Unfair… Read Full Bio ↴The Auteurs was a British alternative rock band of the 1990s.
Unfairly dismissed as the egotrip of acclaimed songwriter Luke Haines, The Auteurs were one of the unsung bands of the mid-nineties Britpop movement. Releasing their first record, New Wave, in 1993, the Auteurs were compared to Suede, and the resurgent glam-rock movement, and began to amass a reasonable cult following. 1994's second album, and commercial highlight, Now I'm A Cowboy, saw the band embracing at times a more contemporary sound, notably on the single Lenny Valentino, which probably remains Haines' best-known song. Now I'm A Cowboy was marked out by sprawling guitar lines as much as by Haines' inimitable lyrics, a kind of visceral social commentary. While touring this album in 1995, Haines jumped off a fifteen-foot wall, breaking both ankles, resulting in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of that year, recording the starker, angrier third album After Murder Park, most notable for the ballad-like lead single Unsolved Child Murder, released for Christmas at Haines own bidding. Following this, Haines took time out to work on other projects such as Black Box Recorder and Baader Meinhof, reforming the Auteurs in 1999 for the release of the mostly overlooked final album, How I Learned To Love The Bootboys.
While Haines remains widely respected for his lyrical eloquence and eye for the minutae of life, his eccentric, confrontational personality, and habit of styling himself as a louche ne'er-do-well, perhaps impeded the formation of a more affectionate bond with his fans. The Auteurs, similarly, tended to be respected rather more than they were loved.
Kenneth Anger's Bad Dream
The Auteurs Lyrics
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And I think it's gonna rain today, I think it's gonna pour
Better draw the blind and shut the door
And I think it's gonna rain today
And I think it's gonna rain today
Come on in and shut the door
Take the weight off your feet
Meet the family
There's a man outside
Who's gonna tear the fanclub down?
Back home the North Sea flows
Everybody drowned and it's gonna rain
It's gonna rain
Well, the cops came 'round at a quarter to three
And they talked about Christmas and New Year's Eve
And Bobby says, "It's been a good day
But I think it's gonna rain today
But I think it's gonna rain today"
Come on in and shut the door
Take the weight off your feet
Relax, sit down, fix a drink
Meet the family
There's a man in here
Who's wants to tear the fan club down?
Back home the ocean froze
And everybody drowned and it's gonna rain
It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain
Lucifer rising, roll over the desert wind
Lucifer rising, roll over the desert wind
And I think it's gonna rain today
And I think it's gonna rain
And I think it's gonna rain today
And I think it's gonna rain
The Auteurs' song "Kenneth Anger's Bad Dream" is a surreal and haunting depiction of impending doom. The lyrics begin with a foreboding warning of rain and a call to seek shelter by drawing the blinds and shutting the door. The rest of the song unfolds as a series of disconnected scenes, each a snapshot of a separate character dealing with their own fears and anxieties. The lines "there's a man outside who's gonna tear the fanclub down," and "there's a man in here who wants to tear the fan club down," suggest an external and internal threat to a community of like-minded individuals. The repeated refrain of "it's gonna rain" serves as a universal and ominous reminder of the fragility of our existence.
The song's title references Kenneth Anger, a controversial avant-garde filmmaker known for his occult-themed works. Anger's fascination with the dark and mystical is reflected in the song's apocalyptic tone and use of the phrase "Lucifer rising." The song's chorus of "I think it's gonna rain today" is also a nod to Joni Mitchell's song of the same name, which deals with similar themes of despair and chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I think it's gonna rain today, good Lord
The singer anticipates that it will rain soon and seems to make an exclamation to God.
And I think it's gonna rain today, I think it's gonna pour
The singer repeats the sentiment, emphasizing that they believe that the rain will be heavy.
Better draw the blind and shut the door
The singer suggests that it would be wise to close the blinds and lock the door because of the impending rain.
And I think it's gonna rain today
The artist continues to focus on the prediction of the upcoming rain.
Come on in and shut the door
The artist invites someone to enter and close the door after them.
Take the weight off your feet
The singer suggests that the person should relax and take a seat.
Relax, sit down, make a drink
The singer encourages the person to further unwind by making a drink and taking a load off.
Meet the family
The artist suggests that the person get to know the artist's family members.
There's a man outside
The artist reveals that there is a man outside who may pose a threat or be a nuisance.
Who's gonna tear the fanclub down?
The artist poses a question about the motives of the man outside and whether or not he intends to damage or dismantle a fan organization.
Back home the North Sea flows
The singer reflects on a place where the North Sea flows (likely the UK).
Everybody drowned and it's gonna rain
The artist suggests that there was a catastrophic event (perhaps a flood?) in the past where many people perished and is now making the connection that it will rain again.
It's gonna rain
The singer repeats the prediction of the upcoming rain.
Well, the cops came 'round at a quarter to three
The singer shares a story about the police visiting at a specific time.
And they talked about Christmas and New Year's Eve
The singer reveals that the police discussed the holidays when they visited.
And Bobby says, "It's been a good day
The artist quotes a person named Bobby who has deemed it as a good day.
But I think it's gonna rain today
The artist contrasts Bobby's statement with their own belief that it will rain soon.
Come on in and shut the door
The singer continues to invite someone in and suggest that they close the door after them.
Take the weight off your feet
The singer repeats their earlier suggestion for the person to relax and take a seat.
Relax, sit down, fix a drink
The artist further encourages the person to unwind by fixing themselves a beverage.
Meet the family
The artist repeats their earlier suggestion that the person interact with their family members.
There's a man in here
The artist reveals that there is now a man inside (presumably someone dangerous or suspicious).
Who's wants to tear the fan club down?
The singer repeats the question about the man outside and his intentions regarding the fan organization.
Back home the ocean froze
The artist reflects on a place where the ocean froze over (likely the UK again).
And everybody drowned and it's gonna rain
The singer makes the connection again between the catastrophic event in the past and the prediction of the upcoming rain.
It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain
The singer repeats the prediction of the upcoming rain three times in a row for emphasis.
Lucifer rising, roll over the desert wind
The singer abruptly changes the subject and references a film by Kenneth Anger called 'Lucifer Rising'.
Lucifer rising, roll over the desert wind
The artist repeats the reference to Anger's film.
And I think it's gonna rain today
The artist returns to the original prediction of the upcoming rain.
And I think it's gonna rain
The singer repeats the final line of the song, once again emphasizing their belief that it will rain soon.
Contributed by Carter I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.