Having already served successful tours in the Northwest punk bands Thrillhammer, Hazel (two albums on Sub Pop records) and the rambunctious bluegrass band Golden Delicious, Pete Krebs has emerged as one of the most consistently engaging contemporary singer-songwriters. Much like his friend and collaborator Elliott Smith, Krebs uses his more rock-oriented roots to drive his intensely introspective songs. Both Krebs and Smith have passed through early periods of extremely stripped down solo recordings to tackling grander ambitions with more sonically dense collaborative works.
Debuting as a solo musician in 1995 on Cavity Search Records, Krebs' starkly acoustic Brigadier immediately established him as one of the more impressive voices in the crowded singer-songwriter idiom.
Bad Penny
Pete Krebs Lyrics
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Lighting matches to stay warm
Closing all the blinds
And getting up to lock the door
Lying to your friends
Burning bridges once again
Guess some things
Just never end
In spite of them
Bad penny don't you know
Don't you know
You'll lose your soul
I wish you wouldn't start
It makes forgiveness twice as
Hard
Trying to let go
While making sure
That you get home
After all the bars have closed
After all it's getting cold
My stupid heart won't let go
I'll fall asleep on your floor
Shooting with the stars
Sound asleep, junk in cars
Hanging with the friends that
You met down at the wrecking
Yard
Oh, I say you'll probably
Sell it all before you leave
Your soul and your dignity
As you're getting what you need
In the song "Bad Penny" by Pete Krebs, the singer tells the story of a wasteful person who engages in self-destructive behavior. The first verse describes someone who is living in a state of desperation, lying on the floor, lighting matches to stay warm and closing all the blinds to shut out the world. This person also burns bridges with friends, a behavior pattern that seems to be recurring. The chorus contains a warning that this individual will eventually lose their soul if they continue down this path, never truly breaking free from their bad habits.
The second verse finds the singer pleading with this person to change their ways, starting with not going out and getting into trouble when they get drunk. The singer shows empathy toward this person, admitting that forgiveness is difficult, but they still hope for their friend's redemption. The third verse boasts of the person's reckless lifestyle with the company they keep and what they do to get their hands on what they need. The singer knows that their friend will leave town, probably selling everything they have, but that they'll never be able to buy back their soul or dignity.
Overall, the lyrics describe the plummeting path of someone who can't seem to break free from their unhealthy habits, regardless of how it affects their life and relationships. The singer's genuine concern for the person's wellbeing is evident, but they also acknowledge the inevitability of their friend's self-destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Lying on your floor
You're feeling low and hopeless, just lying down on the floor.
Lighting matches to stay warm
You're having a tough time and trying to find warmth in small things like lighting matches.
Closing all the blinds
You're feeling distant and detached, so you're closing yourself off from the outside world.
And getting up to lock the door
You're afraid of being hurt again, so you're locking yourself in to protect yourself.
Lying to your friends
You're avoiding the truth and hiding your feelings from your friends.
Burning bridges once again
You're ruining relationships, again, making it difficult to connect with anyone in the future.
Guess some things
Some things in life are inevitable.
Just never end
Certain things seem to be perpetual and never really come to an end.
You're still around
You've managed to survive despite your problems and shortcomings.
In spite of them
Despite everything that's happened and the obstacles you've faced.
Bad penny don't you know
You're making poor choices and it's going to end badly.
Don't you know
You're oblivious to the fact that your current actions will have negative consequences.
You'll lose your soul
Your current path will lead to you losing your integrity and morality over time.
I wish you wouldn't start
I wish you wouldn't continue down the path you're on.
It makes forgiveness twice as Hard
Your actions are making it more difficult for you to gain forgiveness from others.
Trying to let go
Trying to move on and forget the past.
While making sure
Ensuring that you're taking care of yourself and not putting yourself in harm's way.
That you get home
Making sure you're safe and secure after a night out with friends.
After all the bars have closed
After it's too late and you've been out all night.
After all it's getting cold
Winter is setting in and it's getting harder to survive.
My stupid heart won't let go
You're still holding onto the past and struggling to move on.
I'll fall asleep on your floor
You're still down and out and need someone to lean on.
Shooting with the stars
Chasing an impossible dream and following the wrong path.
Sound asleep, junk in cars
Numbing yourself with drugs and alcohol to escape reality.
Hanging with the friends that
Spending time with people who aren't the best influence.
You met down at the wrecking
Meeting people who are just as lost and broken as you are.
Yard
A metaphor for a place of destruction and chaos.
Oh, I say you'll probably
I predict/hypothesize that you're likely to
Sell it all before you leave
You're going to end up selling everything, including your integrity and dignity, before it's all said and done.
Your soul and your dignity
You're sacrificing your morality and self-respect in order to meet your immediate needs and desires.
As you're getting what you need
You're getting what you want, but it's only a temporary fix and it's causing long-term damage.
Contributed by Gabriel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
russell maycumber
This song as a meme enters my psychic lexicon at least once a month for the last 8 years. Hardly a thought of ground scored pennies surface without a bad penny song jingle off gassing.