Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, utilizing sub-standard instruments and recording equipment. His reason for using the lo-fi approach was not so much an aesthetic choice, rather it came from his lack of knowledge of recording studios, and fear of giving up control to professional engineers.
His later work saw him overcoming his fear of studios and producers, and in this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O'Rourke and musicians from the circles around Drag City, as well as collaborating with the similar-minded Neil Hagerty.
His songs are based on simple, repetitive structures, strikingly characterized by his baritone vocal. His lyrics are often centered around themes of spiritual searching and the complexity of emotions, with the use of subtlety and dark irony in the classic sense. There is also a broad swathe of joy throughout Callahan's work (and a singular obsession with horses that he shares with Will Oldham and Mark Linkous). He is a keen storyteller using simple words to project large and deeply echoing tales.
Callahan's love life has been documented with vigor in numerous hipster publications, including his romantic relationship with Chan Marshall (Cat Power), who allegedly penned "To Be a Good Woman" in tribute to Callahan while referencing his song "To Be Of Use." It has recently been rumored that Callahan is now involved with Drag City labelmate Joanna Newsom.
Callahan is widely seen as one of the important figures of American rock in the '90s. He currently resides in Austin, TX.
On his 2007 album "Woke on a Whaleheart" he dropped the name Smog and used his real name, Bill Callahan.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. Smog was a psychedelic rock band from Perù, wich in 1971 released the single Time for the Blues
3. Sludge/doom metal from Nuremberg, Germany
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4. Black metal from Kraków, Poland
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Connections
Smog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate your connections
I said, I don't like your connections
I don't like your connections
I hate men with connections
I said, I don't like your connections
I hate men with connections
I don't like your connections
(I can't stop)
The lyrics to Smog's song Connections express a general disliking towards people who have connections or influence in society. The singer explicitly states that they hate men with connections, and repeats the phrase numerous times throughout the song. This opposition to social connections suggests that the singer values authenticity and individuality over social status and privilege.
The repetition of the phrase "I don't like your connections" serves to emphasize the singer's feelings and reinforce the theme of the song. The use of the phrase "whoop-bop" in the background vocals adds a playful and musically interesting element to the song, contrasting with the serious mood of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate men with connections
I strongly dislike individuals who have social or business networks that allow them to gain unfair advantages and manipulate situations in their favor
I hate your connections
I have negative feelings towards the alliances or relationships that you may have established in order to benefit yourself at the expense of others
I said, I don't like your connections
I made it clear that I am not fond of the associations you have made that give you an unfair edge in certain aspects of life
I don't like your connections
I have a dislike towards the networks that you have created and used to gain advantages over others
I hate men with connections
I harbor a strong aversion to individuals who utilize their connections to get ahead in life and manipulate situations to their liking
I said, I don't like your connections
I expressed my dissatisfaction with the affiliations that you have formed that give you an unfair upper hand in certain situations
I hate men with connections
I hold a strong disdain towards individuals who rely on their social or business networks to get what they want, even if it is at the detriment of others
(I whoo-bop)
This vocalization does not have a specific meaning, it is likely a nonsensical sound used for emphasis or rhythm in the song
I don't like your connections
I have a negative opinion of the relationships and networks that you have established to progress in life, particularly if they are based on nepotism or preferential treatment
(I can't stop)
This phrase may indicate the singer's inability to escape the negative feelings associated with the connections of the subject of the song or it could be a reference to the infectious and repetitive nature of the song's lyrics
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