Segall began his recording career as a part-time musician in various underground bands in Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area, before beginning a solo career in 2008. Segall's first solo release was the cassette Horn The Unicorn released on the Wizard Mountain label (later re-released by HBSP-2X on vinyl record). Around the same time, Wizard Mountain also released a split cassette featuring Segall and the band Superstitions entitled Halfnonagon.
In 2012, Segall released three LPs: His solo album, Twins; a collaboration with White Fence titled Hair and Slaughterhouse, an album with the Ty Segall Band.
Who's Producing You
Ty Segall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the side of the cross
I’m getting used to it
It’s how people get off, yeah
I should’ve
I feel lingered on
It’s a shoe-shine, party, but
The ratings are soft now
Who is producing you (your main man?)
Sweet, sweet love will shine and never dim, yeah
The freak of nature (three-foot nature?)
He’s not completely off
What could be better
His ratings they’re soft, now
He turns his sax around
Calls them clean, yeah
Another day yeah
Turning black into gold, yeah
Who is producing you (your main man?)
Sweet, sweet love will shine and never dim, yeah
Who is producing you (your main man?)
Sweet, sweet love will shine and never dim, yeah
The lyrics of Ty Segall's song Who's Producing You? start off with a mysterious and somewhat cryptic image of someone resting on the side of the cross. It's not entirely clear who this person is or what they're doing there, but the next line suggests that the singer is getting used to this kind of behavior, whatever it may be. The line "It's how people get off" could be interpreted in a number of ways, but it seems to imply some kind of indulgence or escape from reality that the singer is becoming accustomed to.
The rest of the song seems to be about the music industry and the different players involved in making a hit record. The question "Who is producing you?" is repeated several times throughout the song, suggesting that the person being addressed is being controlled or influenced by someone else in their career. The phrase "Sweet, sweet love will shine and never dim" could be interpreted as a kind of promise that if they follow their heart and stay true to themselves, they will succeed in the long run.
The line "Turning black into gold" could be interpreted as a reference to alchemy, the ancient practice of turning base metals into precious ones. In the context of the song, it could be interpreted as a metaphor for the music industry's ability to take obscure or underground artists and turn them into stars. Overall, the lyrics of Who's Producing You? are somewhat mysterious and open to interpretation, but they seem to be commenting on the sometimes murky and manipulative world of the music business.
Line by Line Meaning
You’ve been restin’ (?), baby
Addressing someone who has been taking it easy or not putting in much effort
On the side of the cross
Metaphorical reference to an individual’s religiosity or faith
I’m getting used to it
Accepting the situation as it is
It’s how people get off, yeah
People find pleasure and satisfaction in different ways
I should’ve
Regretting not doing something in the past
I feel lingered on
Feeling stuck, unable to move on
It’s a shoe-shine, party, but
A metaphor for a social gathering where the attendees are only there for the shine, rather than genuine social interactions
The ratings are soft now
The party is losing its appeal or popularity
Who is producing you (your main man?)
Asks about the person who is shaping or influencing someone's actions or decisions
Sweet, sweet love will shine and never dim, yeah
Expressing hope that love will remain strong and unconditional
The freak of nature (three-foot nature?)
A unique individual, possibly an outsider or non-conformist
He’s not completely off
Despite being different, the individual has some redeeming qualities
What could be better
Asking rhetorically what could be improved or made better
His ratings they’re soft, now
The individual is losing popularity or appeal among others
He turns his sax around
The musician is adjusting his instrument, possibly preparing to play
Calls them clean, yeah
Praising another musician for their performance or technique
Another day yeah
Another typical day, nothing special
Turning black into gold, yeah
Possibly referring to the creation of something valuable from something worthless or undesirable
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