In 2001, Preston School of Industry released All This Sounds Gas, which was recorded mainly in Stockton, California. The album is said to be comprised of the songs that were rejected by Pavement on their final album, Terror Twilight. The band released its second album, Monsoon, in 2004, with studio contributions from members of The Minus 5 and Wilco.
Preston School of Industry went inactive after their September 2004 Australian tour, though Kannberg revealed in late 2006 he had been slowly working on a record: "Don't know when it's going to be released. Just taking my time, nothing special. I've got the songs, I just haven't figured out how I want to do it yet. This winter, I'll probably get it done."
So Many Ways
Preston School of Industry Lyrics
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I'm not fried today's my feeble time
And you'll explain the new ways drag on like rain
The new dawn is all about money
Walk out in a Sunday suit turn round
you play this chimed in walk in it's china
Someone's breaking time never gone never turn around
I'm not gonna lie to you this time it's raining again in my…
again with my tired fright
The statues are always ready
It's like eastern Europe in the summer
In the summer is when we first decided
so many ways so many ways to lie about it
So many ways so many ways just to lie
So many ways so many ways so many ways to lie about this
So many ways so many ways so many ways to lie and die
The lyrics to the song "So Many Ways" by Preston School of Industry are quite cryptic and open to interpretation. The first two lines, "Turn back clock ways sorted light waves, I'm not fried today's my feeble time," could be a reference to feeling drained and tired, wanting to go back to a simpler time. The singer acknowledges their current state of feebleness but also their clarity, as they are not "fried" or clouded by drugs or alcohol.
The following lines, "And you'll explain the new ways drag on like rain, The new dawn is all about money," suggest a dissatisfaction with the current state of the world and its values. The "new ways" are not positive but instead drag on like rain, a metaphor for something that is gloomy and never-ending. The "new dawn" being all about money speaks to the idea that society is too focused on material wealth and capitalism.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "so many ways" several times, with the following lines changing slightly each time. The repetition of this phrase could indicate a sense of overwhelming confusion or frustration with the ways in which people lie and deceive each other. The final line, "so many ways to lie and die," is particularly dark and may suggest a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn back clock ways sorted light waves
Reflecting on the past and how we have progressed through time
I'm not fried today's my feeble time
Feeling tired and weak today, unable to put in much effort
And you'll explain the new ways drag on like rain
The new ways of doing things seem to be going on forever, monotonous like rain
The new dawn is all about money
The future is all about financial gain and success
Walk out in a Sunday suit turn round
Dressed up formally, but willing to turn back and walk away
you play this chimed in walk in it's china
Going along with the crowd and conforming to societal norms
Someone's breaking time never gone never turn around
Trying to break free from societal norms and traditions
It's all about Sunday it's all about Sunday
Sunday represents conformity and following the norm, sacrificing individuality
I'm not gonna lie to you this time it's raining again in my…
Being truthful, but also expressing a sense of fatigue and melancholy
again with my tired fright
Continuing to feel weak and scared
The statues are always ready
Society and institutions are always prepared to maintain the status quo
It's like eastern Europe in the summer
A sense of oppression and stagnation, like a long and uneventful summer in a bleak environment
In the summer is when we first decided
The choice to conform and adhere to societal norms was made in a time of stagnation and oppression
so many ways so many ways to lie about it
A sense of deception and dishonesty in regards to societal norms
So many ways so many ways just to lie
Feeling as though there are endless opportunities to maintain deception
So many ways so many ways so many ways to lie about this
A sense of exhaustion and futility in regards to expressing the truth
So many ways so many ways so many ways to lie and die
A bleak view of society, where dishonesty and conformity lead to a meaningless existence
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SCOTT KANNBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind