Soul Coughing,was founded by vocalist and guitarist Mike Doughty (who billed himself at the time as 'M. Doughty'), a folk singer, slam poet, and music writer.
Doughty was a doorman at the old Knitting Factory on Houston Street in New York. While working there he met sampler artist Mark De Gli Antoni, upright bass player Sebastian Steinberg, drummer Yuval Gabay, and artist David Linton. Doughty convinced them to join him in forming a new band. They played their first gig, as 'M. Doughty's Soul Coughing' at the Knitting Factory on June 15, 1992, a late-Monday night slot that Doughty cadged from his boss because nobody else wanted it. In 1993, he founded a club night called SLAW at CBGB's 313 Gallery, which was meant to emulate the popular jazz and hip hop club Giant Step, but eventually became a showcase for Soul Coughing. Posters for SLAW were headlined 'Deep Slacker Jazz' (a parody of The Who's slogan 'Maximum R&B'), which became an enduring description of the band's sound.
The band was signed within a year to Warner Brothers subsidiary Slash Records, and released three albums: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996), and El Oso (1998). They enjoyed minor hit singles with "Circles," "Super Bon Bon," and "Screenwriter's Blues."
The band broke up in 2000, after years of feuding over songwriting credits and publishing money. Doughty continued as a solo artist, and Gabay, Steinberg, and De Gli Antoni have been involved with other projects including a trio disc sans Doughty in 2004.
Blame
Soul Coughing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the cure
Cure anything
Throw the rudder down
Throw the rudder down
Broad
Latitude
Broad latitude
Throw the rudder down
Throw the rudder down
In this song, Soul Coughing presents us with a confusing but deep reflection on the nature of blame and its role in our lives. The first three lines "Blame, Is the cure, Cure anything" seem to suggest that blaming others or oneself is a way of finding closure and healing, though the concept of blame may be as vague and doubtful as the "anything" it claims to cure. The rest of the song is an inconclusive repetition of the line "Throw the rudder down, Broad Latitude", which can be read as either a nautical command or a metaphor for taking control of one's life.
The phrase "Throw the rudder down" is often used by sailors to mean turning the rudder sharply to one side, a maneuver that can be used to change the direction of a ship or stop it completely. Applying this imagery to personal matters implies a similar need for a decisive action or drastic change. The phrase "Broad Latitude", on the other hand, might be understood as the freedom to steer one's own course, to explore, or to deviate from a preset path. However, whether the rudder or the latitude is the cause or the solution to the problem of blame, is left open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Blame
It is easier to blame someone else for your problems rather than take responsibility.
Is the cure
Blaming others is a way to temporarily feel better about a situation, like a cure for a short-term ailment.
Cure anything
Blaming others may feel like a solution, but it does not solve the root issue.
Throw the rudder down
When faced with a difficult situation, one may feel like giving up or letting go.
Throw the rudder down
This could be seen as a metaphor for giving up control and allowing external influences to take over.
Broad
Allowing for a wide range of options or possibilities.
Latitude
The freedom to make choices within certain boundaries.
Broad latitude
Giving oneself the freedom to explore different options and viewpoints.
Throw the rudder down
This phrase repeats to emphasize the idea of letting go of control and embracing different possibilities.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK DEGLIANTONI, MICHAEL DOUGHTY, SEBASTIAN STEINBERG, YUVAL GABAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind