Their subsequent LP, The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow was released in the U.S. by American Recordings after being available in the UK for over a year.
The first release written solely by Dave Callahan, The Sound features P.J. Harvey and Katherine Gifford (Stereolab) guesting on extra vocal duties. This also marked the first appearance of master saxophonist Raymond Dickaty, who more recently lent his services to Lush, Stereolab, and Gallon Drunk. Raymond stayed on as a full member and became an integral part of the new Moonshake.
City Poison
Moonshake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you do not respect my bed just for the night
you slack off everything that i hold dear
and you bring your city poison round here
city poison...
city poison...
where people have media not thoughts
where the sun throws square shawdows
where too much means nothing to do
with your artifical prices and fashionable fears
you bring your city poison round here
city poison...
city poison...
you use what is given without debts
you spend your commitments like a cheque
you fuck to find your peace of mind
you can't see the mess you leave behind
your progress is empty but sincere
and you bring your city poison round here
city poison...
city poison...
city poison...
The lyrics to Moonshake's song City Poison are a commentary on the negative influence of urbanization on people's lives, relationships and environment. The song depicts a dark and disturbing picture of the city as a place where people's values and priorities are distorted, where materialism and consumerism dominate their thoughts and actions. The singer speaks of an individual who represents this twisted way of life, who approaches their life with a demonic attitude, ignoring the singer's feelings and disregarding their needs. The person's values are hollow and superficial, lacking depth or substance, and the singer finds their presence a source of pollution, like a poisonous substance invading their space.
The song paints a bleak picture of the city, where the rain is polluted, the people are superficial, and the sun only casts rigid, square shadows. In this world, artificial prices and fashionable fears dictate people's behavior, leading to a toxic environment. The person who embodies this environment is depicted as someone who takes what they want without regard for the consequences, spends their commitments recklessly, and seeks solace in sex without caring about the emotional harm they may cause. In the end, their so-called progress is nothing more than a facade, empty and meaningless.
Overall, City Poison is a sharp critique of the negative effects of urbanization on our lives, relationships, and environment. It is a call to be more mindful and thoughtful in our choices and actions and to recognize the damage caused by our misguided priorities and values.
Line by Line Meaning
you walk like a demon to my life
You come into my life with rough and tumultuous behavior
you do not respect my bed just for the night
You disregard the intimacy and emotional connection that sleeping together can bring
you slack off everything that i hold dear
You don't value the people or things that are important to me
and you bring your city poison round here
You bring the negative and harmful aspects of urban living into my environment
where the rain smells dirty as exhaust
This city is so polluted that even the rain smells bad
where people have media not thoughts
The people here are influenced more by media and technology than by their own thoughts and ideas
where the sun throws square shadows
The buildings are so tall and close together that the sun can't create natural shadows
where too much means nothing to do
There are plenty of material possessions and distractions, but nothing substantive to do or engage with
with your artificial prices and fashionable fears
The economy here is driven by superficial consumerism and artificial values
you bring your city poison round here
You bring this toxic environment into my own space and life
you use what is given without debts
You take advantage of the resources and opportunities that you have without any sense of responsibility or accountability
you spend your commitments like a cheque
You treat your commitments and obligations as disposable and easily replaceable
you fuck to find your peace of mind
You engage in sexual activities as a means of coping with your own emotional issues
you can't see the mess you leave behind
You don't consider the consequences of your actions and how they impact others
your progress is empty but sincere
Despite your efforts, you are really only making superficial progress that doesn't have any real substance or value
and you bring your city poison round here
You continue to bring these negative aspects of the city and urban living into my living space and environment
city poison...
Repeating this phrase emphasizes the powerful and pervasive negative influence of living in this kind of urban environment
Contributed by Kennedy D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.