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Cowboy Junkies — My Little Basquiat
Album: At The End Of Paths Taken
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 525









Released: 2007
Length: 3:41
Plays (last 30 days): 0
My little boy on the kitchen floor
(my little Basquiat)
Stick men fighting stick dinosaurs
(my little Basquiat)
Colours leaping all over the mat
(my little Basquiat)
The kitchen floor is where it's at
For my little Basquiat

One day
He'll be golden
Maybe chosen
Perhaps to lead
One day
He'll be shaken
Maybe taken
Perhaps to bleed

My big girl swinging from the bars
(my little Comăneci)
Fist of stone flying above the yard.
(my little Comăneci)
Halfway up is halfway down
(my little Comăneci)
Or maybe it's the other way around
For my little Comăneci



One day
She'll be moonlight
Maybe too bright
Perhaps, to shine
One day
She'll be found out
Maybe ground down
Perhaps she'll cry

My little girl on her mothers lap
(my little panchen lama)
Sucking on her fingers, surveying the roadmap
(my little panchen lama)
Seems to be the only one around
(my little panchen lama)
That sees the red lights at the end of town
(my little panchen lama)

One day
They'll be older
Maybe bolder
Perhaps, than me
One day
They'll be rising
Maybe living
Perhaps, in peace
Comments (73)add comment
Every parent sees/ feels and hope for the best. Then we know the world can hurt the young, innocent and hopeful.

We are each stage, each gender, each age, all at the same instant.

When we see the grandchildren arrive, we can watch our own children see that instant and feel their pain. Nobody need speak.

One instant ties all our bloodline and humanity together... 
 GarageDragon wrote:
Good heavens...  That guitar "solo" is aweful.  I don't even know what that was supposed to be.
 
"aweful"? or "awful"… a little different meaning implied.
Good heavens...  That guitar "solo" is aweful.  I don't even know what that was supposed to be.
I think the "little comaniche" on the lyrics page is a mistake. The "girl swinging from the bars" is probably a reference to Nadia Comăneci.
With regards to people calling this song 'pretentious'...


westslope wrote:
annie_fannie wrote:

It's a passive aggressive way of saying "if you like this song (or artist) you are pretentious because I don't like/understand this song (or artist)".

 

Agreed. 



 
Seconded.

And in shorter words, using the word pretentious means "It's too smart for me."

(I personally knew the Basquiat name only before hearing the song, but that was it. I googled him and became wiser.)

It is always such a thrill to hear this brilliant song...  love it...
 
 Hannio wrote:
Nice picture of an overhand knot, although I prefer the figure eight knot which is easier to undo, thus increasing its utility on board ship.  Abecedarians invariably gravitate to the overhand, however.
 
Did you notice the knot on the cover is in the form of a heart?


Everybody in my church loves this song...

 
Everytime I hear this tune, I rate it a bit higher.
Love the Junkies.
 annie_fannie wrote:

It's a passive aggressive way of saying "if you like this song (or artist) you are pretentious because I don't like/understand this song (or artist)".

 

Agreed.  

 

Nice song.


 Sasha2001 wrote:


Having pretention, or effecting an overly important sense of self is all too common an occurance with musicians/performers/artists/anyone. So I have to disagree. And I AM aware of the irony in my reply.

But it is very true that people throw this term around far too often without knowing what it means, to try and sound intelligent, or as a label used to discredit music they don't like/get.
 

And yet people get on to us who just say I think this song sucks, can't have it both ways or are we just supposed to fawn over the songs or be quiet? Works in China like that and America is on its way.{#Whistle}
Nice picture of an overhand knot, although I prefer the figure eight knot which is easier to undo, thus increasing its utility on board ship.  Abecedarians invariably gravitate to the overhand, however.
 annie_fannie wrote:

It's a passive aggressive way of saying "if you like this song (or artist) you are pretentious because I don't like/understand this song (or artist)".

 



Having pretention, or effecting an overly important sense of self is all too common an occurance with musicians/performers/artists/anyone. So I have to disagree. And I AM aware of the irony in my reply.

But it is very true that people throw this term around far too often without knowing what it means, to try and sound intelligent, or as a label used to discredit music they don't like/get.
 sdn wrote:
I have never understood what people mean when they say that a song (or artist) is "pretentious".
 

Yea, me neither, I just think her voice sucks.
Her voice is absolutely contraindicated to my auditory system.{#Stop}
 sdn wrote:
I have never understood what people mean when they say that a song (or artist) is "pretentious".
 
It's a passive aggressive way of saying "if you like this song (or artist) you are pretentious because I don't like/understand this song (or artist)".

I have never understood what people mean when they say that a song (or artist) is "pretentious".
Just turned on RP at the end of this one...  gf and me both thought that two different songs were playing from my laptop. Way to go CJs!
I very much like the CJs, but this particular song is a miss for me — agree that it's pretentious.
Love the lyrics.
Pretentious, artsy-fartsy, homage to Nico crap...hey, what's not to like?
 thewiseking wrote:
this is one godawful talentless amateurish act.
they got away with it for a while with their ironic ennui shtick, mocking rock and roll.
now it is they who is mocked.
 
Of course you are saying that with a funny operatic voice, right?  With a finger thrust into the air as you emphasize "they?"  I just love irony.

The simple quantity of CJs on RP leaves your argument gasping for relevance, WK.  Try harder next time.  

 thewiseking wrote:
this is one godawful talentless amateurish act.
they got away with it for a while with their ironic ennui shtick, mocking rock and roll.
now it is they who is mocked.
 

 thewiseking wrote:
this is one godawful talentless amateurish act.
they got away with it for a while with their ironic ennui shtick, mocking rock and roll.
now it is they who is mocked.
 
No no!

Now it is they who ARE mocked!

this is one godawful talentless amateurish act.
they got away with it for a while with their ironic ennui shtick, mocking rock and roll.
now it is they who is mocked.
 gvan wrote:

This song is like someone who name-drops just to sound smarter — a bit pretentious.



 
Since when did being well-read and educated become pretentious? I for one enjoy it when I learn something new from a song.


This song is like someone who name-drops just to sound smarter — a bit pretentious.

Daveinbawlmer wrote:
Correction,
aeknust wrote:
I'm confused... I agree that it does have a sinister feel, especially with the face-melting guitar sound, but from the lyrics, it sounds like she's singing about how proud she is of her children... Is that sinister?... This song has me puzzled. it seems all discombobulated.
I get the picture that she is aware of how special and open and gifted her children are but knows that such people have a harder path ahead of them, so she is speculating on how the world may come down on them -- maybe, maybe. It ends on a hopeful note, but I do love the darker sound of this song and the complexity of both the music and lyrics.
aeknust wrote:
I'm confused... I agree that it does have a sinister feel, especially with the face-melting guitar sound, but from the lyrics, it sounds like she's singing about how proud she is of her children... Is that sinister?... This song has me puzzled. it seems all discombobulated.
She's not singing about pride in her children; more like worrying about what they'll become. "One day he'll be shaken, maybe taken, Perhaps to bleed"
I have a 2 year old, and I'm already worried about what trouble she's going to get herself into. I like to think I'm a bit more optimistic than this song, but I know where Margo's coming from.

DoctorHooey wrote:
Very different, more sinister mood than most CJ I've heard - I like this alot!
I'm confused... I agree that it does have a sinister feel, especially with the face-melting guitar sound, but from the lyrics, it sounds like she's singing about how proud she is of her children... Is that sinister?... This song has me puzzled. it seems all discombobulated.
spraehbuer wrote:
dann sind wir uns ja einig
...definitiv! Still impressed by this song, it's growing on me.
"There was this little prince with a magic crown. An evil warlock kidnapped him, locked him in a cell in a huge tower and took away his voice. There was a window made of bars. The prince would smash his head against the bars hoping that someone would hear the sound and find him. The crown made the most beautiful sound that anyone ever heard. You could hear the ringing for miles. It was so beautiful, that people wanted to grab the air. They never found the prince. He never got out of the room. But the sound he made filled everything up with beauty." - Julian Schnabel from the movie Basquiat I like the sound of the crown against the bars in the background of this song. It's sweet and sad.
Nice - I had this song stuck in my head for the last 24 hours, was hoping to hear it here.
. . it has taken a while for me to get hooked on the junkies, but the more I hear the more I like, . . . and Margo, what can I say about Margo?!?!
lawman wrote:
Cor -- cool distorted guitar!
I saw them at a free concert in a park a few years ago. This dude on stage right was ripping off solos on a bass guitar, and it sounded just like the solo stuff in this song. Didn't really fit in with the mellow vibe of their set, but I loved it.
Cool... I've been singing this song all day, anyway. ;)
It is a good song. But It seems that I hear it a lot.
mabra70 wrote:
Jawohl!
dann sind wir uns ja einig
Cor -- cool distorted guitar!
Jawohl! prickelpit96 wrote:
da mag ich zustimmen.
EssexTex wrote:
Strange guitar like it belongs in another song
Reminded me immediately of the youtube classic "Steve Vai Shreds" but I like the song regardless
Excellent! Bill, you are SMOKING tonight!
junkman wrote:
didn't like Basquiat, the artist, but this song isn't too bad
ditto
Hmm, not so bad as to make me mute it, not so good as to keep me from going out and getting the mail. Guess that defines a 5.
Strange guitar like it belongs in another song
loversclub wrote:
das ist musik !!!
da mag ich zustimmen.
handyrae wrote:
It's funny, I really like the Cowboy Junkies in the doses we get from RP. But I suspect I wouldn't want to listen to a whole CD.
You probably do.
Yeah, freaking "mongoose" bumps! RobK wrote:
Not mongoosebumps?
das ist musik !!!
DoctorHooey wrote:
Very different, more sinister mood than most CJ I've heard - I like this alot!
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Very different, more sinister mood than most CJ I\'ve heard - I like this alot!
mongoose wrote:
I got freaking goosebumps.
Not mongoosebumps?
This one hooked me from the beginning, growing to really like CJ. Lyrical references of the children are brilliant - a street artist, a gymnist, and the Dali Llama's wingman...
first time I've heard this...very cool song.
I got freaking goosebumps.
rah wrote:
i like this band less and less.
Hear, hear.
I'm liking them more and more...
It's funny, I really like the Cowboy Junkies in the doses we get from RP. But I suspect I wouldn't want to listen to a whole CD.
i like this band less and less.
didn't like Basquiat, the artist, but this song isn't too bad
i like the title though.
Yuck
Fair