Before forming the Dream Syndicate, Wynn played guitar in the Davis, California-based band The Suspects, whose members included vocalist Kendra Smith (who later played bass in the Dream Syndicate) and Russ Tolman and Gavin Blair (who would form True West (band)); in 1979 they released a single, "It's Up to You" b/w "Talking Loud." Two years later, under the name 15 Minutes, he self-released another single, "Last Chance for You" b/w "That's What You Always Say" (later performed by the Dream Syndicate), which owed much to Joy Division.
Though they were popular with critics, an influence on other musicians, and signed briefly to a major label, The Dream Syndicate were never really commercially successful. They did establish, however, the fan base on which Wynn built his solo career.
Since 1990, Wynn has released a number of albums exploring various musical styles. His first solo album, Kerosene Man, included backing work by bassist Fernando Saunders (a frequent sideman of Lou Reed, to whom Wynn was often compared early in his career), drummer D.J. Bonebrake from the L.A. punk band X, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and saxophonist Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Peter Buck, from R.E.M., played on its follow-up, Dazzling Display, and co-wrote the title song. Backing on Melting in the Dark (1996) was provided by the Boston band Come.
Here Come the Miracles (2001) was his best-selling solo album to date, and the best-reviewed, appearing at year's end on numerous critical Top Ten lists.
In 1985, Wynn wrote a collection of songs with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, and recorded and released them as Danny and Dusty. This collaboration was revisited in 2007 for a second Danny & Dusty album. In the '90s he was a part of the indie supergroup Gutterball along with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders and Brian Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks. In 2008 Wynn and his wife Linda Pitmon collaborated with Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5) and Peter Buck (R.E.M., The Minus 5) for a record with songs about legendary baseball players - this collaboration is known as The Baseball Project.
The double CD From a Man of Mysteries: A Steve Wynn Tribute was released by the German label Blue Rose in 2004 and features Wynn's songs performed by the likes of Concrete Blonde, the Silos, Chuck Prophet, The Minus 5 and others.
Wynn also records as Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3.
Wynn is at present more popular in Europe than in the United States. While domestic tours are rare, he continues to perform regularly overseas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wynn_%28songwriter%29
Younger
Steve Wynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and see the freak show within
An attic space in the house of sin
With pompadours and paraffin
She strokes your hair and says with a grin
"Here's the door but don't come in
Come back when you're younger"
Wasted on the rude and uncouth
Blinded on cheap vermouth
A would be poet in Duluth
Short on time, long in the tooth
Fantasies of John Wilkes Booth
Come back when you're younger
Come back when you're younger"
She dreams of an older man
Who holds delusions he still can
Deny he's an also-run
Clutching to an empty plan
"Come and sit on my divan
Don't say a word I'm your biggest fan"
Come back when you're younger
Better minds and bigger hearts
Larger scale and cheaper parts
Faded patrons of the arts
High heeled post-operation tarts
Bitter ale and blunted darts
Sliding quickly down the charts
Come back when you're younger
Come back when you're younger
Come back when you're younger
The song "Younger" by Steve Wynn is a reflection on the fleeting nature of youth and the characters who are left behind as time goes on. The lyrics speak of stripping away heroes' externals, revealing the freak show within, and portray a world of faded patrons of the arts, bitter ale, and blunted darts. Against this backdrop is the dream of an older man who holds onto the delusion of his youth, hoping for a young and beautiful woman to sit on his divan and be his biggest fan.
The lyrics paint a portrait of the regrets that come with age, wishing for a chance to go back and do it all over again. The line "Better minds and bigger hearts, larger scale and cheaper parts" suggests that with age comes wisdom, but also a certain wear and tear on the body and soul. It speaks to the idea that youth is wasted on the young, who are often blinded by the temptations of life.
Overall, "Younger" is a poignant reflection on the transience of youth, and the sadness of those who wish they could turn back the clock. It's a reminder to cherish the present and to make the most of every moment, because time waits for no one.
Line by Line Meaning
Strip the hero of his skin
Remove the masks and facade of the so-called 'hero' to reveal his true identity
And see the freak show within
One will find that the ones we idolize or idealize are often the ones with the most imperfections and struggles in their private lives.
An attic space in the house of sin
A hidden space in a place where immorality takes place.
With pompadours and paraffin
People who perform at that house with perfect styled hair and makeup that will hardly hide their true self
She strokes your hair and says with a grin
She flatters and conjures but deep inside she is looking for a reason to get rid of you
"Here's the door but don't come in
Is implying that it's better to leave, be on your way out and not involve yourself on anything you may get regrets from.
Come back when you're younger"
Come back when you have more capacity to enjoy the pleasures of life, now you are not ready for it
Someone asked me, "Why is youth
The reason why youth is the best phase of life is often being questioned
Wasted on the rude and uncouth
Young individuals often make poor choices in life due to their naivety
Blinded on cheap vermouth
Youth often doesn't make the best decisions when it comes to the company they keep or the substances they consume.
A would be poet in Duluth
A lot of them have unrealistic dreams of becoming great poets, even if they don't have the potential to become one.
Short on time, long in the tooth
Young people often have unrealistic notions of time, where they think the world revolves around them and they have infinite time.
Fantasies of John Wilkes Booth
It's rather odd that young people tend to romanticize homicides and people who assassinate important figures- becoming killers in their mind seems to be exhibiting toughness
Come back when you're younger
To be free and unburdened by responsibilities
She dreams of an older man
She dreams about someone who is in the state she would like to arrive someday: independent , experience and a lot of fun
Who holds delusions he still can
This man has illusions of still being young, where he can have anything he wants, even if it's not tenable
Deny he's an also-run
Denying the fact that others have surpassed him and turned him into a non-existent force.
Clutching to an empty plan
He's desperately clinging to something that's not going to come back, and he refuses to face the reality of it.
"Come and sit on my divan
He tries to boast about his abilities and charm to seduce the person.
Don't say a word I'm your biggest fan"
She is smitten by this man's demeanor and his experience, but he is not able to respond to that
Come back when you're younger
The perfect state for happiness is one without responsibility and where youthful passions are still in effect
Better minds and bigger hearts
Objective and clear-minded individuals with a better perspective on life
Larger scale and cheaper parts
What used to be grandiose is now at a lower status than before
Faded patrons of the arts
People that used to be part of the cultural norm but lost their relevance over time and inconsistency.
High heeled post-operation tarts
They're no longer fetching the attention they used to have, and they're trying futilely to change their appearance
Bitter ale and blunted darts
Those who are now outdated and out of their prime.
Sliding quickly down the charts
Their standings and sense of relevance/timeliness are quickly becoming irrelevant due to their conservative stances.
Come back when you're younger
Back then, everyting seemed so colorful and fresh, a time where the world hadn't taken its toll on them.
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.