Strippers Union grew out of 20-odd years of Baker's writing with his brothers in the Hip, and a collection of ideas for songs that he needed some lyrics for!
When visiting Northey in 2002 at his studio in Vancouver, Baker got the opportunity to record on an album Northey was working on for another friend, Bob Kemmis. As an aside, Northey asked if Baker wanted to have a go at an instrumental piece he'd been working on. Two years later when there were a dozen or so songs taking shape for the project, they added that original collaboration (titled "Give Up and Go Away") to the disc Strippers Union.
Their second album, The Deuce, was released 8 March, 2011.
Official website: www.strippersunion.ca
High
Stripper's Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or collapsed like laundry bags
Sweet exhaustion second hand
A season in hell in a seasoned band
Peel the grapes, palm fronds are fanned
Alone at the top of the strangest clan
Only you to understand me
Exile in my own skin
At two a.m. my day begins
Then ends, then begins
I'm high as a cloud to get me through
I walk through walls when I have you
And I guess you have me too
From the outside the darkness grows
Inside my blood it glows
With stars and polished steel
I dreamt a song so real
It was satisfaction
I got twelve hours to shake some action
When I woke up they were torn and frayed
Cats from the alleys around Marseilles
I'm high as a cloud to get me through
I walk through walls when I have you
And I guess you have me too
I'm high, yes, I'm high, it's true
I walk through walls 'cause I have to
And I guess you have to do
What you have to do
Exile in my own skin
When does this day begin
And end, then begin
I'm high as a cloud to get me through
I walk through walls when I have you
And I guess you have me too
I'm high, yes, I'm high, it's true
I walk through walls 'cause I have to
And I guess you have to do
What you have to do
I need more than love
I need more than love
I need more than love
To keep me happy
The lyrics of Stripper's Union's song High can be interpreted in a number of ways, but the most likely meaning is a commentary on life as a musician. The first few lines about "all the hangers on" leaving and feeling "sweet exhaustion second hand" reflect the hard work that goes into being a seasoned band. The line "a season in hell in a seasoned band" is an allusion to Arthur Rimbaud's A Season in Hell, which explores the poet's own struggles with personal identity and creativity.
The imagery in the lines "Peel the grapes, palm fronds are fanned, alone at the top of the strangest clan" evokes a feeling of isolation and exoticism, as if the singer is on their own personal island. The image of a sharp knife being always handy suggests a sense of danger and the need for self-preservation in this environment.
The chorus repeats the idea of being "high as a cloud to get me through" and "walking through walls when I have you". It seems that the "you" mentioned in the song is a kind of anchor or muse, someone who helps the musician navigate the difficult terrain of creativity and success. However, the line "I need more than love to keep me happy" suggests that even this connection is not enough to fully sustain the singer.
Overall, the song is a poetic and introspective exploration of the trials and joys of life as a musician.
Line by Line Meaning
All the hangers on have left
All the superficial people who only cared about fame and popularity have abandoned me
Or collapsed like laundry bags
Or they have become weak and useless, like empty laundry bags
Sweet exhaustion second hand
I am tired from all the hard work, but it's a satisfying kind of tired because I know I put in the effort
A season in hell in a seasoned band
Being part of a veteran band is simultaneously torturous and enriching
Peel the grapes, palm fronds are fanned
I am being treated luxuriously, with someone peeling my grapes and fanning me with palm fronds
Alone at the top of the strangest clan
I am at the highest level of success, but it's with an unconventional group of people
Only you to understand me
There is only one person who truly gets me
You and a sharp knife always handy
That person also has a dangerous side, as represented by the sharp knife they always carry
Exile in my own skin
I feel like a stranger in my own body
At two a.m. my day begins
My unconventional lifestyle means that my day starts at 2am
Then ends, then begins
And my day has no clear end or beginning
I'm high as a cloud to get me through
I rely on drugs to keep me going
I walk through walls when I have you
With that one person's support, I feel invincible
And I guess you have me too
I assume that they also rely on me for support
From the outside the darkness grows
From an outsider perspective, things seem to be getting worse and more ominous
Inside my blood it glows
Internally, however, I am energized and passionate
With stars and polished steel
I am surrounded by symbols of strength and beauty
I dreamt a song so real
I had a vivid and inspiring dream about music
It was satisfaction
That dream brought me a deep sense of fulfillment
I got twelve hours to shake some action
I have a brief window of time to really make things happen and get stuff done
When I woke up they were torn and frayed
But when I came back to reality, things were already falling apart and in disarray
Cats from the alleys around Marseilles
Perhaps a reference to outsiders or unsavory characters infiltrating the scene
I need more than love
Romantic love isn't enough to make me feel satisfied and happy
To keep me happy
I need something else, something more fulfilling and meaningful
Contributed by Andrew Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
10 Outta 10
The singer from Corner Gas and the Guitarist from The Hip! Closest thing to a Canadian super group