The sample at the beginning of the song is from a call-in show that Ram Dass hosted in the 90s. I edited Ram Dass's response to seem like he was nonplussed.
I don't put samples in songs much anymore, but at the time I was obsessed with a band called The Books who do it in all their songs - especially manipulating the samples so people say something different.
The fluttering at the beginning is the wind coming through my blinds in my old room at my mom's house.
I really love the way the bass line grooves with Russ's lyrics, which are in top form here. He had meant to write another section of the song instead of repeating the same lyrics, but he never got around to it.
I also like the way it trails into the rock-out ending - very reminiscent of our old King Tut stuff. I think we meant to put some more instruments over the build up (it's a little sparse).
lyrics
Radio Caller: Whatever I do, no matter how close I get to anything, I can't lose my ego. I'm always aware of it standing there, and I'm always aware of how impure I am!
Ram Dass: Right, okay...uh...hello?
I can't believe it when you talk,
and the hangman's pushin',
yeah, the hangman's pushin,
and all my thoughts becomin' chalk
in a star-struck baby-bloomin'
star-struck baby-bloomin'.
Starvin' for lack of separation
in the cosmic candelabra
backbreak danse macabre.
Glidin' across a secret nation,
in the shook-star orca-flop
mystic mountaintop.
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