The Dandy Warhols are strongly influenced by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, The Shadows and The Rolling Stones. They also include implicit musical references to My Bloody Valentine in some songs. Frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor describes the band's beginning as a group of friends who "needed music to drink to".
Nietzsche
The Dandy Warhols Lyrics
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I, even I, can play dead.
I want a god who stays dead, not plays dead.
I, even I, can play dead.
I want a god who stays dead, not plays dead.
I, even I, can play dead.
The lyrics of "Nietzsche" by The Dandy Warhols are a philosophical commentary on the idea of God and His existence. The opening line "I want a God who stays dead, not plays dead" suggests that the singer is looking for a more realistic view of God, someone who has actually experienced death and not just pretended to be dead. This alludes to the idea that many religious figures or holy texts depict God as dying and then resurrecting, which the singer may find hard to believe.
The repetition of the line "I, even I, can play dead" emphasizes the fact that pretending to be dead is easy and meaningless, but actually experiencing death brings a deeper understanding of life and forces one to confront the reality of mortality. The singer's desire for a God who has actually experienced death suggests a longing for a more sincere and authentic religious experience.
Overall, the lyrics of "Nietzsche" seem to be a critique of organized religion and a call for a more personal and introspective spiritual journey. The use of Nietzsche, a philosopher known for his criticisms of Christianity, in the title also suggests a rejection of traditional religious beliefs and an exploration of alternative ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
I want a god who stays dead, not plays dead.
I desire a deity that can truly die and remain dead, instead of pretending to be dead.
I, even I, can play dead.
Even I, as a mortal, am capable of feigning death.
I want a god who stays dead, not plays dead.
I want a god who is unable to come back to life after dying, rather than one who fakes their death and returns later.
I, even I, can play dead.
As a human, I have the ability to deceive others by pretending to be dead.
I want a god who stays dead, not plays dead.
I long for a god who is truly mortal and finite, rather than one who merely pretends to die and then resurrects.
I, even I, can play dead.
I am not impressed by a god who can only mimic the act of dying, since even I can do the same.
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