Jeff Heiskell, the singer, and later members Dave Jenkins and Paul Noe formed the totally unknown but great Doubters Club that recorded for the Disgraceland label in 1995 and then broke up when Jenkins and Noe ran off to Nashville to form a (terrible) mod-rock band that failed (miserably). Jeff reformed the Judybats in 2000 with the album "'00" and subsequently rocked Knoxville, Chicago, Baltimore, and all points in-between on numerous small tours promoting their album and their later EP "Six Pack of New Tracks".
Currently, Jeff is working with Heiskell, a band formed with Mike Hairrell (percussion), Doug Hairrell (guitar), and Rob Bell (bass), all members of The second iteration of the Judybats.
Pain
The Judybats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I give you what you want, the pain and the pleasure
I'm no good for you
But then you're no good for yourself
I bring you pain
Pain makes you beautiful
I'm no good for you
Strange and it's wonderful
How you tell me what you need, the joy and the treasure
Of pain's guilty pleasure
Love's pressure painfully
No sorrow tied
Tied to my hurting you
We delight in every torture I put you through
How did we find this place
This state where we satiate, where pain makes you beautiful
Strange and so wonderful where you're no good for yourself
I bring you pain
Pain makes you beautiful
I'm no good for you
You're no good for yourself
No sorrow tied
Tied to my hurting you
To the compromising position, to all the painful things I do
Pain makes you beautiful
I give you what you want, the pain and the pleasure
I'm no good for you, but then you're no good for youself"
The Judybats’ song “Pain” is a complex and enigmatic piece that seems to explore the idea that pain, in all its forms, can be addictive and transformative. The lyrics suggest that the singer of the song is someone who both enjoys inflicting pain on their partner and gains pleasure from experiencing it. The opening line, “Pain makes you beautiful,” is particularly noteworthy, as it suggests that the person being hurt is somehow enhanced and made more attractive by this experience. The lyrics also hint at a darker side to the situation, as the singer acknowledges that they are “no good” for their partner, and that their partner is “no good for [them]self.”
The song delves into the intricacies of a toxic relationship. While on the surface, the lyrics may suggest a BDSM relationship, it's more likely to be a metaphor for two people who are dealing with personal issues by causing each other pain. They're in a cycle of hurting one another, and while they find some comfort in knowing each other's deepest desires, their relationship isn’t necessarily healthy or sustainable. At its core, “Pain” is a song that explores the human experience of seeking pleasure and comfort, even when that means inflicting pain on oneself or others.
In summary, the lyrics of “Pain” suggest that pain can be a transformative and addictive experience, and that some people seek it out in order to feel alive. At the same time, the song acknowledges the darker side of this desire, and suggests that sometimes we hurt ourselves and others in the pursuit of this feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Pain makes you beautiful
The singer believes that experiencing pain can transform a person into something beautiful
I give you what you want, the pain and the pleasure
The singer willingly provides both pain and pleasure to the person they are addressing, despite the potential harm it may cause
I'm no good for you
The singer acknowledges that they are not a positive influence in the life of the person they are addressing
But then you're no good for yourself
The artist believes that the person they are addressing has self-destructive tendencies and is not making healthy choices for themselves
I bring you pain
The artist admits to causing pain for the person they are addressing
Strange and it's wonderful
The singer finds the dynamic between themselves and the person they are addressing to be both strange and enjoyable
How you tell me what you need, the joy and the treasure
The person they are addressing communicates their desires for both pleasure and pain to the singer
Of pain's guilty pleasure
The artist is aware of the paradoxical nature of enjoying pain and recognizes that for some people, like the person they are addressing, it can be a pleasure they feel guilty about
Love's pressure painfully
The artist suggests that the pressure of love can cause pain for the person they are addressing
No sorrow tied
The artist implies that they aren't emotionally invested in the pain they are causing and it doesn't bring them sorrow
We delight in every torture I put you through
The singer and the person they are addressing both find pleasure in the pain that the singer inflicts upon them
How did we find this place
The artist is reflecting on how they and the person they are addressing ended up in this dynamic of giving and receiving pain
This state where we satiate, where pain makes you beautiful
The singer considers their current situation to be one where they both satisfy their desires, and where the pain they inflict makes the other person beautiful in their eyes
To the compromising position, to all the painful things I do
The singer is acknowledging that they put the person they are addressing in uncomfortable situations and inflict pain upon them
Pain makes you beautiful
Repeating the song's opening line, the singer emphasizes their belief that pain can transform a person into something beautiful
I give you what you want, the pain and the pleasure
Repeating an earlier line, the artist highlights how they willingly provide pleasure and pain to the person they are addressing, despite the potential harm it may cause
I'm no good for you, but then you're no good for youself
Repeating an earlier line, the artist reiterates that the person they are addressing has self-destructive tendencies and is not making healthy choices for themselves
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
swede den
Miss these times... Such a GREAT great band. Jeffs lyrics cut right through. Simply brilliant and addictive.
mgower4
Great band at the peak of their powers.
tvzulu
These were wonderful times, a hole-in-the-wall audio recording studio in Newark NJ with record label connections. Judybats, Lori Carson, Charlie Sexton and countless others would simply show up, plug in, and play amazing live recordings of their music. Simple, clean, and timeless.
naomi pendergast
awesome!
David Jenkins
Dear tvzulu - I played on this recording, but had never seen the footage before you posted. Do you have more from this session? Thank you for posting. DJ
ferris joes
"Convalesing in Spain" is their best
Pete Crigler
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!
Oenophilosopher
Dear David Jenkins, was it not yourself and Paul Noe that assisted in the demise of the Judybats?
A life lived....
Why didn't you mention Matt Lincoln or Underground Recording Studio in your Wikipedia write-up? He was your daddy. Hmmmm
tvzulu
Unfortunately David, this is all I have.