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Company in my Back


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So i love how poetic Tweedys lyrics can be. It is one of the more appealing aspects of Wilcos music to me. Sometimes I get it, sometimes i don't. Sometimes the music moves me one way and lyrics push me another. Bottom line, there is some very powerful music produced by Wilco (lyrically adn musically) and i think Company in My Back ranks pretty high up there is this reguard. But what is the song about? I honestly have no idea. Maybe some of you do.

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I always thought the chorus line was an ellusion to the whole YHF fiasco.

 

If you've read Jeffs poetry book, there are several poems in there that contain lyrics to future Wilco songs. Company In My Back is one of them.

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I always picture Kafka's The Metamorphosis ie. a cockroach carrying an egg case - a metaphor for the pressures of family, the listening public, band-mates, other responsibilities, etc etc. Not that I would claim that's what the song is about.

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Multinational corporations oppressing the poet, and/or an allegorical retelling of the band's split with Reprise.

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The tune is about migraines I think. He talks about puking and being forcibly slowed down. His body being taken over by an alien force (company in my back, steady rush). That's my guess.

 

spot on

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there's a bob edwards interview with jeff out there somewhere in which Jeff explains this song (and what a Cherry Ghost is). I'm sure Analogman can find it (he found it for me ages ago). the song is about a bee at a picnic that loves people and gets squished.

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I would love to read that interview. Thanks for the heads up. What is a cherry ghost, btw? This thread has seems to have raised more questions for me than it has answered. so it goes.

 

I always thought a newly born Ghost, as in a newly dead person.

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I always thought a newly born Ghost, as in a newly dead person.

 

that's what i thought, but according to Jeff (in the radio interview, no hardcopy) it is a sweet memory. there is a thread on here somewhere about it too. the bob edwards interview might be linked in that thread.

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