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.
How to Rent a Room
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I only want to die in your eyes
I'm still here below the chandelier
Where they always used to read us our rights
I want to wander through the night
As a figure in the distance even to my own eye
Have you ever rented a room
Have you ever even rented a room?
An anchor lets you see the river move
But now that your evil dreams came true
There on your face
A row of teeth he'll come to replace
I know you laughed when I left
But you really only hurt yourself
When you see your curtains move in the wind
You can bet I'm betting against you again
'Cause I'm a man who has a wife who has a mother
Who married one but she loved another
You're a tower without the bells
You're a negative wishing well
I should have checked the stable door
For the name of the sire and dam
You were always at the dogtrack
With your brother and all his friends
Chalk lines around my body
Like the shoarline of a lake
You're laughter made me nervous
It made your body shake to hard
Now there's a lot of things that I'm gonna miss
Like thunder down country and the way water drips
When you're running for the door in the rain
Read the metro section...see my name
No I didn't really want to die
I only wanted to die in your eyes
Grant me one last wish
Life should mean a lot less than this
The song "How to Rent a Room" by Silver Jews is a poignant and introspective reflection on life and relationships. The lyrics highlight the singer's desire to die in the eyes of someone they care about, a symbolic representation of the need for human connection and love. The reference to the chandelier where they used to read their rights highlights the role that rules and obligations play in our lives, reminding us of the necessity for structure and order.
The singer's desire to wander through the night as a distant figure symbolizes the need for freedom and individuality, even in the context of a relationship. The question "have you ever rented a room?" conveys a sense of detachment and isolation, emphasizing the importance of finding a space where we can be ourselves and explore our own desires and interests.
The reference to an anchor that allows us to see the movement of the river highlights the power of perspective and the importance of taking a step back to observe and reflect. The line "there on your face a row of teeth he'll come to replace" represents the inevitability of change and the fleeting nature of relationships.
The singer's acknowledgment of their own mortality is a reminder that life is precious and that we should make the most of the time that we have. The reference to a stable door highlights the importance of understanding the origins and influences that shape our lives, while the mention of the dog track conveys the idea that life is a gamble where we sometimes take risks that pay off and sometimes lead to disappointment.
Overall, "How to Rent a Room" is a beautifully written and hauntingly poignant song that explores the complexities of life and love, reminding us of the importance of connection, freedom, reflection, and perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
No I don't really want to die
I do not want to die
I only want to die in your eyes
I only want to be remembered in your eyes if I die
I'm still here below the chandelier
I am still in this place where they used to read our rights below the chandelier
Where they always used to read us our rights
I am in a place where they used to read our rights
I want to wander through the night
I wish to wander aimlessly through the night
As a figure in the distance even to my own eye
I want to be so far that even I become unidentifiable
Have you ever rented a room
Have you ever paid for a room?
An anchor lets you see the river move
An anchor helps you see the current flow of the river
But now that your evil dreams came true
But now that your wicked dreams have come true
There on your face
A look on your face
A row of teeth he'll come to replace
He will come to replace a row of teeth
I know you laughed when I left
I know you laughed when I left
But you really only hurt yourself
But you hurt yourself more than me
When you see your curtains move in the wind
When you observe your curtains sway in the blowing wind
You can bet I'm betting against you again
I am sure that you will fail and I am betting against you once more
'Cause I'm a man who has a wife who has a mother
Because I am a man, the husband of a woman who is the daughter of another woman
Who married one but she loved another
Who married one man, but her love belonged to another
You're a tower without the bells
You are a watchtower without the bells that warn of danger
You're a negative wishing well
You are a wishing well that makes wishes come untrue
I should have checked the stable door
I should have inspected the entrance to the stable
For the name of the sire and dam
To determine the parents of the horse
You were always at the dogtrack
You were often present at the dog racing track
With your brother and all his friends
Accompanied by your brother and his companions
Chalk lines around my body
Lines drawn with chalk around my body
Like the shore line of a lake
Resembling the line of a shore of a lake
You're laughter made me nervous
Your laughter made me feel uneasy
It made your body shake too hard
It made your body tremble excessively
Now there's a lot of things that I'm gonna miss
Now there are various things I will miss
Like thunder down country and the way water drips
Such as the sound of thunder and how water trickles down slowly
When you're running for the door in the rain
When you are making a run for the door in the rain
Read the metro section...see my name
Check the local section to see my name
No I didn't really want to die
I did not actually desire to die
I only wanted to die in your eyes
I only wished to be remembered as dead in your eyes
Grant me one last wish
Let me have one final request
Life should mean a lot less than this
Life is worth much less than this
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind