I grew up with a lot of older friends. I went to Cornerstone when I was 14 with a bunch of my friends that were almost 20. All of them loved Pedro the Lion, and I just never really connected. I remember one night we went to see him on the Encore stage where he could play all night long and I fell asleep after the first song. However, I think now I know why I didn’t care. It was all to over my head. I was still worried about trivial things and hadn’t really grown up yet. So now, I am finally starting to connect with Pedro the Lion, and wow, now I get it, now I know what all the fuss was about. His album called Control was rated the best album you’ll never here by Spin Magazine. I’m sure I’ll post more of his lyrics soon.
Have you ever seen an idealist
With grey hairs on his head
Or successful men who keep in touch
With unsuccessful friends?
You only think you do
I could have sworn I saw it too
But as it turns out,
It was just a clever ad for cigarettesCause if it isn’t making dollars
Then it isn’t making sense
If you aren’t moving units
Then you’re not worth the expense
If you really want to make it
You had best remember this
If it isn’t penetration
Then it isn’t worth a kissWe’re so sorry, sir,
But you did not quite make the cut this time
We’d appriciate it if you’d get
Your stuff all out by five
Don’t take it personal
Everyone knows you did your best
If it makes it easier,
You should look at things from our perspectiveCause if it isn’t making dollars
Then it isn’t making sense
If you aren’t moving units
Then you’re not worth the expense
If you really want to make it
You had best remember this
If it isn’t penetration
Then it isn’t worth a kiss
You should check out some of Bazan’s solo stuff. ‘Fewer Moving Parts’ is great!
you should read ‘bodypiercing saved my life’, [if you haven’t already] a book on the christian music scene by an editor of scene. bazan is featured in it. interesting stuff.
Hey Nathan,
I have a similar experience with Pedro the Lion and I’ve been to C-Stone about a dozen times. The album that turned things around for me was Achilles Heel. I couldn’t appreciate Control until I heard Achilles… that’s the way it works for me. I always try to listen to an artist’s latest work, sometimes that opens the door to their earlier works for me.
Did a review/reflection piece here:
http://michaelkrahn.com/blog/2007/06/10/pedro-the-lion-achilles-heel/
Cheers
I was on-again-off-again with Pedro until Control came out, then I was totally sold. I remember seeing him play at the Horseshoe when he was touring after that album and it was an amazing show (actually I think I saw Pedro twice there… but my memory is a little hazy). I love the way Bazan takes and explores random questions from the audience.
Still, I don’t feel like anything that Pedro has done since then has lived up to that album. Songs like “Rapture” and “Second Best” totally nailed where I was at, at that time of my life, so that could be why it hit me as much as it did.