# Do Beck's songs actually have deep-seated meaning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198 "2004-08-10T14:38:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/1 "2004-08-10T14:38:59Z")
Funny thing. I enjoy Beck’s music, but I’ve yet to find one song in which I understood what the hell he was talking about. I’m speaking specifically of Beck’s hits, like “Loser,” “Devil’s Haircut,” “The New Pollution,” “Where It’s At,” et. al. Can somebody fill me in? Is Beck some misunderstood genius, or just an example of what hard drugs can do to a young mind? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/2 "2004-08-10T14:41:45Z")
Beck is more like an avante-garde artist. He loves wordplay and imagery. He comes from a family of avante-garde artists (his mom was big in Andy Warhol’s social circle, for instance). I think Beck just uses music as his ‘canvas’. Some songs have deep meaning (his album ‘Sea Change’, for example). Others are put together to evoke mood or imagery, and still others for rhythm and structure. Just my take on it. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/3 "2004-08-10T15:46:28Z")
I’m pretty sure Where It’s At was all about his garage sale. I understand he had a kick ass deal on two turntables and a microphone. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/4 "2004-08-10T16:07:36Z")
Beats me. I really like his music, too. I think its oddness is part of what draws me. ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/5 "2004-08-11T07:02:16Z")
Some of the ideas and concepts in his music might have come from being raised a Scientologist. I’m not familiar enough with his music to say for sure, but considering how emmersed in Scientology the followers of it tend to get I wouldn’t be surprised. He was quite close-lipped about that when he started out, but has since married another Scientologist and participated in public Scientology events. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/6 "2004-08-11T08:27:53Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > I’m pretty sure Where It’s At was all about his garage sale. I understand he had a kick ass deal on two turntables and a microphone. > > Marc He must have hit those garage sales a lot, after he lost his job as a leaf blower and the phone bills started piling up. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/7 "2004-08-11T11:38:38Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Funny thing. I enjoy Beck’s music, but I’ve yet to find one song in which I understood what the hell he was talking about. > > I’m speaking specifically of Beck’s hits, like “Loser,” “Devil’s Haircut,” “The New Pollution,” “Where It’s At,” et. al. > > Can somebody fill me in? Is Beck some misunderstood genius, or just an example of what hard drugs can do to a young mind? I think the earlier people get over thinking that any musician has anything interesting to say, the more they’ll enjoy the music. Like **Sam Stone** said, I think it’s primarily wordplay and imagery. Even a lot of Bob Dylan’s songs are pretty non-sensical when you get down to it. ---
**Author:** ![DVsickgirlDV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DVsickgirlDV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVsickgirlDV)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/8 "2004-08-12T02:15:59Z")
\This website \is full of amazing information about Beck’s songs. If you’re looking for some of his music that isn’t as cryptic, I highly recommend his latest album “Sea Change.” It’s the perfect post-breakup album. It’s the album you listen to when you want to feel sad and alone. ---
**Author:** ![DVsickgirlDV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DVsickgirlDV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVsickgirlDV)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/9 "2004-08-12T02:20:56Z")
Does anyone know why my hyperlink didn’t work? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-becks-songs-actually-have-deep-seated-meaning/259198/10 "2004-08-12T03:20:02Z")
> [@DVsickgirlDV](#): > > Does anyone know why my hyperlink didn’t work? The board uses vB code: [Fixed link.](http://www.whiskeyclone.net/ghost/)