Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene. The group's first album, No Depression, became a byword for the genre and was widely influential. Uncle Tupelo's sound was unlike popular country music of the time, drawing inspiration from styles as diverse as the hardcore punk of The Minutemen and the country instrumentation and harmony of the Carter Family and Hank Williams. Farrar and Tweedy lyrics frequently referenced Middle America and the working class of Belleville.
Wipe The Clock
Uncle Tupelo Lyrics
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Someone said, no story, no gain
Wipe the clock right now
I despise what you crave
I remember you
When you wore a different face
Never heard a story of anyone
Leaning on a stoplight
Waiting for eventual change
What's it matter right now
It's not so easy to gauge
Every time
That you ask for more
It's the sound that makes the colors go blind
And everything comes in threes
But your face shows two
Lost in the watershed
Way out of tune
Ain't it hard
When the spirit doesn't catch you
Gravity's the winner
And it weighs you down
It weighs you down
Uncle Tupelo's song Wipe The Clock is a song with a lot of layers to uncover, lyrically speaking. The opening lines "Hunted down, someone said, no story, no gain" sets the tone for what seems to be an internal monologue of the singer. The lyrics suggest that the singer is feeling hunted, and possibly threatened, and a voice that sounds like one of the many voices in his head tells him that without a story there is no gain. This can be interpreted as meaning that the singer is looking for a way to make sense of his current situation, and that sharing his story with others is the only way to find meaning in it.
The following lines, "Wipe the clock right now, I despise what you crave" can be interpreted in different ways. On one hand, they suggest a desire to erase the past and start fresh, and on the other, they could mean that the singer resents the desire of those around him for material or superficial things. The lyrics move on to talk about the singer remembering someone who wore a different face, which could be interpreted as someone who has changed or who is not being honest about who they are. The next line, "Never heard a story of anyone who drove the blacktop insane" suggests that the singer may be feeling like he is going crazy, but he has never heard of anyone else who has experienced the same thing.
The chorus of the song, "Every time that you ask for more, it's the sound that makes the colors go blind" is cryptic, but could be interpreted as meaning that asking for more from life can sometimes be overwhelming, and that it can obscure one's sense of what is important or meaningful. The line, "And everything comes in threes but your face shows two" is similarly enigmatic, perhaps suggesting that the singer is feeling like he is missing something, but he is not sure what it is. The last lines, "Lost in the watershed, way out of tune, ain't it hard when the spirit doesn't catch you, gravity's the winner and it weighs you down" suggest a feeling of being lost or disconnected, and that the singer is feeling like life is dragging him down.
Line by Line Meaning
Hunted down
Being chased and pursued
Someone said, no story, no gain
There's no progress to be made without struggle and obstacles
Wipe the clock right now
Take control of time and do something meaningful in the present moment
I despise what you crave
I reject and dislike what you desire
I remember you
I have memories of you from the past
When you wore a different face
When you presented yourself differently
Never heard a story of anyone
I have not encountered any narrative of someone
Who drove the blacktop insane
Who caused chaos and madness on the road
Leaning on a stoplight
Standing and waiting for something to happen
Waiting for eventual change
Expecting or hoping for transformation to happen on its own
What's it matter right now
It's currently insignificant or irrelevant
It's not so easy to gauge
It's difficult to assess or measure the situation
Every time
On each occasion
That you ask for more
When you demand additional or greater things
It's the sound that makes the colors go blind
It's the noise that causes chaos and confusion
And everything comes in threes
There's a pattern of things happening in trios
But your face shows two
You don't seem to fit this pattern properly or appropriately
Lost in the watershed
Confused, unclear or adrift in the turning point or critical moment
Way out of tune
Completely mismatched or disconnected from what's expected or appropriate
Ain't it hard
Isn't it difficult
When the spirit doesn't catch you
When the motivation or inspiration does not engage or motivate you
Gravity's the winner
Gravity, the force that pulls things down, is ultimately triumphant
And it weighs you down
It depresses, burdens or oppresses you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAY STUART FARRAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pro Mitra
"Every time you ask for more, it's the sound that makes the colors go blind"... genius!
David Ryan
ain't it hard, when the Spirit doesn't catch you?
Lee Krompart
Love this song
Lee Krompart
Love this song
Brody Dagenais
Life is hard enough as it is without choosing someone difficult to share it with...Because here's what don't do if they can't live without you: They don't leave you.
matt p
Might just be UT’s best.
Chad Johnson
When rust turns to raw gold boys. Gold bless the rust.
mud rope
once it mattered, oh yeah
Groundhog2265
Everything comes in threes but your face shows two lost in the watershed way out of tune....
jbsamakis
yup.