![](https://img.radioparadise.com/covers/m/B0049OSQ18.jpg)
Avg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 2542
Length: 3:45
Plays (last 30 days): 4
You and me and the war of the end-times
And I believe
California succumbed to the fault line
We heaved relief
As scores of innocents died
And the Andalusian tribes
Setting the lay of Nebraska alight
Till all that remains is the arms of the angels
Hetty Green
Queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab
You know what I mean?
On the road
It's well advised that you follow your own bag
In the year of the chewable Ambien tab
And the Panamanian child
Stands at the dowager empress's side
And all that remains is the arms of the angels
And all that remains is the arms of the angels
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
When you've receded into loam
And they're picking at your bones
We'll come home
We'll come home
Quiet now
Will we gather to conjure the rain down?
Will we now
Build a civilization below ground?
And I'll be crowned the community kick-it-around
And the Andalusian tribes
Setting the lay of Nebraska alight
Till all that remains is the arms of the angels
Till all that remains is the arms of the angels
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh
You know what I mean?"
Actually... no.
![jump](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_jump.gif)
Sounds like a fascinating documentary, where can I watch it? 😄
REM called. They'd like their sound back.
Um, who did they call, Peter Buck? Because that's him laying down those 12-string arpeggios on this track.
HOW DOES ANYBODY NOT LIKE THIS BAND AND THIS VOICE! GOING TO SEE THEM IN VANCOUVER ( CANADA ) ON THE 29TH OF JULY! SOOOOO EXCITED. LOVE THIS BAND.
No need to YELL. Thank you.
It's related to the novel "Infinite Jest", if I recall, though I've never read that. Lines like "in the year of the chewable Ambien tab".
In fact this is how I discovered The Decemberists. I was/am a great Infinite Jest fan, and reading about the book lead me to the Calamity Song video. And then Mariner's Revenge Song and no stop from there.
And than one day, at a friends house a Decemberists song was playing. My friend had no idea what band was playing but said that it is Radio Paradise. And here I am since.
Great book meets great band meets great radio. Thanks RP
And it is poor grammar to begin a sentence with the word "and".
![roflol](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_roflol.gif)
Good music. Wtf is it with inscrutable lyrics whose meaning is known largely only to their writers?
I ask myself the self-same question whenever Neko Case is playing ...
Good music. Wtf is it with inscrutable lyrics whose meaning is known largely only to their writers?
It's related to the novel "Infinite Jest", if I recall, though I've never read that. Lines like "in the year of the chewable Ambien tab".
Had a dream
You and me and the war of the end-times
Opening line of Randy Newman song a few songs back...
Last night I had a dream
You were in it, I was in it with you
I sense a theme
AND LAST NIGHT, I HAD ANOTHER MONICA BELLUCCI DREAM.
And it is poor grammar to begin a sentence with the word "and".
Not if it is continuation of the prior line in poetry ... or song lyrics.
My favorite line in this oft-heard tune? " ... In the year of the chewable Ambien tab." Hilarious and sad at the same time, you know what I mean?
And we all do it all the time...
AND LAST NIGHT, I HAD ANOTHER MONICA BELLUCCI DREAM.
It is poor grammar to begin a sentence with the word "and".
And we all do it all the time...
REM called. They'd like their sound back.
The guitar sounds a lot like Peter Buck, REM's guitarist. That's because it is him. Songwriter Colin Meloy wanted to do an REM-type song and Buck was totally on board with it.
One of their greats. I think I read that the lyrics came from a dream, but it really doesn't matter either way. The lyrics here are beautiful and rhythmical, and the folk rock sound is pretty much as great as any folk rock around. I guess you can fault the song for not being immediately accessible. It's more "I Am the Walrus" than "Imagine." But, as with the former, just find your own meaning and enjoy. Finally, if you have a problem with Colin Meloy's voice, you kind of remind me of the loser I was years ago when I needed it all to sound rock and roll or nothing else. Open your brain a liitle.
With very few substitutions, this could be converted into a comment about Yes.
I suggested this song to my bandmates in Germany, and everyone liked it, so we added it to our repertoire. The public also loves the peppy little song (especially at the wine-fests
![cheers](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheers.gif)
Turns out queen of supply-side bonhomie is actually an excellent description of Hetty Green. Granted I had no idea who Hetty Green was, but was forced to google Hetty Green in an attempt to make sense of the lyrics. Hopefully we are moving past supply-side economics. Also turns out G.H.W. Bush was correct when he called it "voodoo economics." End of rant...
That's exactly what I thought!
Heard it the same way.
"the war of the enzymes"
That's exactly what I thought!
You know what I mean?"
Not a clue.
But thanks for the peppy little song.
![cheers](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheers.gif)
I suggested this song to my bandmates in Germany, and everyone liked it, so we added it to our repertoire. The public also loves the peppy little song (especially at the wine-fests
![cheers](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheers.gif)
You know what I mean?"
Not a clue.
But thanks for the peppy little song.
![cheers](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheers.gif)
Danmc:
Total guess here, but know how your dreams make jump cuts that don't make sense? I think that's what we have with this song. It's a dream that jumps from one absurdity to another.
As you probably know, Hetty Green had no relationship to supply-side economics (the concept wasn't invented until the 1970s) and she was not particularly known for her bonhomie - or clean clothes for that matter.
This is probably a case of words fitting together to intentionally create a series of absurd images. The words sound great together but are puzzling if you search them for meaning. Like you, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy.
Best wishes.
I believe the video they made, and perhaps some of the song, had connections to David Foster Wallace's novel, "Infinite Jest"
I bet you'd love to hear James McMurtry cover this.
![jump](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_jump.gif)
This is because Peter Buck (R.E.M. guitarist) is featured all throughout the album... It helps lend the air of the world's most pretentious R.E.M. tribute album.
And this song in particular out-Stipes Michael in the obscure lyrics category.
You know what I mean?"
Not a clue.
But thanks for the peppy little song.
![cheers](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_cheers.gif)
Queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab
You know what I mean?
On the road
It's well advised that you follow your own bag
In the year of the chewable Ambien tab
OK, here's a clue in the lyrics that I long overlooked
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
It's not the Decemberists if the lyrics don't contain at least one reference that is unique in the whole canon of popular music.
The same reason Peter Buck enjoys DJ'ing - He's rich beyond our understanding, has lots of free time, and has low expectations on the return for investment.
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh!
Not quite as profound as do-be-do-be-do but still deep stuff.
lots of fun to sing along to!
Ah-oo-oh
Ah-oo
Ah-oo-oh!
Not quite as profound as do-be-do-be-do but still deep stuff.
Whoops, never mind.
ahooo...but yes, the chords are similar
Whoops, never mind.
You know what I mean?"
Not a fuckin clue, brother.
![stupid](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_stupid.gif)
![Mr. Green](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Hetty Green was the richest woman in America, in the era of J P Morgan, but lived so frugally that after she died, her bathroom soap dish was found to have four tiny scraps of soap in it instead of the fresh bar that she could have afforded 10,000,000 times over. (Based of memory of reading about her in Guinness Book of World Records in 1970)
You and me and the war of the enzymes
Hahaha! That's what I always thought he was singing!
![roflol](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_roflol.gif)
![frustrated](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_frustrated.gif)
Anyway, i like 'em and they're fun in concert. Hatas gonna hate!
You know what I mean?"
Not a fuckin clue, brother.
![stupid](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_stupid.gif)
![Mr. Green](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Maybe it's Meloy's homage to Mountain's Mississippi Queen? Never knew wth that was about either.
You and me and the war of the enzymes
You know what I mean?"
Not a fuckin clue, brother.
![stupid](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_stupid.gif)
![Mr. Green](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_mrgreen.gif)
I guess the quotations/riffs/rip-offs that sound like "Pretty Persuasion" and "Harborcoat" and "Second Guessing" help it go down, but when it's over I realize that I wouldn't seek it out if it weren't served up.
When it's on = 7
When it's over = 4.5
Reminds me of a Monty Python bit, paraphrasing.
"The Decemberists are like a dose of the clap. When they arrive, there is pleasure. But afterwards, there's a pain in the dong".
Hey, Bill just read your comment Baby.... you have reached RP Heights. I long for Bill reading mine someday. I can only wish for the day. Nice work Baby !
But I have barely a clue to what he's actually singing about.
Yes, there is good guitar sound and it's musically a good tune, but to me it's overwhelmed by the vocal gymnastics.
Yes, that is sweet guitar sound and it's musically a good tune, but to me it's overwhelmed by the vocal gymnastics.
You know what I mean?
No, actually, I don't know what you mean.
The whole song, for that matter.
Although it is more tuneful than a lot of other Decembrist nouveau.
Love it. Borrows a bit from REM's "Me in Honey."
Plus, this has a great, fun video that earns major bonus points for those who've made their way through the many pages of Infinite Jest.
How can anyone hate a song with an arpeggiating Rickenbacker 12-string guitar? Especially when it's actually played by Peter Buck...
Not an REM fan then?
![](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_yes.gif)
![{#Frustrated} {#Frustrated}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_frustrated.gif)
I guess the quotations/riffs/rip-offs that sound like "Pretty Persuasion" and "Harborcoat" and "Second Guessing" help it go down, but when it's over I realize that I wouldn't seek it out if it weren't served up.
When it's on = 7
When it's over = 4.5
"Great French fries" doesn't seem like a derogatory comparison to me and I usually feel pretty good after eating good fries - unless I eat way too many. I generally like the instrumentation and production of this band but that guy's voice and the Renaissance-fair affectation that he often deploys can get a little grating sometimes, though not quite as much in this tune.
This is because Peter Buck (R.E.M. guitarist) is featured all throughout the album... It helps lend the air of the world's most pretentious R.E.M. tribute album.
![](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_yes.gif)
I guess the quotations/riffs/rip-offs that sound like "Pretty Persuasion" and "Harborcoat" and "Second Guessing" help it go down, but when it's over I realize that I wouldn't seek it out if it weren't served up.
When it's on = 7
When it's over = 4.5
I totally get this.
So no rating from me.
Interesting, I didn't realize Peter Buck was on this one, though hearing the guitar I totally believe it. Thanks for the info, Bill.
I don't know if that's good or bad -- or neither...
I think that I really like the song -- but I also want it to end. So strange...
These guys are like the Strokes for me. Once upon a time I thought they might save rock 'n' roll, but then yeah no.
I think I officially stopped reading the music press with the ole "Strokes are going to save rock" campaign. What a joke. What a group of clowns. You Rpeeps know more about music than those paid parrot foolz
These guys are like the Strokes for me. Once upon a time I thought they might save rock 'n' roll, but then yeah no.
And it's not that I find it horribly offensive to the ears, but I imagine this is what hipsters hear in elevators.
But the chair is not his son
Good point! Lol
I cringe every time they play
![{#Grumpy} {#Grumpy}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/grumpy.gif)
But the chair is not his son
I guess the quotations/riffs/rip-offs that sound like "Pretty Persuasion" and "Harborcoat" and "Second Guessing" help it go down, but when it's over I realize that I wouldn't seek it out if it weren't served up.
When it's on = 7
When it's over = 4.5
Maybe they should ask Michael Stipe to do the vocals. I don't like the guy's voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EguUqIOz5po
Ha, and just after I posted this i read the comments below. Thanks for explaining, folks!
Peter Buck of R.E.M. is playing guitar on this track (and plays on 2 others on the album).
I'd say anytime he wants to play in my band, ok with me.
![{#Clap} {#Clap}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_clap.gif)
![{#Daisy} {#Daisy}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/daisy.gif)
I do love the Decemberists, but this album isn't their best.
Still very listenable, but seems more commercial - plus the obvious, albeit reasonable, R.E.M impersonation :)
EDIT: Ohh - and now reading a comment further down, it dawns on me why and much kudos to them! Peter Buck is playing guitar...
Now I feel like a fool, but at least I didn't delete my full comment :)
Peter Buck of R.E.M. is playing guitar on this track (and plays on 2 others on the album).
— I pause to think — Interesting.
Me too! I love it
"Queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab
You know what I mean?"
Actually... no.
well, look it up.
funny - i wasn't familiar with Andalusia before reading some books by dorothy dunnett. if you don't know something you can get lost in some very interesting places