Throwing Muses is known for performing music with shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures, and surreal lyrics. The group was set apart from other contemporary acts by Hersh's stark, candid writing style; Donelly's pop stylings and vocal harmonies; and David Narcizo's unusual drumming techniques eschewing use of cymbals. Hallucinatory, febrile songs by Hersh occasionally touched on the subject of mental illness, more often drawing portraits of characters from daily life or addressing relationships.
Donelly left the band in 1991 and was a member of The Breeders and Belly, before starting to perform solo. She also contributed vocals to the Throwing Muses self-titled album in 2003. Hersh has also worked solo, and fronts the power trio 50 Foot Wave (which also includes Muses bassist Bernard Georges). Narcizo works in graphic design and has a musical project Lakuna.
In March 2003, Throwing Muses came back with their eighth album, Throwing Muses, which also saw the return of Tanya Donelly who provided backing vocals on the album. A greatest hits compilation titled Anthology was released in 2011. The band's ninth album, Purgatory / Paradise was released on October 29, 2013 in the UK and November 11 in the US. In early 2014, the band toured a few U.S. cities, with Donelly opening for the East Coast dates.
Golden Thing
Throwing Muses Lyrics
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Golden thing
You golden thing
And when you get there better kiss me
Garbage piled up to the ceiling
Ashtrays shaped like asses
All this money and a golden thing
Hell, I got
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Horseheads that I dance around in
In coked up anorexics
Got a tree and this golden thing
You golden thing
Hell, I got
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Well you gotta see this
Golden thing
You golden thing
And when you get there better kiss me
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
Ah-ah
The lyrics of Throwing Muses's song "Golden Thing" are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song comprises of three verses and a repeating chorus that emphasizes the phrase "golden thing". The first verse paints a picture of some kind of captivating object or moment, urging the listener to see the "golden thing," and then kisses the person when they arrive. The second verse is a bit more sinister and surreal, with references to "garbage piles" and "ashtrays shaped like asses" that seem to contrast the "money and golden thing". The final verse repeats the initial verse, as if bookending the song.
"Golden Thing" has been interpreted by some as a commentary on the superficiality and excess of the music industry, with the "golden thing" symbolizing fame and wealth. The chaotic imagery of the second verse could represent the darker side of the industry and its tendency to attract superficial and unhealthy people.
Overall, the lyrics of "Golden Thing" are impressionistic and surreal, evoking strong images and emotions without necessarily offering a clear narrative or meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you gotta see this
I have something to show you and I think you need to witness it for yourself
Golden thing
This thing is valuable, shiny, and precious to me
You golden thing
You are as equally valuable, shiny, and precious to me as this object
And when you get there better kiss me
If you find what I'm about to show you to be as wonderful as I do, I hope you'll express it with physical affection
Garbage piled up to the ceiling
There is so much refuse and waste that it has accumulated beyond what should be manageable
Ashtrays shaped like asses
Even the most mundane items are contorted in bizarre ways, seemingly without purpose or meaning
All this money and a golden thing
Despite the presence of wealth and luxury items, this particular object still stands out as singularly wondrous
Hell, I got
It's difficult to express just how impressive this item truly is
Horseheads that I dance around in
The setting around me is surreal and almost nightmarish, with equestrian imagery and bizarre behavior
In coked up anorexics
My fellow companions in this place are unhealthy and unsettling, further emphasizing the strangeness of my situation
Got a tree and this golden thing
Despite the unsettling aspects of my surroundings, these two items still stand out as positive beacons of beauty and wonder
Ah-ah
A nonspecific vocalization, perhaps indicating emotional intensity or aural texture
Lyrics © HEYDAY MEDIA GROUP LLC
Written by: Kristin Hersh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind