Enchanted Thoughtfist
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| "Enchanted Thoughtfist" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Album cover for Never Breathe What You Can't See | ||
| Album track by Jello Biafra and The Melvins | ||
| from the album Never Breathe What You Can't See | ||
| Released | October 19, 2004 | |
| Recorded | 2004 | |
| Genre | Punk/Heavy metal | |
| Length | 3:14 | |
| Label | Alternative Tentacles | |
| Producer(s) | Toshi Kasai | |
"Enchanted Thoughtfist" is a song by Jello Biafra and The Melvins. The original recording appears on their first collaboration together, the studio album Never Breathe What You Can't See, and was composed by Biafra and Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne.
The lyrics of "Enchanted Thoughtfist" are the most personal song lyrics Biafra has ever composed; in them, Biafra reflects on his upbringing and inspirations, declaring himself to be "a product of the television age" ("Zoom in on what's important/Get the point right away"), and admitting that he reads more fanzines and reviews than he does books (a surprising admission given Biafra's successful second career as a lecturer).
In the song's second verse, Biafra relates an undated incident when he met and hung out with legendary poet Allen Ginsberg in the latter's apartment. According to the song lyrics, Ginsberg had asked Biafra what his literary background was. Biafra, almost embarrassed, confessed that his literary background was primarily cartoons and song lyrics. Ginsberg then assured Biafra that there was nothing wrong with that, to Biafra's "sort of" relief.
The song's chorus relates two mantras Biafra has frequently referenced in his lectures (and subsequently, his spoken word releases deriving from same: "People believe what they want to believe", and "Don't just question authority/Question everything." On the second chorus, Biafra alters the second couplet, changing it to "Don't just question authority/Don't forget to question me."
The song's closing lyrics reflect Biafra's usual response to fans who often tell him upon meeting him that his work "changed their life": "Now it's your turn."
The song also appears, in a remix produced by Biafra's Lard collaborator Al Jourgensen, on the second Biafra/Melvins release Sieg Howdy.
