Moodswing Whiskey

It's 'lemon peel', not 'lemon king', and 'your nightmare falls around me in waves of bliss', not 'the nightmare's fires burn the waves of bliss'

I'm assuming this is from the mystery white boy version, because I know Jeff varied his lyrics quite a lot, so if this is from a bootleg version (heaven forbid ;)) then you might be right, but in the official version those are the right lyrics.

Can't believe nobody has commented on this song! It's great! Very dark, I love how it builds up at the end with the line 'this is for all the headless acrobats, faces crushed in the circus dust'. I also love the line 'bliss the actress, bliss the assassin, bliss the abyss'. Great stuff, pretty dark though.

Seedy.

I totally agree with stendec. First of all I wasn't too keen on this song but now it's not just one of my favourite Jeff tunes but songs of all time.

It's the words of an alcoholic, an abusive husband. You're to be scared of this guy.

I like the reference to God, as Alcoholism can be like a religion in a negative way. "Punishing God... Prodical son has returned" might be his return to a drunken state after trying to fight his dependancy and the dominance of drink.

The acrobats, now this is interesting. "All in the name of Gravity" - unavoidable for everyone, acrobats fighting something that is near impossible and they do it for money, a dig at human society?

BEAUTIFUL LOSER - this is a reference to the book by Leonard Cohen, one of Jeff's greatest influences. I actually own this book but have never read it so no clues for this part...

The last line is from a total cynical outlook. Very clever. That perhaps, drink may clear a mind and detaches a man from society so he may critise it?

First of all, this is a great song, probobly my favorite song by Jeff. The lyrics are really dark and deep. I think its about a guy who's wife left him and he drinks all the time to kill the pain. The character in the story has gone as low in life as possible and theres no way out. The subway part I belive is about him going completly crazy with nothing else to do but to muder and take his own life. Then my favorite part is about the acrobats. He is suming up the story saying, this is for all the headless acrobats, faces crushed in the circus dust, all in the name of gravity, and the price of admission. He's saying, this song is for all of the losers that are stuck down in a pit of depression and theres nothing they can do about it, (this is the gravity part). It also is saying that people love to see people get hurt, (this being emotional hurt), and they would even pay to see it done. Then he repeats beautifull loser, meaning that he is stuck at the end but he is still a good person.

i suppose with these types of songs, the atmosphere is what's most important, the lyrics are there to be enjoyed as it is, interpretation just spoils the fun. honestly i really disliked this song when i first heard it, but as I grew into the album I learned to cherish it, its nuances, its lack of consistency. and the way he sings it, very rude and carefree, yet still emotional. i love that junkyard paradise part, and that yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. so very head-sticky.

i must say, the closing couplet is one of the most interesting i've heard in awhile. i will admit that this is also a song that i overlooked for quite some time since it's not as.... 'catchy'?

Mood swing whiskey, Drank it all in the trailer, Waiting for the dark to move in

Sitting in my step-sister's kitchen, Horseflies on the window sill , Eyes trained on the lemon peel, And wishing it were a gun

I'm thinking of our wedding rings, Trapped inside the heater, Spring water on the floor of this sex starved room

Nightmare's fall around me, In waves of bliss, I tried to stop it with my hand, I was lost in the kiss, With you, Mood swing whiskey,

You’re bliss, the actress, Bliss, the assassin, Bliss, the abyss

Did a crazy shot of whiskey, In about zero to sixty, All I could see was the beer Singing true a melody with a drink in my right hand, Eyes sparkling, afraid, and amazed

I said boost me up to your junkyard paradise, I said boost me up to your junkyard paradise Baby I need a sweet-ass photo of you

She cheated, and she lied, and you stole her, Stung my tongue just like sweat from her shoulder Ooh, mood swing whiskey, Your love, the destroyer, Love, the destroyer Love, love...

Yes mood swing whiskey flood my brain,
Only you can break this chain, I need her in my bed again,
You, you, you, you (x4)

Going down to the subway station, Packing a rod, All unnecessary histories erased

I am a punishing god, You Mood swing whiskey, Your prodigal son has returned

This is for all the headless acrobats, Faces crushed in the circus dust All in the name of gravity, And the price of admission,

Beautiful loser warm hearts have let you down,
Beautiful loser warm hearts have left you,
Because you’re beautiful

I think of mankind in quotation marks, Ever since i took a drink from you

i think of "mankind" in question marks...

what a great, great line. I haven't listened to MWB in a long time, and this song I must have overlooked. Wow, what great writing.

She cheated, and she lied, and you stole her, Stung my tongue just like sweat from her shoulder Ooh, mood swing whiskey, Your love, the destroyer, Love, the destroyer Love, love...

Yes mood swing whiskey flood my brain, Only you can break this chain, I need her in my bed again, You, you, you, you

he had a way of capturing that emotion.just the tip of that emotion so raw so beautiful. it touches someplace i didn't know was there. i miss him... im desperate you're gone. i need to hear this song again.

First of all, this is a great song, probobly my favorite song by Jeff. The lyrics are really dark and deep. I think its about a guy who's wife left him and he drinks all the time to kill the pain. The character in the story has gone as low in life as possible and theres no way out. The subway part I belive is about him going completly crazy with nothing else to do but to muder and take his own life. Then my favorite part is about the acrobats. He is suming up the story saying, this is for all the headless acrobats, faces crushed in the circus dust, all in the name of gravity, and the price of admission. He's saying, this song is for all of the losers that are stuck down in a pit of depression and theres nothing they can do about it, (this is the gravity part). It also is saying that people love to see people get hurt, (this being emotional hurt), and they would even pay to see it done. Then he repeats beautifull loser, meaning that he is stuck at the end but he is still a good person.