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.
K-Hole
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ever since you went away
I've been down here day after day
I'd rather live in a trash can
Than see you happy with another man
Closed sign swinging in the window of the liquor store
Better get inside the kingdom and close the door
Andre was a young black Santa Claus
He didn't want to be like his daddy was
Better take the gun with you when you go
He'd rather be dead than anything he knows
Girl in the special economic zone
Closed sign swinging in the window of the liquor store
Better get inside the kingdom and close the door
The lyrics of Silver Jews' song "K-Hole" convey the pain and despair of someone who has been devastated by the end of a romantic relationship. The singer likens their situation to being trapped in a "k-hole," a term commonly used to describe the dissociative state caused by taking the drug ketamine. This suggests that the singer is using drugs to cope with the pain of their breakup, and has retreated into a world of isolation and self-destruction.
The lyrics also imply a sense of bitterness and jealousy towards their ex-partner. The singer states that they would "rather live in a trash can / Than see you happy with another man," emphasizing their sense of worthlessness and their inability to move on. This bitterness is further reinforced in the second verse with the mention of Andre, who is described as "a young black Santa Claus" and who would "rather be dead than anything he knows." Andre's story serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive power of love and the dangers of becoming too attached to others.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been living in a k-hole
I've been stuck in a state of depression and addiction since you left
Ever since you went away
Since the day you left my life
I've been down here day after day
I've been stuck in this sadness for a long time
I'd rather live in a trash can
I'd choose any situation, even the worst, over seeing you with someone else
Than see you happy with another man
I can't stand the thought of you being happy without me
Closed sign swinging in the window of the liquor store
The storefront of the liquor store is closed and empty, just like my heart
Better get inside the kingdom and close the door
I need to retreat inside myself and close off the outside world to try and cope
Andre was a young black Santa Claus
Andre was a unique and caring person who wanted to spread happiness and joy
He didn't want to be like his daddy was
He wanted to distance himself from his father's shortcomings and create his own identity
Better take the gun with you when you go
It's better to be prepared for danger when leaving a difficult situation
He'd rather be dead than anything he knows
He doesn't want to live a life that mimics the struggles he's seen
Girl in the special economic zone
A girl who is stuck in a difficult economic situation, without much hope for improvement
Contributed by Alyssa H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.