FLUID REVEALED by Aaron Taylor

     When I first listened to Fluid, I was a Mike Knott fan but only had a few other albums.  I didn't really give Fluid a chance at first.  I listened a few times, but didn't pay attention to the story that was inside.  One night after a concert with Five O'clock People, I had the opportunity to hang out with Mike and a few members of Five O'clock People.  Somehow the Fluid album came up and Mike ended up explaining the entire c.d. to us.  He read each song like a poem and told us what each line meant and why he wrote it.  I was amazed, songs that I had heard before, but never realized how much depth and meaning was attached to each word.  It meant so much more to me to know why the album was written.  I decided then and there to write a "guidebook" to the album, for anyone else who may not have realized the amazing songwriting contained in the album.                                 

     This is the second "rock opera" Mike has written, the first being Grape Prophet and the third being Dogfish Jones.  There is so much more to these lyrics that are easily missed if not given the proper attention.   Some of the things "revealed" may be very obvious, for those I apologize, but other things may take you by surprise.  You may disagree with the philosophy described - this album could be the basis for many theological arguments - but remember, this is solely Mike Knott's view on these issues.
     First things first, the titles of the songs actually form a sentence if read the right way.  Crash cool over stars, drive tonight away, somewhere through the sky. The song "Crash" is the opening song and sets the scene for the story.  Mike's friend, roommate, and longtime bass player Brian Doidge had many tumultuous relationships, which were the inspirations for such songs as "Tattoo" and "Sugar Mama".  The girl in this story is named Jenny Mae, she is fictitious, yet based on one of the crazy girls in Brian's wild relationships.  While writing this album, one of Mike's friends was involved in astrology, reading of the stars, and out of body experiences.  This part of the story comes to play during the song "Stars."  There are many characters in the story, all using different songs to say their piece.  Jenny Mae, Brian, God, the devil, and the doctor and the narrator, a.k.a. the author. So, after many hours with Mike, making sure my notes were correct, here it is:

CRASH

My good friend had a girlfriend

She was a crazy thing

She'd be so nice at first and then she'd change

One night she started kickin'

She started swingin' too

Before she stole his car, he was black and blue

We stood there staring as she raced away,

His Fleetwood never looked the same after that day

 

Crash Cadillac

It made her feel good to get the boy back...crash Cadillac

 

We went out searching for that slick sick thing

She must have been high, stoned, drunk or something,

Cause over the hill, near the railroad tracks,

She was dancing all bloody on a pile of trash

 

She said I'm gonna die

Wont you kiss me once more,

But I'll never be sorry about your '64

Crash starts with the argument between Brian and Jenny Mae, also describing her fickle nature.  (Brian is breaking up with her) As the argument escalates tempers flare and it turns violent.  She becomes physical and hit Brian before stealing his 1964 Cadillac Fleetwood.

After taking this revenge, Jenny, who may have been drunk or on drugs and mentally unstable, wrecks the Cadillac, is thrown from the car and lies bleeding on a pile of trash.

 

When Mike and Brian find her she is bleeding badly but still alive.  She thinks she is going to die and wants one last kiss from Brian, yet states she is not sorry about what she's done to his car.  She knew she was going to wreck and possibly die, yet acknowledges a satisfaction for trashing his vintage car.

Mike and Brian don't care about the car, they are just worried about getting her to a hospital.

 

COOL

Kiss me once before I die

This gaping hole has made a pool

I know I promised I'd never leave,

It feels so cold when you break the rules

 

Cool

 

Dear God could you be my friend?

I know I never talk too much to you

Find a way to drip me in?

I promise that I'll stay calm...and cool

Jenny Mae is still alive after the wreck, and "Cool" picks up where "Crash" left off.  She has been hurt badly, death is near and she knows she has done wrong.

"drip me in" is referring to the title of the album "Fluid"

which refers to all the fluids that make up this life on earth, blood, sweat, tears, sweat, drool, yearning etc.

When you squeeze the rag of life you get fluid.  

She pleads with God to be with her, admitting that she has never really needed him before.

She promises to stay "calm...and cool."

 

OVER

What's this on my fencing?

There are no second chances

She's failed in understanding she's done it good.

What's this on my trenches?

There is no intercession,

Get your hands in heaven off of my goods

 

Good seed sower, send Jenny on over,

You don't even know her

I swear that she's mine

 

You've made your righteous impression

Now send her into prison

She loves my indecision, but she chose death over life

Hey Mr. Goodboys, she's my human bloodtoy

I'll be hearing her scream noise

I'll make her my wife

 This song is the devil speaking.  He realizes that Jenny is on the "fence" between heaven and hell and could go either way, so the battle between good and evil begins.

 

 Satan acknowledges that God is in control and boasts of a claim to her soul.

  

 

Satan tells God, "Good seed sower", to leave Jenny alone because she is now his.

 

 

Satan's "indecision" is death.

He says that God had his chance but now because of the choices she made she must become his "human bloodtoy."   Satan is mocking and bragging now.  Even though he knows he will ultimately lose in the end.

 

STARS

Jenny Mae had a chance to receive your so called love in the seventh grade,

She said she'd wait

Jenny May heard you again,

But it was me as the Cosmic Christ of this Aquarius Age,

Here to seal her fate

 

Jenny Mae said the stars all know my name.

And she's the one to blame,

Blame Jenny Mae

 

Jenny Mae used to close her eyes

And they'd shake like a quake as her spirit moved about

She just loved getting out

 

Jenny Mae found the goddess within,

Had a jewel set up high in the sky

Like a fountain,

And on it she did count

Jenny Mae is my little yen, send her in

She's got nothing to say and she must pay

 Satan is still talking in this song, mocking God, describing Jenny's choices throughout the years, including saying no to God in the 7th grade.  She thought she had found god when she became involved in the new age astrology movement.  But it was Satan leading her astray through the astrology. 

 

 He says all the blame lies with Jenny.

 

  

 

 

Also described here is the out of body experiences Jenny would have.  Jenny believed her soul was saved and counted on heaven to be in the stars that she worshipped.

 

 

 

 "my little yen" refers to the yen & yang, used in New Age and Eastern religions.

 She has turned from God and now she must pay.

 

DRIVE

 

Drive

Mike Knott said this song could refer to either the EMT's riding in the back of the ambulance with Jenny or the ambulance driver.  The songs pulsing, racing beat urges the "drive" to the hospital.

 

TONIGHT

Jesus wont you take me in your arms tonight,

Jesus won't you save me from harm tonight?

I didn't know,

I didn't know which road was wrong,

Which road was right

 

Jesus wont you save me from this blaming voice tonight,

Jesus wont you forgive me of my losing choice tonight?

Did I know, did I know

Which road was wrong, which road was right?

Did I know which road?

 Jenny is speaking again, asking God to take her away and keep her safe tonight.

 

She admits she didn't know wrong from right, she hears satan trying to blame her for her choices.

 

 Jenny realizes that she did know wrong from right and then asks forgiveness for her "losing choice"

 

 

  At this point in the story Jenny is saved.

AWAY

Been a physician fourteen years now,

I've seen the comatose and mental clouds

Just where she is I couldn't say,

What's wrong with the kids today?

 

They throw it all away

 

She's still beautiful I sure can tell,

She's too young for me its just as well

I hope she has enough to pay,

What's wrong with the kids today?

The doctor at the hospital visits Jenny, and comments on how much experience he has had with comas and death. 

"mental clouds" again refers to the fact that Jenny may have been mentally ill.


The doctor doesn't know about the struggle for Jenny's soul, all he sees is the wrecked body, seemingly for nothing. 

He has seen it so much and still can't understand why the kids "throw it all away"

He takes pity because she is beautiful and her life is wasted as far as he can tell.

 

SOMEWHERE

Somewhere she seems lost in time,

Somehow she has lost her mind

I'd cry for her but I don't care,

Maybe I do deep down somewhere

I told her it was over,

I told her it could never be,

She just laughed in an open stare,

I fear that she got lost out there

 

I wonder if she'll feel the weight of decay

 

I've heard it once I think a million times

You don't know what you got till its gone

Sometimes life just isn't fair,

Sometimes with death you have to share

Good God is there a miracle?

I've heard from You and all I know,

The whole of my heart is a tear,

I don't deserve her life to be spared

 Once again Brian is speaking/thinking, wondering where she is and if she is "lost out there"

 Jenny Mae is still in a coma, Brian wonders if she will be going to heaven or hell (the weight of decay)

 

To him she seems "lost in time", he wants to feel sorry for her, but just can't find it in his heart to cry for her.

 

 

 "I don't deserve her life to be spared" Brian realizes that he hasn't been a good example of Gods love to Jenny.

When people die you have to "share" with death.

 Brian knows that he messed up with Jenny, he did love her, and doesn't want to lose her, but he is just as confused as she is.  He wonders what impact he did make on her.

 

THRU

She took a Cadillac to the railroad track,

She drove crazy fast as her life moved past

Everything she did before moved in her eyes so she'd be sure to get what she deserved

She started begging in her words

She said "Jesus I know your true,"

She said "Jesus come take me thru."

 

She called out loud in a coma state

Death was near,

The stakes were great

She ate too much of her own words

And lived reckless as a crazy bird

When it flies into a clear window,

Smash it goes

Everyone know what it did and what it wanted to,

Is there any way to get on thru?

 This song gives us a flashback to what happened right before Jenny wrecked, as told by the narrator.  As she was about to wreck her whole life flashed before her eyes.  All the bad things she had done, she realizes she will get what she deserves.


So she begs Jesus to "take me thru" and also acknowledges Jesus as the One true God.

 Death is now near for Jenny, the analogy of the bird that hits a window is clear.  Jenny wanted to live right and fly straight, but there was no way to see what would happen and when death would come.

 Because of this, is there still a way for Jenny to get to heaven, for her to "get on thru?"

 The last two lines ask the question, is there still a way to heaven after a suicide attempt?

Mike says this is the most disturbing line in the whole album

  

THE SKY

Go get that little thing,

Go get that little kid

I wanna take her high

So she'll see what its like,

What its like

Forgive the spilling anger,

Forgive with all I did, I heard her try

Go get that little thing,

Go get that little kid,

I wanna take her high

 

She's kissing the sky, goodbye, no more air

 

Time to bring it round,

Time to bring it here

Fly while she can

Where in I see all that she can make it,

One more time bring it round

Satan caught she's lost,

Now she's found

 God is speaking now (to angels or saints) telling them that it is time to bring Jenny home to heaven, he wants to "take her high".

He forgives her anger and rejection of Him, because she did try and acknowledged Him as God.

 "with all I did" refers to Christ dying on the cross to save us.

 Jenny is now on her way to heaven, she is "kissing the sky, goodbye, no more air"

"no more air" means she is done here with this earth, and she is passing into the presence of God.

 This last section is the narrator wrapping up the story for us in a conclusion.  "Fly while she can" refers to God letting her understand that she asked for forgiveness and it was given as a free gift.   These last seven words show how simple the gift of salvation is.  Three easy step, Satan tried to catch her but failed, she cried out to God, and "now she's found" in heaven.

If you have any comments or questions, please email Aaron: fms913@hotmail.com


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