Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Stan Ridgway was the original lead singer for the band Wall of Voodoo, singing on their debut EP and first two albums, including their only hit song, "Mexican Radio". Wall Of Voodoo's genesis was in a Hollywood company called "Acme Soundtracks", a commercially unsuccessful venture founded in 1977 in Hollywood by Ridgway. Ridgway's intent for the company was to provide soundtrack music for independently produced low-budget horror films; unfortunately, the company found few takers for its services. Instead, Acme Soundtracks evolved into a band that played live shows.
The band was named Wall Of Voodoo by Ridgway before their first gig in reference to a comment made while recording and overdubbing a Kalamazoo Rhythm Ace drum machine, a gift to Ridgway by writer and iconic voice over artist Daws Butler, partner to Stan Freberg, voice of Yogi Bear and many other Hanna-Barbera characters. When someone jokingly compared the multiple drum machine and farfisa organ laden recordings to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, Ridgway commented it sounded more like a "Wall Of Voodoo", and the name stuck.
Actually, for new listeners, the voodoo reference was a little misleading, as it referred to the music's often spooky quality, as opposed to any Haitian or Caribbean influences. In fact, WoV's music could fairly have been described as a cross between early synthesizer pop (especially that of Devo) and Ennio Morricone's soundtracks for Sergio Leone's "Man with No Name" films. Adding to the music's distinctiveness was Nanini's percussive experimentation, mixing drum machines with unconventional found instruments such as pots, pans and various kitchen utensils, as well as Marc Moreland's twangy spaghetti-western guitar. On top of the mix was Ridgway's unusual vocal style—a nasal Western drawl that combined the stoic ballad-style Sprechgesang of Johnny Cash, the declamatory theatrical delivery of Ethel Merman, and the ironic, clenched-jaw voice of a wisecracking ventriloquist's dummy. One of Ridgway's hobbies since childhood has been ventriloquism and he occasionally assumes the persona of a dummy named Jackie T. Lazar, such as in his cover version of "Behind Closed Doors" from Holiday in Dirt and in the video for "Big Dumb Town" from Black Diamond.
Ridgway embarked on a solo career in 1983, shortly after Wall of Voodoo's appearance and break up at the US Festival that same year. After collaborating on the song "Don't Box Me In" with Stewart Copeland from The Police for the soundtrack to the film Rumble Fish (1983), directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Mickey Rourke, Matt Dillon, Dennis Hopper and Tom Waits, he released his first proper solo album, The Big Heat (1986), which included the top 5 European hit "Camouflage". This was followed by numerous other solo recordings Mosquitos (1989), Partyball (1991), Black Diamond (1995), Anatomy (1999), The Way I Feel Today a collection of big band standards (2000) and Holiday In Dirt (2001) which also included a DVD of videos. Ridgway's most recent solo outing is Snakebite: Blacktop Ballads and Fugitive Songs (2005) featuring the narrative song, "Talkin' Wall Of Voodoo Blues Pt. 1", a history of his former band in song that was especially poignant, having followed the recent deaths of Marc Moreland and Joe Nanini.
Since the early days of Wall of Voodoo, Ridgway has been interested in music for cinema. A list of films for which Ridgway has written scores and/or original songs is included below. Ridgway's album Holiday in Dirt was a quasi-cinematic project, with the release of the album accompanied by a showing of 14 short films by various independent film makers, each film corresponding to one of the songs on the album. A compilation DVD of the films was released in February 2005.
In 1994, Ridgway began work on a new project in the form of a trio called Drywall, the other members of the trio being Ridgway's wife, keyboardist/vocalist Pietra Wexstun of the band Hecate's Angels (who had previously worked with Ridgway on Mosquitos and Partyball), and former Rain Parade drummer Ivan Knight. In 1995, Drywall released its first album (first of a "trilogy of apocalyptic documents"), titled Work The Dumb Oracle. A short film directed by Carlos Grasso titled The Drywall Incident was released the same year. An extended, instrumental soundtrack album for The Drywall Incident was released in 1996.
Ridgway and Wexstun also collaborated on a suite of mostly instrumental and orchestral pieces to accompany an exhibition of post modern surrealist artist Mark Ryden's paintings, which was released as the album Blood- Miniature Paintings of Sorrow and Fear"in 2003 in a unique 3 panel packaging design by the artist which quickly sold out of its limited pressing of 7,500.
Stan Ridgway and Drywall regrouped in 2006 to release the album Barbeque Babylon, the third "apocalyptic document" with the single "The AARP Is Following Me". The new Drywall lineup features Rick King on guitars and bass and Bruce Zelesnik on drums and percussion.
Ridgway has also contributed to albums and projects by producer Hal Willner, Frank Black and the Catholics, The Flesh Eaters, The Divine Horsemen, The Ray Campi Quartet, The Fibonaccis, and Roger McGuinn.
King for A Day
Stan Ridgway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a brand new car that I just found
Oh, it was parked there in your driveway
Didn't want to wake you with a sound
So I pushed it down the street
Hopped in runnin', I rolled the window down
Yeah, I'm doin' 95 now
I'm smokin' crack, it can't be beat
You left in your wallet on the seat
Oh, it's generosity like yours
That keeps us poor folk off the street
Hey, I'm doin' 110 now
Can you still hear me on your phone?
I got a hundred cops behind me
And overhead I hear the choppers groan
Oh, I'm headed for the wall, now
Gotta hang up now, thanks for the loan
Chorus:
So is this how we'll end
My face here on TV
Here's a message for your mother
Out the window??can she see?
So I'm cuttin' to the exit
I can see people on the shoulder wave at me
They're wavin' at me
Don't know how things will end, now
But I never wanted this to be so hard
That's how love will go, it's either there
Or it's not there in the cards
So I'll leave you now, but you'd better check
The fire I set in our backyard
Now I wonder if they'll shoot me
Or just fire that taser gun
And to tell you all the truth,
It don't matter a difference either one
I know it's just a job they're doin'
A man's gotta take it as it comes
Oh, I think my bumper fell off
Somewhere ten miles back
The transmission is history
The engine block is cracked
I'm pickin' through these bottles
Left here behind the seat
The radiator's boilin' and
The needle's in the heat
So this is how it ends, now
You get the kids and kick me out
So I guess I had to show you
That this man is not a mouse
Hey, I hope you're happy now
I gotta hang up now and crash into this house
Daddy's home!
"King For A Day" by Stan Ridgway is a story about a man who takes his lover's car while she is asleep, drives it at insane speeds while taking drugs he finds in her wallet, and ultimately crashes it into someone’s house. The song is a dark commentary on the American dream and capitalism, with the man taking advantage of the wealth and generosity of his lover to indulge in reckless behavior.
The lyrics describe the thrill of driving fast and taking drugs, as well as the feelings of betrayal and frustration that the man has towards his lover. The chorus suggests that the man’s actions could end up on TV and that he may be killed by the police or end up in jail. There is also a sense of resignation in the lyrics, as the man seems to have accepted his fate.
Overall, "King For A Day" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and excess, and the consequences that come with taking advantage of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, I'm drivin' down your freeway
I am using your resources and doing something on your property without your permission.
In a brand new car that I just found
I obtained a new resource without paying or earning it.
Oh, it was parked there in your driveway
I took the resource from your personal property.
Didn't want to wake you with a sound
I don't want you to know what I am doing.
So I pushed it down the street
I took the resource by force.
Hopped in runnin', I rolled the window down
I took advantage of the opportunity to use the resource right away.
Yeah, I'm doin' 95 now
I am acting recklessly and without regard for the speed limit or other people's well-being.
I'm smokin' crack, it can't be beat
I am indulging in a harmful addiction that is likely to cause problems.
And thanks for all the money
I am taking advantage of your generosity.
You left in your wallet on the seat
I am taking money that is not mine.
Oh, it's generosity like yours
I am making fun of your attempt to help others and make a difference.
That keeps us poor folk off the street
I am pretending to be a victim and using your actions as an excuse for my behavior.
Hey, I'm doin' 110 now
I am continuing to act recklessly and with disregard for others.
Can you still hear me on your phone?
I am acknowledging the consequences of my actions but not taking responsibility for them.
I got a hundred cops behind me
I am being pursued because of my illegal actions.
And overhead I hear the choppers groan
I am aware of the severity of the situation I have created.
Oh, I'm headed for the wall, now
I am acknowledging that there will be consequences for my actions.
Gotta hang up now, thanks for the loan
I am acknowledging that I have taken something that is not mine and will be punished for it.
So is this how we'll end
I am acknowledging the consequences of my actions.
My face here on TV
I am acknowledging that my actions have consequences and that I will be held accountable for them.
Here's a message for your mother
I am being disrespectful and trying to cause harm to someone else who is not involved.
Out the window??can she see?
I am mocking the situation and trying to cause harm to someone else who is not involved.
So I'm cuttin' to the exit
I am trying to escape the consequences of my actions.
I can see people on the shoulder wave at me
I am being disrespectful and trying to cause harm to someone else who is not involved.
They're wavin' at me
I am mocking the situation and trying to cause harm to someone else who is not involved.
Don't know how things will end, now
I am acknowledging that there will be consequences for my actions.
But I never wanted this to be so hard
I am pretending that I didn't know the consequences of my actions.
That's how love will go, it's either there
I am using love as an excuse for my poor behavior.
Or it's not there in the cards
I am using fate as an excuse for my poor behavior.
So I'll leave you now, but you'd better check
I am being disrespectful and trying to cause harm by making an ambiguous statement.
The fire I set in our backyard
I am threatening to cause harm to someone else's property.
Now I wonder if they'll shoot me
I am being disrespectful and making light of a serious situation.
Or just fire that taser gun
I am being disrespectful and making light of a serious situation.
And to tell you all the truth,
I am being sarcastic and trying to cause harm.
It don't matter a difference either one
I am pretending that the consequences of my actions don't matter.
I know it's just a job they're doin'
I am pretending to be a victim and not taking responsibility for my actions.
A man's gotta take it as it comes
I am pretending to be brave in the face of the consequences of my actions.
Oh, I think my bumper fell off
I am being sarcastic and dismissive of the damage that I have caused.
Somewhere ten miles back
I am minimizing the damage and consequences of my actions.
The transmission is history
I am acknowledging the severity of the damage that I have caused.
The engine block is cracked
I am acknowledging the severity of the damage that I have caused.
I'm pickin' through these bottles
I am displaying my addiction and using it as an excuse for my behavior.
Left here behind the seat
I am being disrespectful and leaving a mess for someone else to clean up.
The radiator's boilin' and
I am acknowledging that my actions have caused harm.
The needle's in the heat
I am acknowledging that my actions have caused harm and that there will be consequences.
So this is how it ends, now
I am acknowledging the consequences of my actions.
You get the kids and kick me out
I am acknowledging that my actions have caused harm to my family.
So I guess I had to show you
I am blaming my poor behavior on someone else.
That this man is not a mouse
I am pretending to be brave and strong in the face of the consequences of my actions.
Hey, I hope you're happy now
I am being sarcastic and dismissive of the consequences of my actions.
I gotta hang up now and crash into this house
I am acknowledging that there will be consequences for my actions and am being disrespectful.
Daddy's home!
I am being disrespectful and mocking the situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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