Strange Apparation

Seems to be about someone who's hit the big time, aka became rich (owns a nice car) and maybe famous, but who had to pay for it with something impalpable that was dear to him ("the least I had to lose from..." might describe the thing as being impossible to buy, and "...is the most I seem to care" meaning his fondness for it). The abstract thing he is now missing he calls a "dream", like in the lines "a dream that got cremated" or "a dream that walked away." The narrator says that all the riches he has will be worth nothing when he dies and arrives at Heaven's Gate (when the Lord asks him "what I got to show, besides the dust in my pockets"), implying that, in turn, the dream he's lost would've still been worth something after his death.

Someone already pointed out that the "Lord" and "Mercedes Benz" are a clear reference to Janis Joplin's 'Mercedes Benz,' which deals with wishing for material things.

The music is heavily based on the Rolling Stones' "Torn and Frayed" from their 'Exile on Main St.' The chord progression is almost the same, as are the flourishes on the chords (plus the vocals, tempo, piano &acoustic guitar are also very reminiscent of the song and the Stones' style in general.).

jmoponfire, I think you kind of over analyzed the song, I think it is more literal than not.

I also don't think its criticizing religion, and I think the first two verses are about himself

classic beck

"Classic Beck" ?

Sounds like he's paying homage to the stones.

very catchy song but not very original.

Their are cries of defeat muffled by a world of fakeness around us, that somehow still manages to sustain itself with no foundation, and rule everything.

The churches are filled with the masses reciting their stock prayers, nervously telling themselves they deserve paradise. The Benz is parked out in the parking lot. The caricature of success is a boss telling you to get your work done, stealing your energy to glorify a false postion of self-importance. That cry will never be expressed.

All the while, the promises of the son, that they're are many mansions in the father's kingdom, prepared for a final resting place of the faithful, have been reduced to empty altar's of mental belief.

The brother's in the crowd feel their personal internalization pried from their soul's fingers, a paradise turned to dust in relation to an inevitable subconcious connection to the contagious energies of social dynamics.

Lost, the faithful are thrown overboard against their will and wash up alone and naked, isolated from the world, driven mad, and are left to find joy talking on broken payphones as the passerbys don't notice the headset and phonecard has been removed.

The faces of the wretched, looking up into your face from the street, wrapped in filthy shit covered blankets, unable to mouth the words, begging for a crust of the lifeforce flowing through a bulging disco pants.

At one time, I was filled in the presence of others, with the hope of riding eternal waves, together in a party of life flowing forever.

The eternal manifests itself in an invisible energy emanating from everything, while I spiral further downward into the doom of redemption, and I hear a an old am radio playing and it crackles:

We'll be on the shoreline When that heavy ship goes down Did you think that you were lucky? You should see yourself now

Falling into the gutter, I catch a glimpse to cry and look at myself, letting go into my own doom defeated, and I'm saved.

I think it has alot to do with Beck's affiliation with the Church of Scientology.

I don't like this song.

It doesn't sound like the Beck I know and love.

I fear change.

honey that's ok (harhar pun intended) don't fear a change because change is innevitable and is around us every day when you look at your city, your neighbourhood, your life...there's no point in fearing change. Even Beck changes a lot (Mellow Gold to Odelay, Odelay to Mutations, etc.). So you see, change is just part of music.

Open minded people are Where It's At ;)

"Lord, please don't forsake me In my Mercedes Benz" sounds like a tribute line to Janis Joplins "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?"

all in all this is one of the best comprehendable and understandable Beck songs around

Beck experiments with each album, how can you fear change? I like this...