Violent Femmes
Hallowed Ground

Release Date: 1985 | Tracklist

Yes Mr Gano, nice to see you again! Please come in and take a seat on the couch. Now, in your first consultation you sang about your mother and how you would like to, err, copulate with her. Indeed I believe you expressed similar, err, keen interest in other female members of your family. As we discussed, there is a line to be drawn in the sand and perhaps regrettably we crossed it on that occasion.

"Well, I'm a thinkin and thinkin, till there's nothin I ain't thunk. Breathing in the stink, till finally I stunk.
It was at that time, I swear I lost my mind. I started making plans to kill my own kind." (Country Death Song)

Now Mr Gano, these are exactly the type of sentiments we need not dwell on. But I must commend you on your adoption of a country and western style, it serves somehow to magnify your hysteria.

"I hear the rain. I hear the rain. I hear the rain. Got to kill the pain.
I hear the rain. I hear the rain. I hear the rain. Got to kill the pain." (I Hear The Rain)

Ah much better! May I compliment you on the hybrid fusion of gospel and folk that informs this song? And yes, indeed, I believe there may be a spot of rain in the air.

"Sink down, sink down, sink down, down, down to the bottom of the river.
Sink down, sink, sink down down. down, down, to the bottom of the river, sink down sink.
Sink down, down. Down, down to the bottom of the river.
SINK DOWN, SINK, SINK DOWN DOWN. DOWN, DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER." (Never Tell)

Mr Gano, I must ask you to desist. There are flecks of your spittle splattering my spectacles. But you do reveal here the beneficial influences of punk: testorone-fuelled aggression stripped of all superfluousness.

"Jesus walkin on the water. Sweet Jesus walkin in the sky.
Sinking sand, took my hand, raised me up and brought me up." (Jesus Walking On The Water)

As a psychiatrist and a man of science, I cannot in all truth advocate your theological stance. But if it provides you with some kind of moral framework to help live your life as a respectable citizen, who am I to judge?

"I know it's true but i'm sorry to say I just can't handle things this way.
I know its late but i'd like to stay a while and see you smile." (I Know It's True But I'm Sorry To Say)

Ah lovely Gordon. May I call you Gordon, Gordon?

"Everyone's tryin to decide where to go when there's no place to hide. I follow the bombs as they're comin down. This must have been ... hallowed ground ... Ooooooo ooo ooo ooooo ooo oo o o " (Hallowed Ground)

Your demented religious fervour puts me in mind of Jim Morrison on speed. What a cacophony of sound! How apt for a song about a nuclear holocaust, with the rythmn section swinging short, sharp punches, like going four minutes in a boxing ring. Oh Gordon, I'm flooded with endomorphins!

"Could i buy you a dress or something? Could I buy you some jewellery or something?
Would you go out with me or something? Would you sleep with me or something?" (Sweet Misery Blues)

Despite your idiosyncracies, you still retain a certain charm you know Gordon.

"I dig the black girls, oh so much more than the white girls. I was so pleased to learn they were faster." (Black Girls)

I would advise caution with such empirical generalisations Mr Gano. I'm sure both types of, err, ladies have their, err, virtues. But I confess my own sample size in this field is regrettably limited.

"I dig the white boys, oh so much more that the black boys. So pleased to learn they're not smarter.
Oh, oh, oh, give it to me harder." (Black Girls)

I don't think it is efficacious to proceed in this vein Mr Gano.

"It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain, I said it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain. Yes, it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain. I'm so happy to say it's gonna rain, oh it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain on the world today. Fourty days and fourty nights, it's gonna rain. Fourty days and fourty nights, it's gonna rain. Halleluyah it's gonna rain." (It's Gonna Rain)

Yes, there are certainly some dark clouds around. Well we seem to have come to the end of our consultation. It's been err ... interesting.

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