Easily the most cynical of the D.C. Dischord bands, Smart Went Crazy combin… Read Full Bio ↴Easily the most cynical of the D.C. Dischord bands, Smart Went Crazy combine the ironic and honest portraits of their surrounding scene with well-orchestrated, edgy, angular post-hardcore punk. The band started as a studio project with Chad Clark (vox, guitar, piano), Abram Goodrich (bass), and Hilary Soldati (vox, cello) and added Tony Dennison on drums to record the Cubbyhole EP released on their own label Cozy Disc. They began playing live shows as a quintet with Jeff Boswell on guitar and farfisa in their native Washington D.C. and Devin Ocampo came in after Dennison late in 1997. Their 1996 full-length, Now We're Even, begins the band's ultra-black humor and noisy brand of art-punk. Con Art shows the band at their best with razor-sharp portraits of old lovers and depraved friends falling over Ocampo's mid-tempo tumult drumming and Soldati/Clark's sing-sneer vocals. The group disbanded shortly after their 1998 tour.

Black Kites
Smart Went Crazy Lyrics

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It was the car on the road that everybody swerved to avoid 'cause they thought he was driving drunk, but he was only daydreaming about the future without his wife, whose body was in the trunk.

Is it normal to tip the sad-eyed woman in the toll booth? Brighten up her starless night? She hands the change back to you and says, "no, thank you, darlin'. I'm alright. I'm alright.

Reconciling split languages, birthdays, and long-term mortgages. Nations have gone to war for less. Last words: "I can't live like this."

"Well, you don't have to..."
"Well, you don't have to..."

I thought that we were building something.
I thought that we were building something.
I thought that we were building something.

I thought that we were building something.
Something.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Smart Went Crazy's song Black Kites are haunting and dark, telling the story of a man who is daydreaming about a future without his wife, whose body is in the trunk of his car. The first verse paints a vivid image of a car on the road that people are actively trying to avoid, assuming that the driver is intoxicated. It's only later revealed that the man is lost in thought about a future without his spouse. This verse speaks to the idea of secrets and deceit - on the surface, everything may seem fine, but there can be deep pain and darkness hidden within.

The second verse poses the question of whether it's appropriate to attempt to bring a small bit of happiness to someone who appears to be struggling. The woman in the toll booth is described as sad-eyed, and while the singer in the song may feel empathy for her, she ultimately turns down his offer of a tip. This verse speaks to the idea of finding solace in small acts of kindness and the difficulty of truly connecting with others.

The third verse is the most cryptic and abstract, as it describes reconciling split languages, birthdays, and mortgages - things that on the surface seem mundane, but which can ultimately lead to conflict and pain. The reference to nations going to war for less is a poignant reminder of how easily misunderstandings can escalate into more significant issues. The line "Last words: 'I can't live like this'" indicates that the situation has become untenable, but there is no clear resolution presented.

Overall, Black Kites is a song that speaks to the pain and darkness that can hide behind a surface veneer of normalcy. It's a reminder that everyone is struggling with something, and that the connections between people can be tenuous and fragile.

Line by Line Meaning

It was the car on the road that everybody swerved to avoid 'cause they thought he was driving drunk, but he was only daydreaming about the future without his wife, whose body was in the trunk.
The car on the road seemed to be drunk driving, but it was only someone daydreaming about a life without their deceased wife, whose body was stuffed in the trunk.

Is it normal to tip the sad-eyed woman in the toll booth? Brighten up her starless night? She hands the change back to you and says, 'no, thank you, darlin'. I'm alright. I'm alright.
Should we give tips to the despondent toll booth lady to make her night better? But when we do, she smiles and gratefully refuses. She insists that she's okay.

Reconciling split languages, birthdays, and long-term mortgages. Nations have gone to war for less. Last words: 'I can't live like this.'
Trying to reconcile differences in languages, age, and financial obligations is a daunting task. Some countries have even gone to war over much less. The last thing said before leaving is 'I can't continue living in this way.'

"Well, you don't have to..." "Well, you don't have to..."
The repetition of 'Well, you don't have to...' implies that one is giving reassurance to someone else that they don't have to do something they were previously worried about.

I thought that we were building something. I thought that we were building something. I thought that we were building something. I thought that we were building something. Something.
Repetition of 'I thought we were building something' denotes that something was being constructed, but it wasn't clear what it was. The last 'Something' could be the realization that the construction was not going as planned.

Contributed by Peyton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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