Around 1985, Chesnutt moved to Athens and joined the band, The La-Di-Da's. After leaving that group he began performing solo on a regular basis at the 40 Watt Club; it was there that he was spotted by Michael Stipe of R.E.M.; Stipe produced Chesnutt's first two albums, Little (1990) and West of Rome (1991).
In 1992 Chesnutt was the subject of a PBS documentary, Speed Racer. He also had a small role in the 1996 Billy Bob Thornton movie Sling Blade which he later described self-mockingly as a poor performance.
In 1996, Chesnutt was exposed to a wider audience with the release of the tribute album Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, the proceeds from which went to the Sweet Relief Fund. The album consisted of Chesnutt covers by famous musicians including Garbage, The Smashing Pumpkins (with Red Red Meat), Madonna, R.E.M. and Live.
He recorded several times with other groups and artists. Most notably he made two albums with fellow Athens, GA recording artist Widespread Panic, under the name of brute. Chesnutt's album The Salesman and Bernadette (1998) was recorded with alt-country group Lambchop as the backing band. The album Merriment was a collaborative effort between Chesnutt and Kelly and Nikki Keneipp, with Vic writing and singing the songs, and the Keneipps playing the music. The 2005 album Ghetto Bells features famed guitarist Bill Frisell, whom Chesnutt met in 2004 at the renowned Century of Song concert series at the German festival RuhrTriennale. Chesnutt's wife, Tina Chesnutt, frequently plays bass on his albums. His niece, and fellow songwriter, Liz Durrett also appeared on the Ghetto Bells album.
Chesnutt's first four albums were released on the independent Texas Hotel label. He then recorded About to Choke (1996) for Capitol, which was his first and only major record label recording. The Salesman and Bernadette (1998) was on PolyGram; Merriment (2000) was on the Backburner Records label; spinART was the label for the self performed and recorded Left to His Own Devices (2001). Vic then found a new home at the New West Records label, who have released two albums for him so far. In 2004 New West also re-released the early Texas Hotel recordings, including expanded liner notes and extra tracks.
In the winter of 2006, he recorded his newest album, North Star Deserter at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal. It was released on September 11, 2007 by Constellation Records. The record includes contributions from Constellation artists Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as well as Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto. The album was produced by documentary filmmaker Jem Cohen. He also appeared as a guest musician on Cowboy Junkies' 2007 album Trinity Revisited, a 20th anniversary edition of their classic album The Trinity Session.
On Dec 25th 2009, Vic Chesnutt died after falling into a coma following a suicide attempt.
Official Website: Vic Chesnutt
Fish
Vic Chesnutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fish outta water is all you need
Internal combustion is bustin' my balls, taking my eyesight away.
Throwing darts at a dartboard, slinging slobber across a hall.
Opening a leather-man?
To wrench out an inner demon.
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
And the spotlight is hot, and it'll burn your fingers!
And dry rot can get under trapeze swings.
Hollow as a plaster thing, sitting on a radiator.
And toxic as a brass ring.
Soft sung I'll be fascinating, the loquacious waitress made us leave.
Daddy needs no more grief,
Little darling fell off the roof.
Oh jack snapped into sharper focus,
slicing myopic fungus away.
Oh jack snapped into sharper focus,
slicing myopic fungus away.
Oh jack snapped into sharper focus,
slicing myopic fungus away.
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
And the spotlight is hot and it'll burn your fingers!
And dry rot will get under trapeze swings.
The lyrics of Vic Chesnutt's "Fish" start by acknowledging that things aren't the way they used to be, but that they were never perfect to begin with. The fish out of water metaphor is introduced, suggesting a sense of displacement or discomfort. The following lines discuss the struggles of dealing with internal conflicts that feel like they're taking away one's own vision, and the metaphor of throwing darts at a dartboard demonstrates the frustration and aimlessness of the struggle. The image of opening a Leatherman to "wrench out an inner demon" underscores the sense of pain and struggle that is present in the song.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Double dutch bus is coming down the street, stopping at the homes of all your enemies," which could be interpreted in a variety of ways. The image of a bus stopping at enemies' homes could suggest impending danger, but it's unclear exactly what that danger might be. The repetition of the chorus makes the line feel more ominous each time it's repeated, and the sense of impending doom is heightened by the images of hot spotlight and dry rot getting under trapeze swings.
The final verse starts off with the image of "jack" snapping into sharper focus, suggesting a moment of clarity or realization. The slicing of myopic fungus could refer to the removal of something that was obscuring one's vision or ability to see things clearly. The chorus is repeated once more before the song ends, leaving the sense of unease and danger unresolved.
Overall, the lyrics of "Fish" are open to interpretation, but they create a vivid sense of discomfort and uncertainty. The metaphors of fish out of water, throwing darts, and opening a Leatherman wrench demonstrate the feeling of struggling with something internally, while the chorus and subsequent images suggest a sense of impending danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Not the way it used to be, but it was never a perfect deal.
Things have changed and they are not how they used to be, but they were never perfect to begin with.
Fish outta water is all you need
Sometimes, all you need to feel out of place is to be in a new or unfamiliar environment.
Internal combustion is bustin' my balls, taking my eyesight away.
The struggle within oneself can be exhausting and painful.
Throwing darts at a dartboard, slinging slobber across a hall.
Engaging in pointless and messy activities that lead nowhere.
Opening a leather-man?
Unleashing or exposing one's inner demons and struggles.
To wrench out an inner demon.
The act of confronting and overcoming one's inner struggles or demons.
Double dutch bus is coming down the street,
Unexpected events or circumstances are about to occur.
stopping at the homes of all your enemies
Those negative events could potentially impact those who have caused harm or conflict in the past.
And the spotlight is hot, and it'll burn your fingers!
Being in the public eye or receiving attention can be overwhelming and hurtful.
And dry rot can get under trapeze swings.
Underlying problems can cause major issues or disruptions to seemingly stable situations.
Hollow as a plaster thing, sitting on a radiator.
Feeling empty and lifeless, as if one is just occupying space without true purpose or fulfillment.
And toxic as a brass ring.
Poisonous or harmful situations or relationships that must be avoided or removed.
Soft sung I'll be fascinating, the loquacious waitress made us leave.
Despite being interesting or captivating, external factors can prevent one from fully enjoying or experiencing something.
Daddy needs no more grief,
One cannot take any more pain or conflict, particularly from those who are closest to them or in positions of power.
Little darling fell off the roof.
Tragic or unexpected events can occur even to those who are innocent or vulnerable.
Oh jack snapped into sharper focus, slicing myopic fungus away.
Something has caused a sudden clarity, removing past confusion or misunderstandings.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: VIC CHESNUTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind