January 21, 2009
Author's Response:
Thanks, man! I could talk interpretation all day. I like your theory that the beginning is supposed to be tentatively scary. I hadn't really considered that. The opening of the song always struck me as kind of surreal and suave. But maybe that's the same thing... My feeling is that the song gets stranger as it goes on rather than starting strange and becoming normal. The idea that this Skullivan, who is clearly a deranged character, is doing decidedly mundane things is what's most disturbing to me. He's screaming and howling almost unintelligibly, but it's about Tootsie and the video store (which is actually on fire when he gets there, if you'll notice).
But there's no right answer. There really is no explanation for this song, which fit nicely with my habit of leaving things up for interpretation. I think the oddness of this song, which was in large part the genesis of these two characters, had a lot to do with forming their impregnable personalities. Ah.. but uh.. you didn't ask about that... I tend to talk too much.
