Model Son

Essentially the lyric deals with my extremely fraught and troubled relationship with my father. He was a merchant navy seaman as a young man, hence the nautical references. In a sense everyone journeys from dependence (on parents) to independence. My journey was a hard one because (perhaps) however independent we become we still want parental approval, somehow I could never enjoy this.

Señorita No

This song steals a very famous Mexican saying: 'Poor Mexico. So far from God and so close to America', which probably sums up what a lot of Mexicans feel. They can be very critical of their own country, and especially of their capital city, as the song implies. But they also have the challenge of living next door to powerful neighbours whose attitude is often very condescending and imperial. Recently for instance it has often seemed that the US government blames the Mexicans (and the Colombians) for their own nation's drug consumption.

The McCaffrey mentioned is Barry McCaffrey, the first so-called US 'anti-drugs Tsar'. He had the bad manners to resign before this song was recorded but I kept him in. I can't remember the name of the new 'tsar' but it doesn't have the good grace to rhyme with a Class 'A' drug.

Look Away

The idea came from Steve's use of the phrase in a conversation - it's surprising the number of songs I've written which emerge from conversations with him ('Hearts don't stop beating on their own' springs to mind but there are many more). He's remained in a tradition of talking about politics - discuss, analyse, conclude - and he's good at snappy one-line summations. I think this conversation was about the proliferation of beggars on British streets. Begging simply did not go on at one time, now its become commonplace (notably since cuts to the 'lodging allowance' which precipitated the homeless crisis amongst the unemployed). It's impossible to give every beggar money so one strategy is to look, and then look away. But that individual(ist) response is replicated across the field of urban decay - eyes front, head down - try not to let the oppressed - the drunks, the homeless, the heroin addicts, the poverty-stricken, the ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) kids and the schizophrenics - or the oppressors - the racists, the bullies and the arrogant wealthy - de-stabilise 'your' world. The solution (ignore it) is part of the problem.

The Spearcarrier

In the British theatre, a spear-carrier is a term for an extra, an actor without lines or importance. (It literally means someone who just carries a spear.) The song is about a relationship which ends suddenly and apparently nothing remains. It is a very odd experience: from being the 'star' in someone's life, to become a mere extra, of no importance in any scene.

Shot the Messenger

A simple lyric about not wanting to face up to the truth.

Race Me Down

The origin of this lyric is very interesting. It was one of four lyrics I wrote for a film called 'Colors' - directed by Denis Hopper, starring Robert Duval and Sean Penn. I was meant to be writing with Herbie Hancock who had won the Oscar a year previously for Round Midnight. The lyrics were never used, instead the film company went with already released tracks (Los Lobos, Prince, etc.) I watched a rough edit of the film and realised that the narrative and analysis was incoherent - it was a rookie cop being shown the ropes by a veteran where the veteran is 'hard but fair' because, however bad the gang bangers are, its all 'society's fault' - basically the typical Liberal position (and, therefore, dramatically left-wing for the USA!) In the four lyrics I wrote I tried to make up for the film's deficiencies (as I saw them). I can't remember now which incident triggered Race Me Down but it refers directly to some aspect of the film.

Somedays the Big Fish

This is a very old lyric. What triggered it was a left-wing academic conference in London - I wasn't involved but someone who was told me that an afternoon session needed a chairperson and wondered whether I'd do it (I didn't, someone else had already been approached). On the panel were some of the main student generation figures of the late-60's and I just thought how ironic it was that someone of my insignificance should suddenly be pitched in with these legendary figures.

Love Didn't Get There First

Just a general reflection on how messed up people can be by being emotionally neglected and abused in their very early childhood. Time and time again people have kids, coo over them as babies and then start yelling at them as soon a the kids can walk. There are so many damaged people in 'advanced' societies that it baffles me how we, collectively, ever get through the day.

Lucky Man

A song about two people flirting in the street and then eventually finding the courage to speak. She however decides to test his broadmindedness and makes a provocative proposal

Believer in Miracles

This song was inspired by two things: an article I read in a Spanish newspaper written by a Jesuit priest who said what is paraphrased in the song: trying to make the world a better and fairer place is worth it, even if we fail. And secondly by the incident of the man doing handstands that I saw in my first few months in Mexico City. The pleading look on the young guy's face as he went through this sad performance, but desperate for money, was really sickening.

Marxism is out of fashion now, seemingly defeated historically, and I for one have no idea how we are going to stem and reverse the horrible forward advance of neo-liberal capitalism. (Though it's great to see so many people trying). But I wrote this song because basically I still believe what I always believed. I have no idea how these ideas can win and for that reason I'll say, with one breath, that it's about believing in miracles. But what else is there to believe in? Capitalism? Greed?

Fake

I intended this as a 'jazz' ballad - and certainly not as a Steve Skaith Band song. It's what it is - a plea for someone to lie to you, to pretend that all is well when it really isn't - its my version of 'Don't it make my brown eyes blue?'