
And ten years older
The song 'Old Friends New Flame' by Momus is a poignant reflection on a reunion between two old friends after years of not seeing each other. The song is about the singer going with a friend to a party where the friend's new lover is present. The singer tingles with excitement over the friend's new lover, who is beautiful and young, and believes she is worth stealing. As the singer starts playing with magnetic letters on the fridge, the friend's new lover comes over to watch. In a moment of self-destructive impulse, the singer spells out "BLOW ME," causing the lover to lay her head on his shoulder. The friend sees this and is no longer the same, marking him ten years older.
The song reflects on themes of loneliness, love, and self-sabotage. The singer is lonely at the party, feeling bored by the disco sounds and disconnected from the people around him. He seems to be attracted to his friend's new lover, seeing her as a way to break out of his loneliness. However, he destroys the friendship in the process, revealing his self-destructive tendencies. The song suggests that love and friendship are not always compatible, especially when desire and impulse get in the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I went with a friend of mine
I went to a party with a friend I hadn't seen in a while
I hadn't seen in years
I had not seen my friend for many years
To a party
We went to a party
That would end in tears
The party would end with someone crying
He'd told me on the phone
My friend had earlier informed me
His new lover was appealing
My friend told me his new lover was attractive
Beautiful and young
She was young and good-looking
Probably worth stealing
My friend suggested his new lover was desirable and could be taken away
I tingled to my bones
I felt an intense excitement
Watching my friend's new squeeze
I watched my friend's new partner
He'd always been alone
My friend had always been single
Now he had somebody
Now he was in a relationship
Stuck by the fridge door
I was stationary near the fridge
Bored by the disco sounds
I was bored by the music being played
I found magnetic letters
I discovered magnetic letters
Started to push them around
I began moving the magnetic letters around
My magnetic game
My playful interaction with the magnetic letters
Seemed to draw people to me
People came closer to me due to my playful interaction
My old friend's new flame
My friend's new lover
Came tiptoeing over to me
She secretly approached me
Satan possessed my soul
I experienced an evil or wicked feeling
As she stood watching me
As she observed me
I spelled out B L O
I spelled out the letters B-L-O
W space M E
Followed by the letters W and M-E
I saw her young eyes stretch
I noticed her surprised expression
But my old friend's new lover
Though she was my friend's new partner
Laid, the unfaithful wretch
She behaved unfaithfully
Her head upon my shoulder
She rested her head on my shoulder
I saw my friend nearby
I saw my friend nearby
Suddenly stone cold sober
He suddenly became completely sober
No longer my friend
He was no longer my friend
And ten years older
He appeared much older and more mature after experiencing that situation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NICHOLAS CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aldo Charles
on Morality Is Vanity
I’ve been listening to this song last two weeks.