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Summary

The web content discusses the song "Sincerity beats Absurdity to Death" by Ezra Furman, exploring its themes of sincerity, absurdity, and science fiction, and comparing it to other great sci-fi rock songs.

Abstract

The article delves into the narrative and thematic elements of Ezra Furman's song "Sincerity beats Absurdity to Death," highlighting its sincere commitment to an absurd and fantastical storyline involving characters with chemical burns and wings, reminiscent of a satanic and angelic love story. It draws parallels to classic rock and roll tropes while infusing them with a science fiction twist, suggesting that the song represents a genre-blending achievement in rock music. The piece also situates the song within the broader context of great science fiction songs, comparing it to works by artists like Janelle Monáe and David Bowie, and emphasizes the importance of sincerity in storytelling, even when the narrative is outlandish.

Opinions

  • The author believes that Ezra Furman's song is a standout example of science fiction rock and roll, possibly the greatest in the genre.
  • The article suggests that the future's influence on the present, a common science fiction theme, is vividly captured in the song's lyrics and narrative.
  • There is an opinion that the protagonist's transformation in the song symbolizes a desire to break free from societal constraints, which is a sentiment that resonates with the audience.
  • The author asserts that the song's sincerity, despite its absurdity, is what makes it compelling and relatable, drawing a comparison to the doomed love story of Romeo and Juliet.
  • The piece posits that great science fiction songs are those that successfully integrate futuristic themes into their lyrics, as opposed to merely using science fiction as a visual aesthetic in music videos.
  • It is implied that the ordering of the list of great science fiction songs is subjective and open to interpretation by the listener.
  • The author hints at a personal preference for the live performance of the song over the album version, indicating a nuanced appreciation for the artist's work.

Sincerity beats Absurdity to Death

Sometimes you’re so damn sincere you just have to destroy everything you see!

One of my favorite songs

I prefer this performance to the album one but both are pretty great. Now this song is both to my taste and, I believe, a great song.

What makes it so great — well, aside from a number of aural touches that I will neglect to make this point, it is absolutely sincere and committed to a story that is really absurd and crazy!

Crazy? Well, let’s read the lyrics (note — not exactly the same as the performance above but close enough):

I woke up bleeding in the crock of a tree TV blaring on the wall above the coffee machine Car wash waiting room outside Pasadena I’m sitting waiting for my deus ex machina

(pretty sure the performance above is “in the crotch of a tree” and “waiting for my daily sex machine -uh” which are both approved by me)

And I’m forever changed by this chemical burn Skin on my fingers peeling, making way for my new form I grip the steering wheel and picture my angel Climbing out the hospital window Leaving tubes in a tangle

(so this guy has some sort of chemical burns and his skin is peeling away to reveal a new form of some sort, and he is waiting for his ‘angel’, you know, his other half as it were)

Blood on my angel’s lips blends in with his make up He’s off the premises before his brain’s had time to wake up Peeling off bandages to unfold his wings The doctors said they’d have to stay on for another three weeks Fuck it baby, let ’em bruise, let ’em break But bleed, let ’em bleed

(so this angel actually has wings, like maybe surgically attached?)

And I’m doing ninety, got to get there and hold him If we can make it across the state line then baby, we’re golden Let the law pronounce its’ petty assertions They’ve been outsmarted by a couple of urchins And they hurt you bad, man They hurt me too But I’m not about to sit here and watch as they Suck the blood from my wound They suck the blood from my wound Suck the blood from my wound Suck the blood from my wound Ohh man

Wrap half the money in your hospital garment We’ll stash the rest inside the red Camaro’s secret compartment Even the deepest wounds will heal over time I’ll run my fingers over your scars and yours over mine They’ll never find us if we turn off our phones We’re off the grid, we’re off our meds We’re finally out on our own Now I see color coming back in your cheeks Angel, don’t fight it To them you know we’ll always be freaks To them we’ll always be freaks We’ll always

Park for the night north west of Baton Rouge Across the parking lot you’re stretching the one wing you can move I let you walk as long as fear will allow I never loved you more than I love you now And then we’re back on the road before the sun’s even up We’re making time, we’re making progress But progress towards what? Your fallen feathers fill up two shopping bags The future’s breathing down the neck of the past And the sun throws a shit-eating shine on the moon And I’m not about to wait for them to come Suck the blood from my wound Suck the blood from my wound Suck the blood from my wound Suck the blood from my wound A plague on both your houses A plague on both your houses

(angel is molting, huh, not something you see every day)

So this is one of the great Sci-Fi songs, and yeah The future’s breathing down the neck of the past is probably the whole point. As we move into this future where technology enables us to be what we want there are people who will want to be angels, and uh let’s see chemical burn — I’m thinking our protagonist has decided to be changed into a Satan? (I unfortunately could not find a compelling picture for this)

Satan + Angel ♡ forever!

It is not exactly a match unknown to pop culture, nor a match to be taken seriously by that culture

It’s ridiculous because it can’t happen yet, and Furman committing to it completely, in the first-person narrative of the most doomed love story ever — beating out Romeo and Juliet even (A plague on both their houses) — is what sells it as totally possible, as if it is happening now. Which metaphorically it is.

‘In the official video for another song “Driving Down to L.A”, Furman (whose pronouns are she/her and they/them) is driving down to L.A with her boyfriend in the car. As you can see in the video he has wings. A transgender woman is driving to L.A. with her boyfriend and is attacked by neo-nazis, a story for today.

A Satan and Angel are escaping off the grid to go on a road trip through the America of the genetically fantastic future, a story for tomorrow.

Those Aural Touches I talked about

One of the great things about this song is of course that it is totally a Bruce Springsteen song as done by the Damned.

The Sax, the road trip, the escaping from a confining normal life — Bruce Springsteen — Badlands

And maybe also a touch of The Promised Land in the sheer romanticism

The Speed, the desire to destroy everything holding them back:

The Damned — Neat, Neat, Neat

And Smash it Up!

And maybe also A New Rose for the sheer romanticism

Great Sci-fi songs

So sure Ezra Furman may have written the greatest Science Fiction Rock and Roll song ever, but of course as I like to say once you get to the top there is no greatest, there are a number of greats up there orbiting each other, individual but informing each other through that individuality.

There have always been great science fiction songs, based on the idea that the future is already here just not evenly distributed yet, and rock stars were the ones with enough money and drugs to get early access.

Obviously a lot of videos make use of science fiction tropes, and there are stars like Janelle Monae whose albums and probably whole life are generally Science fiction in conception, but for a science fiction song I mean one in which the subject matter and lyrics are unequivocally Science Fiction in nature, thus Tightrope while having a Science Fiction themed video and being part of a Science Fiction Album musically and lyrically fits better into the tradition of Soul Music about cool dances the singer just made up. So Tightrope, albeit a great song, is not a great Science Fiction song

So with that bit of definition here are some great sci-fi songs — argue about the order amongst yourselves.

This is the part where I wrap this whole thing up neatly, but the future is a mess, and I’m doing my best to evenly distribute that shit around — so bye.

This article was mainly written by IG Agent 19, who obviously left in a hurry, with a little critical input from IG Agent 13.

The above list is in the correct order for the nTH dimensional league of burnbabelists, but probably warped in every other reality. Order it as you see fit.

Music
Science Fiction
Afrofuturism
Punk Rock
Ezra Furman
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