Before his suicide in March 2010, Linkous created many albums of beauty and discord and much of Sparklehorse's music has an introspective, melancholy feel, which Linkous credited to a chemical imbalance. His lyrics are full of odd imagery: Joe Tangari describes Linkous' songs as "defiantly surrealist... with all manner of references to smiling babies, organ music, birds, and celestial bodies... In fact, some of the lyrics are so surreal that it's hard to imagine they're even metaphors for anything."
Musically, Sparklehorse were not far removed from alt country, though there are as many differences as similarities between that genre and Sparklehorse: Linkous was fond of incorporating obsolete musical instruments or technologies (such as woozy mellotrons, scratchy, distorted wire recordings of his own voice, or cheap, tinny drum machines), in ways reminiscent of some of Tom Waits' music. As an extension of this style, Sparklehorse was a pioneering voice in dream country. Sparklehorse offered a few full-throttle hard rock numbers, as well, such as "Some Day I Will Treat You Good" or "Happy Man".
Sparklehorse's first album was the confoundingly-titled Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (1995). The record was a modest success, mainly on college radio. The supporting tour, however, found Linkous overdosing on valium and antidepressants. As a result, Linkous passed out in his London hotel room and remained unconscious with his legs pinned beneath him for almost fourteen hours.
This caused a buildup of potassium which was released when he was moved, causing his heart to stop for two to three minutes. He was hospitalized for weeks afterwards (nearly losing both legs), enduring numerous painful surgeries.
Good Morning Spider (1999) was recorded following this incident, and with mournful songs such as "Painbirds", many critics have mistakenly conjectured that Linkous's near death experience inspired the somber, yet hopeful tone of the album. However, Linkous has stated that much of the material on GMS was written prior to 'the incident'. One song which did result from it is "St. Mary", which is dedicated to the nurses at the hospital of the same name where Linkous recuperated.
2001 saw the release of It's A Wonderful Life and features appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Nina Persson and Dave Fridmann, the pre-eminent producer of indie music at the time. Whereas much of "Vivadixie..." and "Spider" were recorded solely by Linkous in his "Static King" studio on his farm in rural Virginia, "Wonderful Life" was more of a formal effort, largely recorded by Fridmann after Linkous was asked by his label to retain an outside producer for the project.
Aside from his own music, Linkous has also become a sought-after record producer, and has helmed works such as Nina Persson's solo record, "A Camp", and Daniel Johnston's "Fear Yourself". Linkous has been one of the most ardent supporters of Johnston, an outsider artist who has had a long battle with mental illness. In 2004, Linkous curated and produced "Discovered Covered: The Late Great Daniel Johnston", a tribute album to the still-living Johnston featuring acts such as Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, Vic Chesnutt, Tom Waits and Bright Eyes. It also includes a collaboration between Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips on the track "Go".
In 2003, Sparklehorse opened some concerts for R.E.M.
Linkous relocated his "Static King" studio to a remote mountaintop in North Carolina. Several years ago, he purchased a vintage recording console built by the near-mythical Daniel Flickinger. His fourth album has been delayed due to his own health problems as well as the necessity of overhauling the temperamental recording desk. Recently, Linkous has been carrying out promotional work for a new album Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain - collaborating with Danger Mouse and other notables including Christian Fennesz and Steven Drozd, and a release date of 25th September 2006 accompanied by US and UK tours was officially announced. Some of the newly released songs appeared at the time of It's A Wonderful Life as b-sides or demos, but there is a different feel to the album, thanks to stripped down production that has only been hinted at in previous albums. The ten minute long finale, with same title as the album, suggests a contemplative movie soundtrack rather than a song. Linkous has since realised his own ultimate song, remaining only now in music.
On March 6, 2010, Linkous committed suicide with a shotgun blast to his heart in the backyard of a friend's house in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was 47 years old. A retail version of his delayed collaboration with Danger Mouse, "The Dark Night of the Soul", was released in July 2010.
http://www.sparklehorse.com
Painbirds
Sparklehorse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Supposed to come a rain but it's not
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Between our skins and burning spheres
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Spiral down those hateful dears (goddamn it's so very hot)
Between our skins and burning spheres (supposed to come a rain but it's not)
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
The opening lyrics of Sparklehorse's 'Painbirds' describe the oppressive heat of summertime that is so intense one cannot escape it. The anticipation of rain is palpable, but it fails to materialize. This sense of suffocating expectation runs throughout the song, with the listener waiting for relief or resolution that never arrives. The chorus introduces the 'painbirds,' described as hateful creatures that bring additional layers of torment to the already unbearable heat. They are an ominous force, eagerly awaited but also feared.
The verse following the first chorus is more enigmatic, with the lyrics 'spiral down those hateful dears, between our skins and burning spheres.' It is difficult to determine precisely what is meant by this, but the words suggest a kind of entrapment or confinement in the face of the painbirds' arrival. This imagery is heightened by the repetition of the chorus, growing more intense each time it is sung. The song seems to be an exploration of the dread that comes with uncertainty, waiting for something that may or may not arrive, and the inevitability of suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Goddamn it's so very hot
Expressing frustration over the intense heat of the environment.
Supposed to come a rain but it's not
Expecting rainfall, but it hasn't arrived, which compounds the frustration.
Here come the painbirds
Introducing the metaphorical painbirds as a manifestation of the discomfort and discontentment in the environment.
Spiral down those hateful dears
Referring to the painbirds descending or swooping down, potentially indicating that they are exacerbating the situation.
Between our skins and burning spheres
Describing how the painbirds are interjected between the artist and the overwhelming environmental factors.
Oh yeah
A repeated interjection that denotes a sense of resignation or acceptance of the situation.
Here come the painbirds
Reasserting the presence of the painbirds and the accompanying discomfort.
Here come the painbirds
Repeating the previous line for emphasis and impact.
Here come the painbirds
Reiterating the presence of the painbirds and their role in the current situation.
Oh yeah
A final resignation or acceptance of the current conditions.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mark Linkous
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ni7ui7hs8c
Lyrics
Goddamn it's so very hot
Supposed to come a rain but it's not
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Spiral down those hateful dears
Between our skins and burning spheres
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Oh yeah
Here come the painbirds
Goddamn it's so very hot, spiral down those hateful dears
Supposed to…
@yanamclaughlin1644
I was intensely obsessed with this song in high school as a neurotic indie goth kid suffering from massive depression. My taste in music probably stopped me from offing myself cause songs like this trained me to find something worth living for even when everything sucked. Now I'm a soccer mom
@KendrickLamarIsGarbage
I want ready for that last sentence holy shit what a twist
@lichtfilme
A soccer mom in a sparklehorse shirt would blow my mind 💥
@user-qv8fz8kl5t
Yeah, man.
Agree with all your words
@user-ek3pj5cs8v
A soccer mom with really good taste in music.
@tfok.9789
@@lichtfilme she won't just blow your mind iykwim
@brunettesatlarge
What I love about Sparklehorse is how one small layer of an arrangement can incite such overwhelming feeling. The beauty lies in the melody's ability to make you feel- whether nostalgic for things you've never done or places you've never been or people you've never met. He could give me a string of incoherent phrases and it'd be like watching a home video. His songs are beautiful because they make you feel, and I'm a firm believer that good music is music that makes you feel.
@closedupshop4172
I agree wholeheartedly.. the chorus (oh yeah...) is sooo simple, it jusg goes from Am to D and somehow they make it into this transcendant melody.. its incredible. I'd recommend Paranoid Cocoon by Cotton Jones as it gives me very similar feelings. Its arrangement and composition is very simple but the atmosphere and the feel, to me, is basically unmatched. Also, I just realized I'm 7 years late. Hope you're doing well still.
@piamarcoux5532
@Kat Daniel Hi there ! I made this comment when I was 15-16 and completely forgot I wrote it. I love that you replied to it, even all this time later. I still love Sparklehorse and mourn Mark Linkous. Hope all is well <3
@Ncrockett91
Sparklehorse really is like watching a grainy old home movie with all of whom it features passed on. Amazing comparison