Talking Seattle Grunge Blues
Todd Snider Lyrics

Hey, hey, my, my
Introduction with the chorus and the message of the song, indicating that rock and roll music will never die.

Rock and roll will never die
Reiterating the message of the chorus that rock and roll music will always be alive in the hearts of the people.

Hang your hair down in your eye
A directive to budding rock and roll musicians to develop a style and attitude that makes them unique.

You'll make a million dollars
Assuming that one develops a unique style and attitude that captures and thrills audiences, it's possible to make a lot of money in the music industry.

Well I was in this band goin' nowhere fast
The artist talks about his previous band that failed to make headway in the music industry.

We sent out demos but everybody passed
Despite their best efforts to showcase their music, they still couldn't get any recognition.

So one day we finally took the plunge
They decided to move to Seattle, which was the new haven for grunge music, believing that being there would help them get the recognition they deserve.

Moved out to Seattle to play some grunge
Reiterating the purpose of the move to Seattle was to make it big in the grunge music scene.

Washington state that is
A clarification that they had specifically relocated to Seattle in Washington State.

Space needle
This line is possibly meant to evoke images of Seattle's famous landmark, the Space Needle.

Eddie vedder
Eddie Vedder is the lead vocalist for Pearl Jam, who were part of the 90s grunge scene in Seattle.

Mudhoney
Mudhoney is a grunge band that was active in Seattle during the 90s.

Now to fit in fast we wear flannel shirts
They quickly adapted to the fashion style of the Seattle grunge scene to fit in better.

We turn our amps up until it hurts
They play their music loudly and abrasively, adhering to the sonic style of Seattle grunge.

We've got bad attitudes and what's more
They developed a bad boy attitude, part of the ethos of the grunge music scene.

When we play we stare straight down at the floor
Staring directly at the ground when playing is a quintessential grunge music trope that they adopted to better fit in.

Wowee
An exclamation expressing surprise, shock or elation.

Pretty scary
They're aware that the attitude and style they're putting out is threatening.

How pensive
Their behavior is contemplative and reflective of the current state of their music and the grunge scene in general.

How totally alternative
The difference in the scene as compared to mainstream music is highlighted here and reinforces the idea that grunge is unpredictable and unique.

Now to fit in on the Seattle scene
They're still trying to find a way to fit in with the Seattle grunge scene.

You've gotta do somethin' they ain't never seen
To gain the recognition they seek, they must find something unique, unusual and creative that will set them apart.

So thinkin' up a gimmick one day
They brainstormed an idea that would make them stand out in the music scene and garner attention.

We decided to be the only band that wouldn't play a note
Their unique gimmick is to be a grunge band that refuses to play music.

Under any circumstances
They'll stick to their guns and never change their mind about their unusual approach to making music.

Silence
Their music is characterized by creating no sound whatsoever.

Music's original alternative
They're proud to be different and an alternative in the music scene.

Root's grunge
Despite their gimmick, they still see themselves as part of the grunge scene and its roots.

Well we spread the word through the underground
They managed to promote themselves and their unique gimmick through underground channels.

That we were the hottest new thing in town
Their gimmick gained momentum and they started to get recognized.

The record guy came out to see us one day
A record company executive came to see them perform.

And just like always we didn't play
True to their gimmick, they refused to play any music.

It knocked him out
The executive was impressed with their gimmick when others would have written them off.

He said he loved our work
The executive expressed admiration for them and their unique approach.

He said he loved our work but he wasn't sure if he could sell a record
Despite being impressed with their gimmick, the executive still has doubts as to whether their style of music will sell.

With nothing on it
Since the band doesn't play any music, there won't be anything on the record.

I said tell 'em we're from Seattle
The singer implores the executive to focus on the fact that they're a Seattle grunge band, which could be a selling point even without actual music.

He advanced us two and a half million dollars
Despite the doubt, the executive still chose to invest in the band, promising them a significant amount of money.

Well they made us do a video but that wasn't tough
For maximum exposure, the record label made them film a music video.

'cause we just filmed ourselves smashin' stuff
True to their gimmick, they didn't play instruments, but instead smashed things.

It was kinda weird 'cause there was no music
It was odd for them to film a video without even playing any music.

But MTV said they'd love to use it
MTV, a music-focused TV channel, said they loved the idea and would air the video.

The kids went wild, the kids went nuts
The new gimmick captivated their audience and they loved it.

Rolling stone gave us a five-star review said we played with guts
The band sees themselves as rock and roll heroes, and even critics and publications like Rolling Stone support it.

We're scorin' chicks, takin' drugs
They are fully basking in the trappings of their new-found fame and success, enjoying wild partying, including the stereotype of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

Then we got asked to play MTV unplugged
Their reputation was strong enough to get them an invitation to play one of MTV's most popular shows at the time, MTV Unplugged.

You should have seen it
The singer thinks that their performance was something worth remembering.

We went right out there and refused to do acoustical versions of the Electrical songs we had refused to record in the first place
They refused to play the requisite acoustic sets on the show and instead did nothing, as they had originally intended.

Then we smashed our shit
In the end, they destroyed their equipment, adding to the spectacle and their reputation for being wild and unpredictable.

Well we blew 'em away at the Grammy's show
They received recognition for their music at the prestigious Grammy Awards.

By refusing to play and refusing to go
True to their character, they refused to play the music and didn't even attend the show itself.

And then just when we thought fame would last forever
The artist considers their time at the top of the music industry a fleeting moment that he knew would soon pass.

Along come this band that wasn't even together
Nirvana's sudden rise to the top of the charts seemed to happen despite having just begun, which frustrated the artist.

Now that's alternative
Commentary on Nirvana's sudden rise as an alternative to the previously dominant styles of music.

Now that's alternative to alternative
Again, Nirvana's popularity as an alternative to the rest of the music industry.

I feel stupid
The artist is feeling, as one may describe, foolish, in retrospect over the whole experience.

And contagious
Kurt Cobain, Nirvana's lead and the rock and roll martyr, speaks of the contagious nature of feeling stupid, placing significance on Cobain's words over the artist's.

Well our band got dropped and that ain't funny
The artist's band lost their deal with the record label as their popularity decreased.

'cause we're all hooked on drugs but we're outta money
While the singer's group had enjoyed rock star level drug use, they find themselves without money, less fame, and the same addiction struggles as before.

So the other day I called up the band
The artist contacts his old bandmates.

I said boys I've taken all I can
The singer can no longer continue with the lifestyle he's been living.

Shave off your goatees
A sign of personal change and an attempt to reform their lives.

Pack the van
They decide to leave Seattle and head back to Athens, Georgia.

We're goin' back to Athens
The artist's group is returning to where they started before their attempt to gain fame in Seattle.