Sister Machine Gun founder Chris Randall and guitarist Miguel Turanzas are, without a doubt, one of music's hardest working duos. In addition to recording, producing, and touring, they also run their own record label, Positron! Records. Not simply a vehicle for SMG, the label has unleashed 17 releases including albums from Van Christie (Die Warzau), Matt Walker (Filter/Smashing Pumpkins/Cupcakes) and Mike Fisher (Machines of Loving Grace).
SMG's extensive catalog explores just about every genre of modern music, from electro-funk dance to Hendrix-flavored industrial strength rock. Their seventh release, Influence, is an elektro-industrial tour-de-force that recalls the industrial sound of the late eighties and early nineties. Heavy beats, distorted guitars and pounding synth lines drag your favorite sounds kicking and screaming into the future.
Sister Machine Gun's catalog of critically acclaimed albums includes four on the pioneering Wax Trax! label: Sins Of The Flesh (1992), The Torture Technique (1994), Burn (1995), and Metropolis (1997); plus three on their own Positron! Records: [R]evolution (1999) sistermachinegun: 6.0 (2001) and Influence (2003). The liner notes of these albums read like a veritable Who's Who of modern music, and include Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie/Tin Machine), Sascha & En Esch (KMFDM), Charles Levi (Thrill Kill Kult/Pigface), Gino Lenardo (Filter), Scott Churilla (The Rev. Horton Heat), Matt Walker (Filter/Smashing Pumpkins/Cupcakes), and Jim Marcus & Van Christie (Die Warzau).
With fans that treat the band as a religion, and an online presence second to none, Sister Machine Gun are Chicago's Ambassadors of Industrial.
Desperation
Sister Machine Gun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll take anything from you
Cause what I am is What I need
And there is nothing I can do
I'm a slave to your frustration
And I'm working for this pain
But In the end i'm nothing and it doesn't mean a goddamn thing
I don't want to be like you
I don't need what I don't miss
This is what I got to do
Well I don't want to be here but I just don't have a choice
And I'd like to say a prayer but I cannot find my voice
Well I feel I've lived a lifetime and I guess it's just as well
Cause the life that I've been given is like livin in an empty shell
I don't want to live like this
I don't want to be like you
I don't need what I don't miss
This is what I got to do
Well I'm just in denial of the things I cannot do
Well everything that I can't have is all because of you
I don't need a guilty conscience, I don't need to be a star
All I need is some redemption but that just won't get me very far
I don't want to live like this
I don't want to be like you
I don't need what I don't miss
This is what I got to do
I don't want to live like this
I don't want to be like you
I don't need what I don't miss
This is what I got to do
The lyrics of Sister Machine Gun's song Desperation depict an individual who is pleading for help, reaching out to someone, anyone, willing to take whatever they can get, even if it means resorting to something potentially harmful, because they are so desperate to find a way out of their situation. The artist paints a bleak picture of their own existence, acknowledging their own inaction in creating it. The repeated refrain, "I don't want to live like this, I don't want to be like you, I don't need what I don't miss, this is what I got to do," speaks to a sense of resignation, acknowledging that while they may not like their current situation, there is nothing else they can do but keep moving forward.
The song speaks to the idea of being trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior, recognizing the need for change but feeling helpless to achieve it. It hints at feelings of guilt and shame, as well as a deep-seated desire for redemption. Overall, the lyrics of Desperation can be read as a cry for help, a confession of inner turmoil, and a warning about the powerlessness of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
In my desperation
I am in a state of desperation and will do anything to alleviate it.
I'll take anything from you
I will engage in any kind of behavior to gain relief from my desperation, even if it involves taking advantage of you.
Cause what I am is What I need
I am consumed by my need for relief and will prioritize it above all else, even if it means compromising my own values.
And there is nothing I can do
I feel powerless to change my situation and am resigned to relying on external sources of relief.
I'm a slave to your frustration
I am controlled by the frustration and pain that you inflict upon me.
And I'm working for this pain
I am constantly striving to alleviate the pain that I am feeling, even if it means subjecting myself to more pain.
But In the end i'm nothing and it doesn't mean a goddamn thing
Despite my efforts, I feel unfulfilled and empty, realizing that my actions have been in vain.
Well I don't want to be here but I just don't have a choice
I am trapped in my current situation and feel powerless to change it, even though I desperately want to.
And I'd like to say a prayer but I cannot find my voice
I feel that I am lost and unable to rely on any external source of guidance or relief.
Well I feel I've lived a lifetime and I guess it's just as well
I feel as though I have experienced enough pain and suffering to justify my current situation and have come to accept it.
Cause the life that I've been given is like livin in an empty shell
My existence feels meaningless and devoid of any real substance or purpose.
Well I'm just in denial of the things I cannot do
I am aware of my limitations but am still in denial about them, hoping that I can somehow overcome them.
Well everything that I can't have is all because of you
I blame you for my inability to achieve the things that I want, even though I know deep down that it is not entirely your fault.
I don't need a guilty conscience, I don't need to be a star
I do not want to feel guilty for my actions, nor do I desire fame or recognition for them.
All I need is some redemption but that just won't get me very far
I am seeking redemption for my actions and behavior, but I realize that it will not solve all of my problems or lead to complete relief from my desperation.
I don't want to live like this
I am unhappy with my current situation and want to change it.
I don't want to be like you
I do not want to continue engaging in behavior that makes me feel empty and unfulfilled, like you have.
I don't need what I don't miss
I realize that I do not need material possessions or external sources of relief to be truly content and fulfilled.
This is what I got to do
I have come to the realization that I need to change my behavior and mindset in order to alleviate my desperation and find true fulfillment.
Contributed by Dylan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.