‘Hearing Voices‘ ties with ‘Another Day’ for 1st place as my favorite Galaxie 500 songs of all time. Growing up just outside of Boston while this band was in its heyday in the late eighties, many of my close friends were into them and it was only a matter of time before I too blasted off. Like most Galaxie songs, a three year old with a head wound could learn how to play it in less time than it would take to a gnat to belch – but the melodic bass line and plodding guitar grab you in the first seconds and don’t let go. This is definitely the sort of hypnotic tune you could swerve off the highway at night to. But that doesn’t appear anywhere in the liner notes.
“I hear a jukebox, French fries and beer, And people are talkin somewhere…” Either the protagonist of this song lives above a bar, or he’s off his meds – take your pick. And he’s got superhero hearing if he’s picking up the french fries and the beer. If this song contains any hidden meaning, then my powers of explication honed during 4 years of an English B.A. are completely baffled. But I love it and it’s a good introduction to an extremely influential trio – see what you think by clicking on the radio to your left.
Jeff M. Writes: (He’s not versed in the comments yet, apparently…)
Hey Dave,
I saw your Galaxie 500 post and I thought I would brag and tell you that I have Naomi’s Bass amp that she used on all their records and tours. It has Galaxie 500 painted all over the road case and even has a handwrittten letter to her from the guy at Trace Elliot Amps with instructions on how to convert the voltage to 220 for their upcoming UK tour. I saw them open for Big Dipper at TT’s in 1988 and recorded the BD set, but not the G-500 set. Oh well…
Bastard. Please will that signed Pixies poster to Mike, who will subsequently will it to me, at which point I will subsequently have you both snuffed.
I sweat Wednesday Wadio…
nice to see you giving galaxie props pye. ‘hearing voices’ is a great track, off what i think is their best album (my personal fave is “way up high”). also worth checking out is their cover of new order’s “ceremony” on their second album. very well done.
as great as galaxie was/is though, for my money the band that followed them – LUNA – is where it’s at. everybody should own a copy of Penthouse… #3 on my list of top albums of the 90s.
versed…I’ll scan my old Pixies flyer for you and change the name to Dave.
That’s a band-aid solution, Jeff. But a band-aid solution still worthy of fevered masturbation. I thank you.
As an added bonus you can come over and touch the Galaxie amp if you want…Come to think of it, now I use that same amp when playing with the Dipper. Another 80’s Boston rock moment coming around full circle.
Dervaitis is right on Ceremony, wrong on “way up high.” The right answer is, in fact, “Decomposing Trees.” And if you argue that this is a matter of opinion and not a matter of fact, I will accuse you of homosexual leanings.
As for Jeff: What he didn’t tell you is that he once owned John Squire’s Orange guitar amp (He of Seahorses fame…apparently this was preceded by a stint in some other, lesser known band) and for years slept with a lock of Gunner Nelson’s hair under his pillow. Or was it Mark “The Animal” Mendoza? Anyone’s guess, really. But yes, his basement is a veritable museum of Boston rawk.
Incidentally, Mr. Moynihan, then perched upon his “older brother” high horse, briefly convinced me that the lyrics to “Debaser” were: “And I am un chein, Adam Oose ya.” I was disabused of this just last year, when reading the Doolittle liner notes.
– MM
You just made me look that up, jackaaaaaass. French dog? But I did find this page of other funny misheard lyrics.
http://www.amiright.com/misheard/artist/pixies.shtml