Flagpole Sitta. was the first song I heard by Harvey Danger (and thankfully not the last). It’s a really strong pop song with some very clever, outstanding lyrics. Seemingly about a man confronted with life’s ills and slowly being driven crazy, it’s got a great hook, that very lovely singalong chorus, and it’s a very well crafted classic rock and roll song.
And of course, the lyrics:
I had visions, I was in them,
I was looking into the mirror
To see a little bit clearer
The rottenness and evil in me
Fingertips have memories,
Mine can’t forget the curves of your body
And when I feel a bit naughty
I run it up the flagpole and see who salutes
(But no one ever does)
I’m not sick, but I’m not well
and I’m so hot ’cause I’m in hell
Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding
The cretins cloning and feeding
And I don’t even own a TV
Put me in the hospital for nerves
And then they had to commit me
You told them all I was crazy
They cut off my legs now I’m an amputee, Goddamn you
I’m not sick, but I’m not well
And I’m so hot cause I’m in hell
I’m not sick, but I’m not well
And it’s a sin, to live so well
I wanna publish ‘zines
And rage against machines
I wanna pierce my tongue
It doesn’t hurt, it feels fine
The trivial sublime
I’d like to turn off time
And kill my mind
You kill my mind
Mind…
Paranoia, paranoia
Everybody’s comin’ to get me
Just say you never met me
I’m runnin’ underground with the moles
Diggin’ big holes
Hear the voices in my head
I swear to God it sounds like they’re snoring
But if you’re bored then you’re boring
The agony and the irony, they’re killing me, whoa!
I’m not sick, but I’m not well
And I’m so hot cause I’m in hell
I’m not sick, but I’m not well
And it’s a sin to live this well
(One, two, three, four!)
August 27th, 2008 at 7:41 am
This is a song that got played all of the time, but I never got tired of it. I just love this one. A great chorus and musically just rocking.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Yup. That’s right, right there.