Irresponsible Tune

Album: Swing Lo Magellan (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Dirty Projectors frontman and songwriter Dave Longstreth told Pitchfork about the background to this song about the artist's preoccupation with creating images in a screwed up world. "That song asks a question about how we all spend so much energy creating and consuming these images of ourselves," he explained. "That's the substance of our lives right now. And that's what any kind of art-making is as well - you're just creating these emblems, images, pictures. The song is meant to be a question about what that is; I'm not sure if it's an affirmation or not. That's the tricky thing: Lyrically, I wanted the album to bring up specific things that we could all be on the same page about. But then, when it comes down to it, I don't feel like I have any answers. I don't know s--t. What I found out is that I have a lot of questions and weird, murky equivocations."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. JonesSongwriter Interviews

The Stax legend on how he cooked up "Green Onions," the first time he and Otis Redding saw hippies, and if he'll ever play a digital organ.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.