Pavement, a band started by Malkmus post-Ectoslavia, pre-New York, at this point began to gain attention. This attention resulted in a record deal and a constant inferiority plague placed upon the 'Joos with Berman totally at the forefront of the group. Misinformed music fans now saw the band as a side-project and, even worse, Berman as being not good enough to play with Pavement, many band members being shared between the two bands.
The connection to Malkmus and the now blossoming Pavement was not all negative, however. Drag City, then not the bastion of American folk music it is today, agreed to release the band's debut EPs which has led to a fruitful relationship (the label continues to release the band's records, right up to album number 7 in 2008, (Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea).
The Silver Jews in their later days primarily consisted of David and Cassie Berman who contributed most of the lyrics, and a changing cast of characters. They had numerous indie stars in a rotating line up, including Willie T. of Lambchop, and Brian Kotzer of Tim Chad and Sherry.
David Berman is also a poet and has been published in numerous poetry magazines and journals. He also has a book of poetry and rants entitled "Actual Air," which was released in 1999 and received favorable reviews from The New Yorker and GQ.
On the 22nd of January, 2009, David Berman announced on the Drag City messageboard that their show on the 31st of January in Tennessee would be their last. "Can't be like all the careerists doncha know. I'm forty two and I know what to do. I'm a writer, see? I always said we would stop before we got bad." After 10 years off, Berman reappeared in 2019 as Purple Mountains.
David Berman died from suicide on August 22, 2019 after a long battle with depression.
Ballad of Reverend War Character
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Embry's last photograph he disappears over a hill
Darrell Dotson waits in the grass for a fight
The stars don't shine upon us
We're just in the way of their light
The new girl in Tahoe has swallowed Sinatra's cum
A Russian primadonna dances slow on Valium
In space there is no center
We're always off to the side
John Parker III steps over a bird on a Wall St. window ledge
Little Wilkie finds a dead cat rotting deep inside the hedge
Mahalia Roach dies on a Greyhound coach in July
In a horror movie when the car won't start
You give it one last try
Guinnevere orders one more beer in the smokey pick-up bar
A burnt out tramp by the exit ramp waits for one more car
The Latin teacher always smells like piss
The census figures come out wrong
There's an extra in our midst
The lyrics of "Ballad of Reverend War Character" by Silver Jews, spread across multiple vignettes, describe the bleakness of life and suffering in a disjointed society. Through the use of vivid imagery, the lyrics depict individuals struggling with their lives, either living under the shadows of others or failing to find a place for themselves in society. For instance, Silhouette Jane measures rain in a cracked cup on the sill, signifying the triviality of life in a chaotic world. Furthermore, the stars don't shine upon the individuals as they are just in the way of their light, thus highlighting how individuals feel lost and disoriented in their surroundings.
In another vignette, the new girl in Tahoe has swallowed Sinatra's cum, representing how society tends to absorb the remnants of icons and heroes. However, the lyrics also depict a sense of determination and hope as seen in the horror movie scene, where despite the car "not starting," one last try becomes necessary. The song emphasizes that even though society is flawed and even though people are often relegated to the background or simply "extra," they still continue to persevere. Thus, "Ballad of Reverend War Character" is a poignant reflection on the duality of our existence, emphasizing both the human capacity for resilience and the debilitating nature of societal constructs.
Line by Line Meaning
Silhouette Jane measures rain in a cracked cup on the sill
Jane, whose silhouette we can see, tries to measure the rain with a damaged cup on the windowsill.
In Embry's last photograph he disappears over a hill
In the final photograph taken of Embry, he is captured vanishing over a hill in the distance.
Darrell Dotson waits in the grass for a fight
Darrell Dotson anticipates a confrontation and waits in the grass for his opponent to arrive.
The stars don't shine upon us
The stars above us do not provide their light for us, but they shine regardless.
We're just in the way of their light
We are obstructing the stars' light from reaching other destinations, but they continue to shine regardless.
The new girl in Tahoe has swallowed Sinatra's cum
A new girl in Tahoe has swallowed semen from Frank Sinatra, a famous singer.
A Russian primadonna dances slow on Valium
A Russian female vocalist performs a slow dance, while under the influence of Valium.
After the game the benchwarmer can't get a ride
Following the game, a substitute player is unable to obtain transportation to leave the venue.
In space there is no center
In the vastness of space, there is no precise center or focal point that can be identified.
We're always off to the side
We always exist on the periphery or outskirts of things, never quite at the center or core.
John Parker III steps over a bird on a Wall St. window ledge
John Parker III walks over a small bird perched on a ledge overlooking Wall Street.
Little Wilkie finds a dead cat rotting deep inside the hedge
A small child named Wilkie discovers a dead cat decaying within a bushy hedge.
Mahalia Roach dies on a Greyhound coach in July
A woman named Mahalia Roach passes away while riding a Greyhound bus in the month of July.
In a horror movie when the car won't start
In a scary film, it is common for the automobile to refuse to start when the character needs it the most.
You give it one last try
In a desperate attempt, the character tries starting the car one more time in hopes that it will work.
Guinnevere orders one more beer in the smokey pick-up bar
A woman named Guinnevere requests one additional beer in a dim and hazy pickup bar.
A burnt out tramp by the exit ramp waits for one more car
A disheveled wanderer situated beside the highway exit hopes for the arrival of another vehicle.
The Latin teacher always smells like piss
A teacher who instructs in the Latin language consistently reeks of urine.
The census figures come out wrong
The statistical data gathered by the census are incorrect or inaccurate.
There's an extra in our midst
An additional person is present amongst the group, who was not previously accounted for.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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