Instead of derailing the Repeating Songs thread to babble about Spencer Krug’s songwriting, I’ll start a new one. For those who aren’t entirely sure who Spencer Krug is, he is a Canadian musician and songwriter best known for work with Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown and Swan Lake.
I’m struck by Krug’s constant use of fire and water as themes. Sometimes they are intertwined:
“All Fires” (done as a member of Swan Lake, off the album Beast Moans)
Lyrics
Other times there is the obsession with fire:
“I’ll Believe in Anything” (done with Wolf Parade, off the album Apologies to the Queen Mary; earlier versions appear on Sunset Rubdown’s Snakes Got a Leg and elsewhere)
Lyrics
It’s interesting to note that some sites list the lyric as “if I could get the fire out from the water,” but a good listen to the both the WP album and (esp.) the SGaL version support the “fire out from the wire” read.
“They Took a Vote and Said No” (done with Sunset Rubdown, off Shut Up I Am Dreaming)
Lyrics
OK, so fire good. Fire burns to live, etc., etc. However, there’s an equal fascination with water. Entire songs are taken up with water, like “Swimming” (w/Sunset Rubdown) and “Are you Swimming in Her Pools?” (w/Swan Lake). It is important to other songs as well:
“Shut Up I am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings” (w/Sunset Rubdown)
Lyrics
Water…bad? Eh, I’m not sure. I’m also not sure if there’s any greater meaning to this pattern. I like that it provides a sense of coherence to his songs, and I don’t think that it gets repetitive or lazy.
So, Krug fans, which songs are your favorites? How do you read his favorite themes (fire water…SNAKES!)?