Cleaver and Walker began playing together in 2001 as a result of Cleaverās stage fright when asked to perform a brief run of solo shows. The duoās first performance was largely unplanned and yet went without incident.. so they agreed to continue and expand. Mark Messerly joined in 2002 as bassist and utility man, and Dawn Burman joined on drums shortly thereafter. The four-piece has released three full-length albums and one EP on their native Cincinnatiās Shake It label. Klug joined the band shortly after Burman's departure in early 2009.
The band is known for its use of "an army of alternately droning and jangling guitars" (Uncut 6/09) to offset the traditional three-minute pop format. Lyrics are typically split evenly between Cleaver and Walker.
Their work has met with critical praise from Rolling Stone and SPIN, both of which gave the bandās second and third albums four stars each, in addition to favorable reviews from Village Voice, NPR, Washington Post, Uncut, and many other press outlets. The āDean of American Criticsā Robert Christgau placed the bandās first two albums (Funeral Dress and Left for Dead) on his Best of the Decade list, and their third album (Wussy) ranked tenth in his best of 2009 Deanās List.
Beautiful
Wussy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It started in the leaves
And spread across the yard and up the arbour
A cigarettte alone
Burnt us out of house and home
Abandoned on the sidewalk
Where the sirens and the pirates picked our bones
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
Our everyday attire
We lost it in the fire
Now we're sifting through the cinders and the ashes
Searching for a sign
The remains of yours and mine
Suspecting all along we may have saved it if we'd only taken time
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
If the bruises and the scars reflect the people that we are
I guess that you could say that we're beyond it
The fire's flickered out
But the damage and the doubt
Make me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind the couch
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
Than I am today
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
The song "Beautiful" by Wussy is a melancholic ballad about the loss of a home, belongings, and memories due to a fire that started in the leaves and spread across the yard and up the arbour. The lyrics describe the aftermath of the tragedy, with the singers sifting through the ashes, searching for a sign of what they lost. The song reflects on the transience of beauty and life, with the refrain "I'm not the monster that I once was, twenty years ago I was more beautiful than I am today." The lyrics convey a sense of regret and nostalgia, both for the past and the things that could have been if only they had taken more time to save their possessions. The lines "If the bruises and the scars reflect the people that we are, I guess that you could say that we're beyond it" suggest that the loss has left a lasting impact on the singers, but also that they have come to terms with it.
Overall, "Beautiful" is a poignant reflection on the fragility and impermanence of life, and the power of memories to endure even in the face of loss. The song's mournful melody and understated arrangement complement the bittersweet lyrics, creating a poetic and poignant tribute to what has been lost, and what remains.
Line by Line Meaning
The fire chief believes
The person in charge of the fire assessments thinks that the fire started because of the leaves.
It started in the leaves
The fire initially sparked because of the leaves.
And spread across the yard and up the arbour
The fire rapidly expanded and went through the yard and up the arbour.
A cigarette alone
A cigarette without any help started the fire.
Burnt us out of house and home
The fire destroyed everything that the person or people owned and cherished.
Abandoned on the sidewalk
After the fire, the people were left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
Where the sirens and the pirates picked our bones
Families, police, and looters rushed in to take advantage of the situation.
I'm not the monster that I once was
The person singing changed over the years and is trying to make themselves better for the people around them.
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
In the past, the person singing felt they were more attractive or likable.
Than I am today
Nowadays, the person who is singing doesn't feel as attractive or likable as they did in the past.
Our everyday attire
The clothes people would wear on an ordinary day.
We lost it in the fire
The fire destroyed all of the clothes people owned.
Now we're sifting through the cinders and the ashes
People are looking through the ashes of the fire to find any remnants of their possessions.
Searching for a sign
Looking for any indication that something survived the fire.
The remains of yours and mine
Remnants of what people collectively owned.
Suspecting all along we may have saved it if we'd only taken time
Believing they could have saved something if they took the time to grab it before the fire spread too much.
If the bruises and the scars reflect the people that we are
If our physical injuries show the type of person we are on the inside.
I guess that you could say that we're beyond it
We've moved past the physical trauma and are ready to move on.
The fire's flickered out
The fire is now completely gone.
But the damage and the doubt
Despite the fire being over, people are still left with emotional and actual damages.
Make me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind the couch
The fear of another fire spreading causes people to leave their sleeping bags in a safe place hidden away.
I'm not the monster that I once was
The person singing changed over the years and is trying to make themselves better for the people around them.
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful
In the past, the person singing felt they were more attractive or likable.
Than I am today
Nowadays, the person who is singing doesn't feel as attractive or likable as they did in the past.
Contributed by Bailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@VladJafeth
The fire chief believes, it started in the leaves
And spread across the yard and up the arbor
A cigarette alone, left us out of house and home
Abandoned on the sidewalk where the sirens and the pirates pick our bones
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful than I am today
Our everyday attire, we lost it in the fire
Now we're sifting through the cinders and the ashes
Searching for a sign, the remains of yours and mine
Suspecting all along we may have saved it if we'd only taken time
I'm not the monster that I once was
Twenty years ago I was more beautiful than I am today
If the bruises and the scars, reflect the people that we are
I guess that you could say that we're beyond it
The fire's flickered out, but the damage and the doubt
Make me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind the couch
@gerald9442
This. What a frigging forgotten masterpiece.
@70mackdaddy
RIP John...WUSSY RULES š
@DanCohoon
he was so fucking good.
@greggnicholl3988
Love it! "I'm not the monster that I once was, Twenty years ago I was more beautiful than I am today . . ."
@Rawkstar1960
Iām sorry but I keep coming back to enjoy this. I wish I could be the monster that I once was.
@ryanday4930
Saw this group on TV the other day; I am now addicted :)
@mikedietrich7830
This is a perfect rock n roll song
@70mackdaddy
GENIUS!!!! I consider myself spoiled to be from Cincinnati and getting to see this band several times a year... one of America's biggest secrets... criminally overlooked bands.
@jimaluko
Omg, I get lost in the majesty of this song on so many levels
@Rawkstar1960
Love this song. Love this performance.