In 1999, he released his first solo album, "Teenage Snuff Film", which he followed up with the album "Pop Crimes" a decade later. The second album was released in October 2009, only 2 months before his passing.
He passed away on December 30th, 2009 after a long battle with liver cancer.
Silver Chain
Rowland S. Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made a chain of silver ore
By the time I stop singing
You won't love me anymore
Crying River cure me
But the river just laughed
Washing sand over me
Got a chain nine miles long
From every inch of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little Girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I ran to the fire
Fire purify me
The fire licked my skin
But it would not set me free
I turned to the bottle
Alcohol cure me
Let me sleep without dreaming
Alcohol lied to me
Girl Child your daddy's
Got a chain nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little Girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I spoke to the forest
I spoke to the trees
I spoke to the fire
But it did not set me free
I carved your name
In the cypress trees bark
I tattooed your name
In a ring 'round my heart
I wore out my welcome
I wore out myself
I wore out my reason
I wore out my health
I forgot my name...
On the day that you came
In Silver Chain, Rowland S. Howard expresses an intense feeling of fear and self-loathing, which he likens to a chain made of silver ore. He fears that by the time he finishes singing, his love will have gone away. He turns to the river, but it laughs at him and washes sand over him. Howard then addresses "girl child", whom he asks to bind him to her with her father's nine-mile-long chain. He goes on to speak of fire, alcohol, nature, and forgetting his name, all of which he uses as metaphors to express his pain and desperation.
The lyrics of Silver Chain offer powerful imagery that shows Howard's talent in expressing complex emotions through poetic language. The chain of silver ore is a symbol of Howard's pain, fear, and self-loathing, while the river, alcohol, and fire represent his futile attempts to find a cure. The repetition of the line "girl child, your daddy's got a chain nine miles long" emphasizes the weight of the burden that Howard wishes to transfer to someone else. The final verse, in which Howard talks about forgetting his name when the "girl child" came, is perhaps his way of saying that he feels he has become a different person, one who is weighed down by his pain and unable to recognize himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Fear and self loathing
Overwhelming anxiety and disgust with oneself
Made a chain of silver ore
Crafted a metaphorical representation of fear and self-loathing using precious metal
By the time I stop singing
Anticipating a loss of affection as a result of admitting inner turmoil through song
You won't love me anymore
An assumption that emotional transparency will lead to rejection
Crying River cure me
Desperation for emotional healing through nature
But the river just laughed
Nature is indifferent to human suffering
Washing sand over me
Symbolic removal of emotional pain without actual relief
Girl Child your daddy's
Referring to a young girl and her father
Got a chain nine miles long
The father has a lengthy history of causing pain
From every inch of that chain
Each link representing a wronged heart
Hangs a heart he has wronged
A specific person who has been hurt by the father
Little Girl take the length
The young girl is encouraged to take ownership of her father's legacy
Of your father's bright chain
The father's pain and damage is given weight and significance
And bind me to you
Desire for connection and intimacy through shared trauma
I don't care what you do
A willingness to surrender to the young girl's influence
I ran to the fire
Searching for a cathartic release
Fire purify me
Request for spiritual cleansing
The fire licked my skin
A literal interpretation of the cleansing process
But it would not set me free
Temporary relief without resolution
I turned to the bottle
Attempt to numb emotional pain with alcohol
Alcohol cure me
Seeking an escape from emotional trauma through substance use
Let me sleep without dreaming
Wishing for rest without mental anguish
Alcohol lied to me
Realization of the falsehood in substance-based solutions
I spoke to the forest
Desperation to find solace in nature
I spoke to the trees
Belief that the natural world holds answers
I spoke to the fire
Searching for meaning in ritual and elemental forces
But it did not set me free
Nature cannot absolve personal struggles
I carved your name
A physical representation of love for a specific person
In the cypress trees bark
Nature becomes a permanent monument to love and loss
I tattooed your name
Permanent mark on the body symbolizing deep emotional attachment
In a ring 'round my heart
Emotional attachment is deep and pervasive
I wore out my welcome
Excessive reliance on others for emotional support
I wore out myself
Emotional exhaustion and burnout
I wore out my reason
Falling into chaos and irrational behavior due to internal struggles
I wore out my health
Physical and emotional well-being are negatively impacted by personal turmoil
I forgot my name...
Losing sense of self due to overwhelming pain and loss
On the day that you came
Drastic change in emotional state due to the arrival or loss of a specific person
Contributed by Oliver A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fernando Daniel
Fear and self loathing
Forged a chain of silver ore
By the time I stop singing
You won't love me anymore
I ran to the river
Crying, "river cure me"
But the river just laughed
Washing sand over me
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I ran to the fire
"Fire purify me"
The fire licked my skin
But it did not set me free
I turned to the bottle
"Alcohol cure me
Let me sleep without dreaming"
Alcohol lied to me
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I spoke to the forest
I spoke to the trees
I spoke to the river
But it did not speak to me
I carved your name
In the cypress tree bark
I tattooed your name
In a ring round my heart
I wore out my welcome
I wore out myself
I wore out my reason
I wore out my health
I forgot my name
On the day that you came...
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
Helen Bach
This is the most beautiful song i've heard in awhile. I think Rowland was a genius, and this world never truly loves a genius person enough. His worth seems to becoming out more after he's passed away, sadly but expected that of the world. I loved him because Lydia Lunch recognized his great worth and I was a fan of hers when I was young. Hope more and more people find this song and then listen to more to from him.
Fernando Daniel
Fear and self loathing
Forged a chain of silver ore
By the time I stop singing
You won't love me anymore
I ran to the river
Crying, "river cure me"
But the river just laughed
Washing sand over me
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I ran to the fire
"Fire purify me"
The fire licked my skin
But it did not set me free
I turned to the bottle
"Alcohol cure me
Let me sleep without dreaming"
Alcohol lied to me
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
I spoke to the forest
I spoke to the trees
I spoke to the river
But it did not speak to me
I carved your name
In the cypress tree bark
I tattooed your name
In a ring round my heart
I wore out my welcome
I wore out myself
I wore out my reason
I wore out my health
I forgot my name
On the day that you came...
Girl child your daddy's
Silver chain's nine miles long
From every link of that chain
Hangs a heart he has wronged
Little girl take the length
Of your father's bright chain
And bind me to you
I don't care what you do
worldbones
I hear you brother. Listening to this with tears in my eyes and a cigarette in my hand, his music makes my heart hurt but not so that I want to fix - so that I want to create. One of the loveliest creatures ever spawned by this sad world.
Taya Taya
Rowland is a rare Genius!He's very special and he could give us even more great music!Love him!And happy to know him!
Joshua Cacavas
Definitely my favourite song at the moment...Such a *real* and fantastic artist. R.I.P. Rowland! xoxo
Blinky
Great video.
He was a real man,a gentleman I aquainted over the years,a true artist of the Melbourne tradition if you will.
I miss our periodic conversations over the years and can't get over his loss.
Beautiful video,brings tears but thanks.I so miss that he is gone
Johnny Mondizia
I knew of people close to R.S Howard, when he was alive. Do I want to know them now? A resounding no is the answer. I am talking about knowing these people in the early eighties. Even if I were paid to meet them I wouldn't, and I have many profanities in stock by which to categorise them, but I won't bother. A few of them live in Berlin, it's one reason I would rather travel in Asia, just so I don't run in to many Australians there. And I concur, R.S Howard was a genius on guitar. RIP R.Howard.
Blinky
@Johnny Trash I'm content being a nobody too and RSH was a really nice guy with an extraordinary gift otherwise he was down to earth,no bs kind of man ,I'm licking nobody's boots thankyou.
I'm sorry you are so unhappy.I hope you find some happiness and peace;don't give up.
I left Melbourne for various reasons,doesn't mean I don't love going back regularly,it's a shame you have the opposite view
Johnny Mondizia
That tradition bubble had different disguises. Whether I had been in Melbourne, northern NSW, or I had dealt with WASPs from other cities, it was the same issue at the core. Do you or do you not have a common pronounceable Anglo-Saxon surname. If one did not it was too bad johnny. Do I want to deal with WASPs in the twenty first century in Australia? No. But I have no option if I am in the work place, I still have to deal with the same self-righteous and mostly closet racist pricks.
I tried to live abroad for a while but I was too sick and life and work matters were going against me. So I could not settle abroad either. There is no point in going to live in Europe, there is no work for Euro nationals themselves. Getting a paid job in entertainment in Europe is pie in the sky. Unless one has close affiliations with recognised Euro talent. I am no sycophant, and I would never, ever lick the boots of an Anglo-Saxon prick. And no, I am not interested in fame or being recognised for my talents. I am content being a 'nobody'.
The only reason I stay in Melbourne is because my son lives here. Otherwise my immediate siblings and my mother don't keep me here, not permanently. My closest friend in Melbourne is my psychologist, he is paid to listen to my mental condition. Sorry to bore you but that has been my reality.
EYE music band
Beautiful tribute! Well done!