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
The Garden
Vic Chesnutt Lyrics
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The tiller is broken, your garden is crying
There's been too much rain, tomatoes they split
Spring was a beauty but she turned into a beast
Your boy is rebellious, he refuses to work
Your daughter is a fine one but allergic to dirt
The preacher came a'calling, he wants a fresh ham
So you piddle in the garden, you pick at the ground
Your family is fighting, oh but you don't hear a sound
The lyrics of Vic Chesnutt's "The Garden" paints a picture of a struggling gardener who is burdened with problems in both their personal and work life. The description of "pus on your finger, mud on your mind" shows the physical and mental strain the gardener is under. The broken tiller and split tomatoes indicate that the garden is not producing as it should, possibly due to the excessive rainfall. Spring, a time of beauty and growth, has turned into a beast for the gardener.
As the song continues, we are introduced to the gardener's family. The rebellious son who refuses to work and his daughter who is allergic to dirt add to the gardener's stress. The arrival of the preacher requesting a fresh ham shows the financial struggle the gardener is facing, as they are forced to sacrifice what they have saved for themselves. The final lines, "you piddle in the garden, you pick at the ground, your family is fighting, oh but you don't hear a sound," suggest that the gardener is so overwhelmed by their troubles that they are unable to fully engage with or resolve the issues at hand.
Overall, "The Garden" is a poignant portrayal of the struggle to maintain one's livelihood in the face of personal and environmental adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Pus on your finger, mud on your mind
You are injured and your thoughts are consumed by the garden.
The tiller is broken, your garden is crying
Your tools are in disrepair and your garden is suffering.
There's been too much rain, tomatoes they split
Excess rain has caused your tomatoes to burst.
Spring was a beauty but she turned into a beast
The season started off lovely but now it has become harsh.
Your boy is rebellious, he refuses to work
Your son is defiant and refuses to help with the garden.
Your daughter is a fine one but allergic to dirt
Your daughter is wonderful but has an allergy to soil.
The preacher came a'calling, he wants a fresh ham
The religious leader has requested food from you.
Your wife she obliges, thaws the one you was saving
Your spouse defrosts the ham you had planned to save for later.
So you piddle in the garden, you pick at the ground
You are aimlessly tinkering with the garden, not achieving much.
Your family is fighting, oh but you don't hear a sound
Despite the disagreements among your loved ones, you are oblivious to the turmoil around you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: VIC CHESNUTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind