Kasher has a very close relationship with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. They grew up in Nebraska together, went to the same Catholic high school, Creighton Prep. It is rumored that Tim taught Oberst to play guitar. In the Bright Eyes song, "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" Oberst sings, "yeah Tim I heard your album and it's better than good. When you get off tour I think we should hang and black out together." (referring to the album Black Out by The Good Life, released in 2002 on Saddle Creek Records.) Furthermore, Oberst later sang backup on the song "Staying Alive," from Cursive's 2003 effort The Ugly Organ.
Kasher temporarily disbanded Cursive after the departure of guitarist Steve Pedersen (who left to pursue a law degree at Duke University. He now leads the Saddle Creek band Criteria). He married and moved to Portland, Oregon. According to interviews, Kasher went through a bitter divorce in 2000, which led to the regrouping of Cursive, as well as providing the inspiration for The Good Life album Black Out, and Cursive's Domestica.
The Good Life was originally planned to be a solo project. Kasher wanted to experiment with different types of lyrics and melodies. He released Novena on a Nocturn on Better Looking Records. He then recruited Ryan Fox, Roger Lewis and Stephanie Drootin into the band and released Black Out, Lovers Need Lawyers EP and Album of the Year.
Kasher created a another record with Cursive which was released in August 2006, entitled Happy Hollow. In 2009, Cursive released their latest effort, 'Mama, I'm Swollen'. The Good Life, despite a near breakup in late 2005, returned to the studio to release the album, 'Help Wanted Nights' in September 2007.
Under his own name, Tim Kasher recorded a song called "Stranger Than Strangers" which was released on a compilation CD called "My Favorite Songwriters." He released the solo album 'The Game of Monogamy' in 2010, and a follow-up disc of songs from that session called 'Bigamy', in 2011.
Bad Bad Dreams
Tim Kasher Lyrics
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My crackerjack heart's all wound up like a toy.
It's these torrid thoughts,
They keep stirring up my loins..
Like a dirty little boy, I gotta see a priest.
I godda go to confession. I'm gonna call the police-
I'm gonna do a bad thing.
Don't tell my mama, don't tell my papa,
I wanna pledge my "allegiancy",
But I'm a ferocious human beast
With carnal instincts.
Still, I'm a standup guy to every
Gal I meet-all those pretty girls in heat-
I godda see a priest. I godda go to confession.
I'm gonna call the police-I'm gonna do a bad thing.
Don't tell my mama, don't tell my papa,
Baby, I've been dreamin' bad, bad dreams.
This sick, old man once shared his philosophy:
Guys imagine having sex with
Every girl they see. Ever since,
I've tried to debunk this myth;
It's the curse of Dionysus.
These dreams I have, no girl is left unturned.
Your best friend, your sister,
Your 8th grade picture-
It's enough to want to lop the thing right off...
So help me god, I gotta see a priest.
In Tim Kasher's song "Bad Bad Dreams," the singer is lying next to their partner, unable to sleep due to their "torrid thoughts," which keep "stirring up" their "loins." The lyrics convey a sense of shame and discomfort about the character's sexual desires, and they reference seeking absolution through confession and speaking to a priest. The singer is acutely aware of the taboo nature of their desires, which they describe as "dirty," and which lead them to consider taking drastic measures like calling the police. The song also includes a reference to a "sick, old man" who claimed that men imagine having sex with every girl they see, a sentiment the singer doesn't entirely embrace but still feels tormented by.
The lyrics suggest a deep sense of guilt and self-loathing about the singer's sexual desires, indicating that they view themselves as "bad" and "sick" for having such thoughts. At the same time, the song hints at the way societal norms around sex and desire can lead people to feel ashamed and repressed, even when they haven't done anything wrong. The mention of the "curse of Dionysus" suggests that the singer's impulses are part of a larger cultural dynamic that has been present for centuries, making it all the more difficult to reckon with.
Line by Line Meaning
As I lie beside you trying not to make a noise
I am lying next to you while trying not to make any noise.
My crackerjack heart's all wound up like a toy.
My heart is beating fast like a wound up toy.
It's these torrid thoughts,
The reason for my beating heart are these passionate thoughts.
They keep stirring up my loins..
These thoughts are arousing me sexually.
Like a dirty little boy, I gotta see a priest.
I feel guilty about my thoughts and need to confess to a priest.
I godda go to confession. I'm gonna call the police-
I feel like my thoughts are so bad, I should turn myself in to the police and confess to a priest.
I'm gonna do a bad thing.
I fear I may act on my thoughts and do something bad.
Don't tell my mama, don't tell my papa,
I am ashamed of my thoughts and do not want my family to know about them.
Baby, I've been dreamin' bad, bad dreams.
These thoughts have been haunting me in my dreams.
I wanna pledge my "allegiancy",
I want to be faithful and loyal in my commitments.
But I'm a ferocious human beast
I am driven by primal urges and desires.
With carnal instincts.
I have strong sexual desires.
Still, I'm a standup guy to every
Despite my thoughts, I try to be a good person to everyone I meet.
Gal I meet-all those pretty girls in heat-
I am attracted to many women and their sexual desires.
I godda see a priest. I godda go to confession.
The guilt of my thoughts is overwhelming and I need to confess to a priest.
I'm gonna call the police-I'm gonna do a bad thing.
I am struggling with temptation and fear I may act on my thoughts in a harmful way.
Don't tell my mama, don't tell my papa,
I am still afraid of my family finding out about my thoughts and actions.
Baby, I've been dreamin' bad, bad dreams.
These thoughts and desires continue to plague me in my dreams.
This sick, old man once shared his philosophy:
I once heard an older man share his beliefs.
Guys imagine having sex with
He said that men often think about having sexual relations with
Every girl they see. Ever since,
Every woman they encounter, and this idea has stuck with me.
I've tried to debunk this myth;
I have tried to prove this idea wrong.
It's the curse of Dionysus.
This obsession with sexual desire and temptation is a curse related to the god Dionysus in Greek mythology.
These dreams I have, no girl is left unturned.
In my dreams, I am unable to resist the urge to have sexual fantasies about any woman I see.
Your best friend, your sister,
These fantasies extend to even those closest to me, like my best friend or sister.
Your 8th grade picture-
Even past experiences, like an old photograph, trigger my sexual thoughts.
It's enough to want to lop the thing right off...
These thoughts are so overwhelming and shameful that I feel like I would be better off dead than continue to struggle with them.
So help me god, I gotta see a priest.
I am desperate for help and need to confess and seek guidance from a priest.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Tim Kasher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind