The Dark Side of the Sun

Album: Lemonheads, Lovey, 1990

Best Track: "Stove"

Lasting Memory: George was convinced in 1992 that "Ballarat," the first song on side A of Lovey was both the most musically impressive and funniest song he had ever heard. George was mistaken on both points, but it certainly was bold of the Lemonheads to open the major-label debut with an audio vignette of cheerleaders being massacred with a chainsaw (which does not appear in this clip of the song).

But who was I to argue with George? He was the music scene in Blacksburg back then, fronting the band Not Shakespeare, providing sound for pretty much all the local bars that had live music, and operating a recording studio out of his basement. Plus, he was doing a favor for my friend Brad and me by recording our hymn "Jesus Ain't No Cocksucker." (He isn't, which is a point Brad and I made most clear.)

Lovey contains no hymns. In fact, it's hard to figure out exactly what any of the songs are about because lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Evan Dando has sloppy enunciation, plotting, and fret technique. The music is inspired by both 'mid-1970s punk and late-1960s bubble-gum rock. Which is to write that the Lemonheads sound like Richard Hell and the Voidoids on "Left for Dead" and like the Lemon Pipers on "Half the Time."

Using a not-at-all-rigorous scoring system, I've determined that the Lemonheads come down on the side of the sunny poppers, primarily because they scored 1,783,254 points in this category for their cover of "Brass Buttons." Admittedly, that is not a happy song, and I've linked to the Gram Parsons original rather than the Lemonheads version. As sad as the song is, it has the undeniably airy and free "California" sound.

The Lemonheads replicated this juxtaposition of dark lyrics with lilting melodies on all of their best songs, as I'll discuss in my next post. But to set the stage for that, here are the bluntly symbolic but still sad lyrics to "Stove" (the link is to, appropriately, a cover):

The gas man came, took out our electric stove.
I helped him carry her.
He told me he had been a prize fighter once.
Shuffled her through and out the door.
We walked back in talked 'bout his boy at U.V.M.
And we began to put the new stove in.

But I miss my stove.
She's all alone.
Call it love.
She's been replaced.
I miss my stove.
She's all alone.
She's right out front and looks a mess.
Unwanted guest.
We lied to her.
I miss my stove.
Feel sad I guess.

I know I shouldn't think about it anymore.
What's the point? you say.
But I'm reminded each time I walk out my door.
My stove is gone to stay.
He walked back in talked 'bout his boy at U.V.M.
And we began to put the new stove in.

But I miss my stove.
She's all alone.
Call it love.
She's been replaced.
I miss my stove.
She's all alone.
She's right out front and looks a mess.
Unwanted guest.
We lied to her.
I miss my stove.
Feel sad I guess.

Up Next: Lemonheads, It's a Shame About Ray, 1992