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potato junkie…solved!

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Started by tony montana in General Therapy? Topics

hello again. this is tony montana. i had to re-register since the password never seems to get sent to my e-mail.
anyway, i recently asked a question about the lyrics in ‘potato junkie.’ i have used the kind insights of those who responded, together with what i myself think, to come up with the following theory about the song:
‘potato junkie’ is in fact a song about closed-mindedness in ireland, basically saying ‘there’s much more in the world than just ireland and its stupid history.’

1. ‘james joyce is fucking my sister.’ joyce was probably the most famous and important irishman in history (certainly in literary history). that joyce is fucking your sister is a huge insult: the insult of the past getting too personally involved with the present.

2. ‘how can i remember 1690? i was born in 1965.’ again, same sort of thing. irish history creeping into circles where it doesn’t really belong. 1690 has no real effect on present-day irish life, yet the orange order slogan still persists.

3. ‘this business is pointless, to think that green’s the only colour on the atlas.’ read: ‘there’s more countries than just ireland in the world.’ (ireland being green, get it? of course you do.)

4. title—‘potato junkie.’ potatoes also are an important part of ireland’s history (potato famine). a potato junkie, then, might be someone who dwells on irish history. the song seems to say ‘fuck you’ to these people: ‘i can see you, i can read you, but i won’t BE you.’

rock on andy cairns. he’s no bono, but he’s got some politics in him after all. let me know what you think.
laters

Posted on Thu, 7 February 2002 at 23:31

You’re viewing replies 1–30 of 34 by 18 people

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#1

Shra-Mee wrote:

Hmm, I think T? have left this politically level over the years…
…and that’s ok. I mean, I don’t need another Bono. I also don’t believe in a political influence of bands. Rock music should be emotional driven (even though, I really love songs like Potato Junkie and of course Disgracelands). But nevertheless, this is just my personal opinion.

Posted on Fri, 8 February 2002 at 08:37

#2

Alex wrote:

My take on ‘James Joyce is fucking my sister’ was more along the lines of either fucking with her head (i.e. thru his writings), or the sister letting James Joyce enter her (in the lyrics, penetration, between the lines, again, her head) with his writings. It’s not making love, it sounds like mindless sex, and she’s letting James Joyce do what he will to her and she’s happy with that — James Joyce has brain-washed her, perhaps…?

Posted on Fri, 8 February 2002 at 10:19

#3

say10 wrote:

I don’t know if Andy has a sister, but if I was his sister, I would ignore the deeper meaning behind the song and kill him!

Posted on Fri, 8 February 2002 at 11:01

#4

IvanJ wrote:

Title: The meaning of Potato Junkie?! (merged)

Well, I never understood what Andy tried to say with this song.

I always loved the rhythm of this song, but personally, with all respect I have to the T? boys and girls, I find the chorus little offensive. I know it’s a tongue in cheek thing, but does it have any point, really?

Is it like “JJ is screwing up/poisoning my sisters brain”? Kind of brainwashing thing, translated into “fucking”. Or…?

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 11:24

#5

andys gibson sg (James Harris) wrote:

Another lyric that catches me like that is:
“somebody please get me outta this K-Hole”.

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 11:58

#6

Divers (Simon) wrote:

A k-hole is when you take way to much Ketamine, it’s a state where you are awake but you phyiscally can’t move… not much fun.

Don’t know if that is any help to you?

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 12:07

#7

Viirkokka wrote:

andys gibson sg wrote:

Another lyric that catches me like that is:
“somebody please get me outta this K-Hole”.

I dont understand what catches you about it? :S

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 14:12

#8

Viirkokka wrote:

I had thought about this before and came to the same assumptions the initial poster did on the following:

“2. ‘how can i remember 1690? i was born in 1965.’ again, same sort of thing. irish history creeping into circles where it doesn’t really belong. 1690 has no real effect on present-day irish life, yet the orange order slogan still persists.

3. ‘this business is pointless, to think that green’s the only colour on the atlas.’ read: ‘there’s more countries than just ireland in the world.’ (ireland being green, get it? of course you do.)

4. title—‘potato junkie.’ potatoes also are an important part of ireland’s history (potato famine). a potato junkie, then, might be someone who dwells on irish history. the song seems to say ‘fuck you’ to these people: ‘i can see you, i can read you, but i won’t BE you.’”

Though, the “James Joyce is fucking my sister” I interpret it more as; Since you would be learning about James Joyce and his poems in school; it’s fucking with your mind, your head… learning these poems over and over that seem quite unimportant when you’re in school.

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 14:14

#9

Pip (Philip Kelly) wrote:

andys gibson sg wrote:

Another lyric that catches me like that is:
“somebody please get me outta this K-Hole”.

You reminded me off when I first heard that song I thought that line was “somebody please get me outta this Gay-Hole” :rolleyes:

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 15:17

#10

andys gibson sg (James Harris) wrote:

Viirkokka wrote:

I dont understand what catches you about it? :S

I guess its the repetative line, simular to how james joyce is sung.

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 16:50

#11

badmother wrote:

guys you have got this all wrong you need to listen to this song more clearly.if you dont understand read his books that will surely fuck up your mind your reading too much into it :D

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 22:03

#12

Charlie wrote:

Pip wrote:

You reminded me off when I first heard that song I thought that line was “somebody please get me outta this Gay-Hole” :rolleyes:

I thought it was hell or jail :p

Posted on Fri, 20 April 2007 at 22:29

#13

Theng wrote:

k-hole might refer to Ketamine: a horse tranq that some people use as party drugs. If your high on ketamine you’r in a k-hole. That’s how I interpreted it.

Posted on Sat, 21 April 2007 at 13:36

#14

badmother wrote:

what is this about potato junkie or hes not kind of girl make up your mind please

Posted on Sat, 21 April 2007 at 22:46

#15

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

I’m going to ask a stupid question so please bear with me (as you normally do): Where does the snipet at the end of potato junkie come from (the bit where the young girl & the bloke are talking)?

Posted on Thu, 24 May 2007 at 19:56

#16

30 secs max wrote:

Theng wrote:

k-hole might refer to Ketamine: a horse tranq that some people use as party drugs. If your high on ketamine you’r in a k-hole. That’s how I interpreted it.

i took ketamine once, many years ago. i dunno about k-hole, but i was certainly arse-holed. horrable stuff.

Posted on Thu, 24 May 2007 at 20:07

#17

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

why did you take it?

Posted on Thu, 24 May 2007 at 20:14

#18

buffalo-boy wrote:

I’m glad all this has been cleared up! Personally i don’t care bout the lyrics and just like rocking out to a great song… but then i was a Manics fan! :p

Posted on Fri, 25 May 2007 at 12:40

#19

Alan wrote:

The Auto Surgeon wrote:

I’m going to ask a stupid question so please bear with me (as you normally do): Where does the snipet at the end of potato junkie come from (the bit where the young girl & the bloke are talking)?

From an old 60’s movie called “If”, I believe.

Posted on Fri, 25 May 2007 at 13:14

#20

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

Cheers for that Alan.

Posted on Sat, 26 May 2007 at 12:28

#21

30 secs max wrote:

The Auto Surgeon wrote:

why did you take it?

young and stupid AS, now im old an stupid :(

Posted on Sat, 26 May 2007 at 19:10

#22

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

Hey watch it sunshine - your younger than me & the right side of 30, so don’t give me all that old tosh!

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 08:46

#23

30 secs max wrote:

sorry grandpa. :D

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 16:29

#24

30 secs max wrote:

can i please have another werthers origional mr AS? ;)

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 17:38

#25

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

Werthers Bloody Original?? - cheeky sod!

as your the littlest hobo (according to your tag, at the moment) - haven’t you heard that voice in your head yet? You know the one that keeps on calling you, so down the road you’ll always be?!?!

I suggest you get a move on!! :p

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:18

#26

30 secs max wrote:

“and every stop i make, i make a new friend” god i love that song. :D :D

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:30

#27

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

It’s good, but when a bank uses it then it loses a bit of credibility with me.

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:32

#28

30 secs max wrote:

do you know who does that song AS?

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:37

#29

The Auto Surgeon (Mark) wrote:

Try this address

http://www.cfhf.net/lyrics/littlest.htm

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:46

#30

30 secs max wrote:

thanks for that. cracking lyrics.

Posted on Sun, 27 May 2007 at 20:50

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