Dulli and Lanegan have regularly contributed to each other's projects since 2000; of the duo's origins, Dulli said "I think Mark told a journalist we were doing it, and then the journalist called me, and I didn't know we were doing it." On Christmas Day 2003, Dulli and Lanegan began work on the collaboration, titled Saturnalia.
In July 2007, the music website Pitchfork Media announced that the duo, "two of the alt-rock era's greatest frontmen," had signed to Seattle label Sub Pop. Soon thereafter, Sub Pop reported a 4 March, 2008 release date for Saturnalia. Dulli and Lanegan plan to tour in the United States and abroad to promote the album.
On September 2, 2008, The Gutter Twins released their eight-song EP Adorata exclusively through iTunes. The EP was mostly recorded during sessions for their first album, Saturnalia. Adorata features two previously unreleased originals ("Spanish Doors" and "We Have Met Before") alongside covers of "Down the Line" (José González), "Deep Hit of Morning Sun" (Primal Scream), "Duchess" (Scott Walker), "Belles" (Vetiver), "Flow Like a River" (Eleven), and "St. James Infirmary" (traditional). A portion of the proceeds from the release of Adorata will go to the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund. Shneider, a long-time friend of the band, was the lead singer for Eleven and a member of Queens Of The Stone Age.
Their official web presence is located at http://www.theguttertwins.com.
All Misery/Flowers
The Gutter Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I lay on my back down below on the track
Remember the night, how I'd wade in the water
Be counting the stars and starting me over
They shine your eyes
Gonna make me rain, gonna make you rise
When I'm gone baby, don't you forget it
Got no mother, she can't find me
Got no father, he gonna blind me
Little girls might twitch at the way I itch
But when I burn it's a son of a bitch
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, all misery gone
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, all misery gone
Make me, shake me, bleed all over
Going down to the ground in deep black water
Let's ride, suicide
Say what you want but you make it, don't lie
Don't let me down, baby, on a bed of hard thistle
Gonna die when I drown just to have it away
Those lies in my eyes
Push you down in the river till you testify
My mother, she don't know me
And my father, he can't own me
Little girls might twitch at the way I itch
But the way I burn is a son of a bitch
Make me, shake me, deep black water
Gonna run through my pain, gonna make it rain
Baby I'm gone, so don't you forget it
I did all I did just to get through to heaven
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, all misery gone
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, all misery gone
If you could hear me love
I'd tell to you my story
To you and only you
So love that you might save me
I woke up from a dream
I woke up, I was crying
I saw an animal
With eyes like mine on fire
I saw my own true love
She was there selling flowers
Has she forget-me-nots
White lilies or red roses?
And then from far away
Who's that I see come riding?
Upon a pale white horse
Come riding fast as lightning
Oh, if you can hear me love
I'd tell you my story
So that you might save me
So that you might save me
So that you might save me
So that you might save me
The Gutter Twins' song "All Misery/Flowers" is a dark and introspective track that delves into the depths of despair and mental anguish. The lyrics reveal a narrator who is tormented by his own inner demons and haunted by his past. He speaks of his struggles to overcome the toughest obstacles in life, including his lack of family support, his own mental health issues, and his addiction to pain.
The song begins with the singer asking his lover to leave him alone as he lies down on the tracks. He reminisces about a time when he used to wade in the water and count the stars, hoping to start over. The chorus provides a glimmer of hope as he pleads to hold on, and he repeats the words "all misery gone" as though hoping to convince himself that he can escape his troubles.
The second verse reveals more about the singer's struggles. He speaks of his lack of family support and how he is constantly plagued by his father's actions. He describes his addiction to pain and how it affects him physically and mentally. Despite these challenges, he still clings to hope, as evidenced by the repeated refrain to hold on.
The final verses bring the narrative full circle. The singer speaks of a dream he had, where he saw an animal with eyes like his on fire. He also saw his true love selling flowers, but he wondered if she had forget-me-nots, white lilies, or red roses. Then, in the distance, he saw someone riding on a pale horse, moving quickly towards him. The song ends with the singer still yearning for someone to save him from his pain and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you leave me alone, my sweet Simone?
Asking the person he's singing to whether they would abandon him.
If I lay on my back down below on the track
Imagining himself lying on the ground under a train track.
Remember the night, how I'd wade in the water
Reflecting on a past memory of being in the water.
Be counting the stars and starting me over
Looking at the stars and feeling like he's starting anew.
They shine your eyes
Describing the radiance of the eyes of the person he's singing to.
Gonna make me rain, gonna make you rise
Implying that being with the person he's singing to will bring him happiness and lift them both up.
When I'm gone baby, don't you forget it
Asking the person he's singing to not to forget him when he's no longer around.
I did all I did just to get through to heaven
Implying that everything he did was to reach a state of peace.
Got no mother, she can't find me
Implying that he was abandoned by his mother.
Got no father, he gonna blind me
Implying that his father was abusive or harmful towards him.
Little girls might twitch at the way I itch
Describing how some people may be uncomfortable around him.
But when I burn it's a son of a bitch
Suggesting that the discomfort people feel around him is nothing compared to the pain he suffers.
Hold on, hold on
Encouraging someone to persevere or not give up.
Hold on, all misery gone
Indicating that if he holds on, his pain will disappear.
Make me, shake me, bleed all over
Asking to be pushed to his limits and suffer.
Going down to the ground in deep black water
Describing a metaphorical descent into a dark, hopeless place.
Let's ride, suicide
Considering suicide as an option or a form of release.
Say what you want but you make it, don't lie
Asserting that the person he's singing to is capable of achieving their dreams.
Don't let me down, baby, on a bed of hard thistle
Asking not to be let down or disappointed.
Gonna die when I drown just to have it away
Considering death as a means of escape from his pain.
Those lies in my eyes
Referring to the deception or falsehood in his expression.
Push you down in the river till you testify
Threatening to hurt the person he's singing to until they admit the truth.
My mother, she don't know me
Reiterating that he's been abandoned by his mother.
And my father, he can't own me
Implied that his father had a desire to control him or his life.
Make me, shake me, deep black water
Asking to be pushed to his limits and suffer more.
Gonna run through my pain, gonna make it rain
Suggesting that he'll overcome his pain and find happiness.
Baby I'm gone, so don't you forget it
Reiterating that he won't be around for long.
If you could hear me love
Hypothetically addressing the person he wishes he could talk to.
I'd tell to you my story
Suggesting that he has a lot of secrets or stories to share.
To you and only you
Emphasizing that he wants to share his stories with a specific person.
So love that you might save me
Imploring the person he's addressing to love him and help him.
I woke up from a dream
Switching to a different setting or telling a new story.
I woke up, I was crying
Describing how emotionally intense the dream was.
I saw an animal
Describing the contents of the dream he had.
With eyes like mine on fire
Adding a vivid detail about the animal's appearance.
I saw my own true love
Switching back to the subject of the person he loves.
She was there selling flowers
Describing what the person he loves was doing in the dream.
Has she forget-me-nots
Describing the type of flowers she was selling.
White lilies or red roses?
Questioning whether she was selling other flowers as well.
And then from far away
Introducing a new element into the dream story.
Who's that I see come riding?
Expressing curiosity about the person he sees in his dream.
Upon a pale white horse
Describing what the person he sees looks like.
Come riding fast as lightning
Adding an element of intrigue or excitement to the dream story.
So that you might save me
Returning to the theme of asking for help or salvation.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: GREGORY E DULLI, MARK LANEGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
danimatian
RIP Mark Lanegan thanks for all the great music you left us
Jared Wingate
RIP to Connor too.
Quincee 33
RIP Mark Lanegan. Thanks for so much great music.
Oldboy
R.I.P. Mark Lanegan, you will be missed, but we will always have the music.....🖤
nitebrdr
Darkest album of the year... sometimes... dark is good.. sometimes dark is brilliant... real people feel emotions and that is what this album delivers. Gentlemen, thank you for the brilliant darkness...
SgtBastard101
Seeing these two together makes me feel like the late 80s and early 90s are still with me.Its a good feeling.
Idlewildvinyl
RIP Mark, one of my favorite vocal efforts of yours 😔
losingmyreligion6767
Ya know what I really dig? I haven't seen people getting into Duli vs. Lanegan arguments like you would with other dual singer super groups. These two are gods of the 90s Alternative/Indie scene, and I'm glad to see no one arguing about which is better.
nurvsy
man...i don't want to over state things, but this might be the best thing ever.
OberynTheRedViper
RIP Mark Lanegan. Time to go on a trip down memory lane.