All three of the band's albums were released on Johnson's influential Olympia record label, K Records.
Following a hiatus through the early 2000's, The Halo Benders reformed in March 2007 for a pair of shows at the Visual Arts Collective in Boise, ID. The band featured Doug Martsch, Ralf Youtz, Calvin Johnson, and Brett Netson.
The Halo Benders' music is characterised by untraditional sounds, movements, and song structures. Additionally, the vocals of the baritone Johnson and the pitchy Martsch overlap often, even though often entirely unrelated. Johnson has said that the two write lyrics for songs largely independently.
Your Asterisk
The Halo Benders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're a glass eyed tiger
I'm a rusty fire hydrant
You're a freshly webbed spider
I'm an awkward silence
You've got sand in your swimsuit
I've got a missing tooth
You took the last piece, didn't you?
We can't keep kissin around any more
My dialin finger is gettin too sore
A ah ee ah a ah ee a
Your other car's a broomstick
Mine's a hobby horse
You never thought you'd have to prove
A great disturbance in the force (think I'm missing something here)
The (grooves?) are all heaped in a pile on the floor (There's two kinds of people in this world)
Let's bulldoze our way too a brand new piece of pork (and I'm one of em)
How many times can we break then make up?
We've gone too long for a kiss to save us
A ah ee ah a ah ee ah yeah
You're a mig jet pilot
I'm a burrow in the stone
You suffer frequent all-nighters
I curl up and sleep it off
I'd give you hundreds of last chances
If I could answer myself why
I don't worry about all your reversible talk
As significant as the death of alternative rock
Let it die let it die let it die
You're a prima ballerina
I'm a collapsing iron lung
You let disaster come between us
Now I'm a poet on the run
Searching for a place where my heart can feel (?)
Then I can retrieve it from the place that I must go
There's supper in this room as long as it continues thumpin
A ah ee ah ....
You're a glass-eyed tiger
You're a trash vampire
You're what (?) don't desire
I wish I glowed brighter in your eyes
The lyrics to "Your Asterisk" by The Halo Benders are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song seems to be about a dysfunctional relationship between two individuals who are very different from each other. The opening lines, "You're a glass eyed tiger / I'm a rusty fire hydrant," suggest a mismatch between the singers. They have different characteristics, such as their level of attractiveness, and it is unclear whether they are attracted to each other or not. The phrase "awkward silence" suggests that there is a lack of communication between them, and that they are struggling to connect.
The chorus suggests that the relationship is reaching a breaking point, and that physical intimacy alone is not enough to save it. The line, "We've gone too long for a kiss to save us," suggests that the problems in the relationship are deep-seated and complex. The verse that follows seems to reinforce this idea, with the singers comparing themselves to a fighter pilot and a burrow in the stone. These two things could not be more different, and yet they are both trying to navigate the same terrain.
The final lines of the song hint at unrequited love, as the singer wishes that they were more desirable to the other person. This could suggest that the relationship is over, and that the singers are struggling to come to terms with their feelings. In conclusion, "Your Asterisk" is a complicated and multifaceted song that touches on themes of communication, difference, and desire.
Line by Line Meaning
You're a glass eyed tiger
You are fierce and intense, but your eyes lack emotion or depth
I'm a rusty fire hydrant
I'm unimpressive and worn, unable to provide anything of value
You're a freshly webbed spider
You're talented, creative, and able to create something new
I'm an awkward silence
I'm uncomfortable and unable to connect with others
You've got sand in your swimsuit
You're feeling uncomfortable or irritated, perhaps due to an unwanted situation
I've got a missing tooth
I'm flawed, imperfect, and not quite whole
You took the last piece, didn't you?
You've taken something from me, perhaps without asking or considering my feelings
Well I hid myself one first
I anticipated your actions and protected myself by taking something first
We can't keep kissin around any more
We can't continue with this superficial relationship, it's time to move on
My dialin finger is gettin too sore
I've been trying to reach out to you too many times, it's starting to affect me
Your other car's a broomstick
You don't have much, perhaps even less than I do, yet you make the most of what you have
Mine's a hobby horse
I have something that brings me joy, but it may not be the most practical or useful thing
You never thought you'd have to prove
You didn't expect to be challenged or questioned on something you believed in or assumed was true
A great disturbance in the force (think I'm missing something here)
Something big and unexpected has happened, throwing everything off balance
The (grooves?) are all heaped in a pile on the floor (There's two kinds of people in this world)
People tend to fall into one of two categories and are grouped accordingly
Let's bulldoze our way too a brand new piece of pork (and I'm one of em)
Let's push through our challenges and obstacles to achieve something new and satisfying
How many times can we break then make up?
Our relationship is strained and unpredictable, with frequent shifts between conflict and reconciliation
We've gone too long for a kiss to save us
Our problems are too deep-rooted and complex to be fixed by a simple gesture
You're a mig jet pilot
You're skilled and confident in your abilities, able to soar above others
I'm a burrow in the stone
I'm grounded and stuck, unable to move or progress
You suffer frequent all-nighters
You work hard and sacrifice your sleep to achieve your goals
I curl up and sleep it off
I cope with stress and challenges by retreating and resting
I'd give you hundreds of last chances
I'm forgiving and tolerant, willing to overlook your mistakes and shortcomings
If I could answer myself why
If I understood my own motivations and reasoning better
I don't worry about all your reversible talk
I'm not overly concerned about your indecisiveness or inconsistency
As significant as the death of alternative rock
Your words and actions are meaningless and unimportant, like a trivial event in the music industry
Let it die let it die let it die
Let go of the past and move on, don't dwell on old wounds or mistakes
You're a prima ballerina
You're graceful, elegant, and skilled at what you do
I'm a collapsing iron lung
I'm struggling to breathe and function, weak and fragile
You let disaster come between us
Your actions or decisions caused a major issue or problem in our relationship
Now I'm a poet on the run
I'm struggling to express myself and find meaning, fleeing from my problems
Searching for a place where my heart can feel (?)
Trying to find a location or situation where I can be happy and content
Then I can retrieve it from the place that I must go
Once I find this place, I can access my emotions and feelings again
There's supper in this room as long as it continues thumpin
There's excitement and life in this place or situation, as long as it remains lively and active
A ah ee ah ....
Repeating rhythm or sounds, not necessarily conveying specific meaning
You're a trash vampire
You feed off of negativity or drama, seeking out negative situations or people
You're what (?) don't desire
You're undesirable or unappealing, perhaps to some specific group or individual
I wish I glowed brighter in your eyes
I wish you saw me as more valuable or impressive, that I made a bigger impact on you
Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.