Season 1 of his television show, Sex, God, Rock 'n Roll, was filmed in Boulder, CO in the fall of 2008. It aired on HDNet in the US and Canada in late spring 2009 and has since been released on DVD.
Grace
Stuart Davis Lyrics
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And beats on the door to my gut
I fumble with locks til a wound opens
And she falls in laughing
Honey, I'm home
Honey, I'm home
I wince as she stumbles up my spine
And leaves a trail of bruises on my ribs
I choke on her dancing on my tongue
Where she kicks out a tooth
Honey, I'm home
Honey, I'm home
She smokes her cigarettes inside my head
And blows all the smoke into my eyes
Til one melts a tear and she sighs,
Just what I thought
Another fragile buddha
The lyrics to Stuart Davis's song "Grace" describe an abusive relationship with an abstract personification of Grace. Grace is depicted as a drunk and violent woman, who beats on the singer's gut and leaves bruises on his ribs. Despite the pain she causes, the singer seems to have a deep connection with her, as evidenced by his willingness to open the door for her and her exultant cry of "Honey, I'm home". The singer seems to be conflicted about this relationship, as he both welcomes Grace's arrival and recoils from her abuse.
The lyrics also contain a metaphorical element, as Grace is described as smoking cigarettes inside the singer's head and blowing smoke into his eyes until he cries. This seems to suggest that Grace is not only physically abusive but also manipulative and mentally exhausting. The idea of Grace being a "fragile buddha" speaks to the complexity of the relationship as well. It suggests that while Grace may be destructive and harmful, there is also something delicate and beautiful about her.
Line by Line Meaning
Grace comes home drunk
Grace arrives intoxicated
And beats on the door to my gut
She hits my stomach, trying to force her way into my being
I fumble with locks til a wound opens
It's hard to open up to her, and the process often hurts me
And she falls in laughing
She collapses into hysteria
Honey, I'm home
She announces her presence
I wince as she stumbles up my spine
I flinch as she climbs up my backbone, physically and emotionally exhausting me
And leaves a trail of bruises on my ribs
Her actions leave behind marks that I can feel long after she's gone
I choke on her dancing on my tongue
I struggle to express how I feel, as she overwhelms me with her presence
Where she kicks out a tooth
Her behaviour causes me harm, leaving me worse-off than before
Honey, I'm home
She repeats her earlier assertion
She smokes her cigarettes inside my head
Her actions penetrate my thoughts, leaving me little room for personal reflection
And blows all the smoke into my eyes
Her behaviour blinds me to the truth, causing me to ignore warning signs
Til one melts a tear and she sighs
She continues to push my limits, until I can't help but cry
Just what I thought
She seems unsurprised by my outburst
Another fragile buddha
In the end, I'm left weakened and powerless, like a statue made from fragile materials
Contributed by Abigail V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.