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Beck — Dark Star
Album: The Information
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1785









Released: 2006
Length: 3:41
Plays (last 30 days): 2
One, two
One, two

Disappointment condition
A perfunctory prescription
Of an indigent mindset
A belligerent silence

We got all we need
Turning out of a tin can
Thinking about the remend
Of the social hurt

Listen to the noise
On the battery tape deck
A Judas trainwreck
Anonymous suspect

Hovering in carbon monoxide cremations
Loners waste away inside
Of vacant locations

Think tank's empty
International dream bank
Plug in my reactor
To the fallout zone

The enemies' story
Is a lot like mine
And if you get to the point
Then you are better than I

Dark star
Vacant eyelids closing
Cities grew themselves
From a sky lit terrain

Autopilot drivers
Riding out on the ice age
Infidels swallowed
In a vanishing point

Ammunition souls shooting
Holes in the ozone
Widows tears
Washing a soldier's bones

Sterilized egos
Delirium sequels
Punctured by the arrows
Of American eagles

Robot teach you
About the rules that bleed you
Backspace my brain
My equilibrium goes

Dark star
Just an eye that's closing
Cities grew themselves
From a scarlet terrain

One, two
One, two
You know what to do
Comments (217)add comment
Completely forgot about this track - SO good. Appreciate the refresh RP!
Arguably one of the songs that's easy to miss on the album...at least initially. ..but one of the best.  Great album.
one of beck's best!
Not a huge Beck fan, but this fat juicy groove grabs me. A solid 8 IMHO. 
 Wizzo_oz wrote:
 Oh my God...I did not even KNOW he was a scientologist! I'm kicking my rating down from an 8 to a 7.999...
Wait...hold it...I don't care about what system of beliefs he ascribes to. I'm leaving my rating at an 8. Long as he doesn't join the Tea Party. Then this song is really gonna suck...


I'm right there with you, had to adjust my 8 rating to an 8 LOL 
LLRP!!
 oldfart48 wrote:
ok it aint gangsta and the harp cooks but it is still corporate crapp...ps. . L.Ron. Hubbard did not make this noise, he just won the bet.  buy the way Billl, this guy generally sucks..........and if you don't know how scientology came into exististancs it was a bet between l.r.h. and croneys. hubbard bet he could start a releigon,,   he won....hell of a drunk thoese boys were on........................   

The bet was with Theodore  Sturgeon (aka Kilgore Trout...;-)

Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
 

love this song....
When you feel your life's too hard..have a talk with God
Really strong album, far from one of the best tracks.....it's very Ian Brown funk. Love the baseline though
Beck is a musical chameleon!
Smooth basework!
This song is not "When the levee Breaks", but the samplese is acceptable.   Rad Friggin tune.  
 ccjemmett wrote:
Not the best Beck but a good source of ranting haters on RP.
 
No shit!
Not the best Beck but a good source of ranting haters on RP.
ok it aint gangsta and the harp cooks but it is still corporate crapp...ps. . L.Ron. Hubbard did not make this noise, he just won the bet.  buy the way Billl, this guy generally sucks..........and if you don't know how scientology came into exististancs it was a bet between l.r.h. and croneys. hubbard bet he could start a releigon,,   he won....hell of a drunk thoese boys were on........................                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
THIS IS BORING.
                         PLEASE STOP PLAYING THIS WANNBE. 
 Wizzo_oz wrote:
Oh my God...I did not even KNOW he was a scientologist! I'm kicking my rating down from an 8 to a 7.999...
Wait...hold it...I don't care about what system of beliefs he ascribes to. I'm leaving my rating at an 8. Long as he doesn't join the Tea Party. Then this song is really gonna suck...
 
{#Clap}
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!

Oh my God...I did not even KNOW he was a scientologist! I'm kicking my rating down from an 8 to a 7.999...
Wait...hold it...I don't care about what system of beliefs he ascribes to. I'm leaving my rating at an 8. Long as he doesn't join the Tea Party. Then this song is really gonna suck...

This is boring!!!
Love this song!
 rdo wrote:

L. Ron Hubbard on homosexuality:  "Such people should be taken from the society as rapidly as possible and uniformly institutionalized".... Another way of dealing with them is "to dispose of them quietly and without sorrow".

Location 5688   Going Clear, by Lawrence Wright
 
Before you defend Beck's "faith", think about it.  There's much more, and much worse, than this in the book on a whole range of human rights abuses.

Dear Beck:  Care to respond?  We are waiting........... 



 
Mr Hubbard was clearly a swivel-eyed loon, one-step away from institutionalisation himself.
 oldfart48 wrote:
rap is nowhere loose it even good mush brains  make mistakes for money............

 
yep.  Right u r
rap is nowhere loose it even good mush brains  make mistakes for money............
Love the bass line. 

L. Ron Hubbard on homosexuality:  "Such people should be taken from the society as rapidly as possible and uniformly institutionalized".... Another way of dealing with them is "to dispose of them quietly and without sorrow".

Location 5688   Going Clear, by Lawrence Wright
 
Before you defend Beck's "faith", think about it.  There's much more, and much worse, than this in the book on a whole range of human rights abuses.

Dear Beck:  Care to respond?  We are waiting........... 


 old_shep wrote:
Genius.

 
What he said.



 Papasmeg wrote:
Yep this is beginning to do it for me......
 
If "do it" is a synonym for "annoy me to tears", then I second that.
oldfart48 wrote:
bill, i know your busy, but this rap is everywhere, yes this guy is much better than most. it is still very anoying, you can't go anywhere without hearing this crap. please play real music, not testtube morphs.
 
Is there anything more annoying than reading bad grammar?
 krysthal wrote:
Love the funky "Dream Weaver" style bass line! Beck is always doing something different and interesting in his music.
 

Well said...it's really fine
 old_shep wrote:
Genius.
 

I agree...  this song is groovy...  and soooo well produced...

 bronorb wrote:


Like Scientology is any worse than the religion that believes that a women had a baby but somehow remained a virgin?
 
How 'bout those whacky Catholics that cover up child rape?
bill, i know your busy, but this rap is everywhere, yes this guy is much better than most. it is still very anoying, you can't go anywhere without hearing this crap. please play real music, not testtube morphs.
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 

Like Scientology is any worse than the religion that believes that a women had a baby but somehow remained a virgin?
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 
Oh! Won't somebody please think of the children! 
you can't be serious, the band is hot, don't need the rap.
Love the funky "Dream Weaver" style bass line! Beck is always doing something different and interesting in his music.
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 
I don't care. Stop bringing up unimportant crap. His choice of beliefs is not my concern or yours.
Genius.
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 



..i'm just glad he's not a Stingrayologist..sorta..
"chafa"  {#Yawn}
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 
Yeah, it bugs me too that I get so conflicted betwixt his "church" and his great music....  What to do?  {#Eyes}  Keep listening.
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 
So What??{#Stupid}
 Stingray wrote:
SCIENTOLOGIST!
 
As long as he doesn't do the couch-jumping move, he's OK in my book.

(But losing Katie is inexcusable.) 


Yep this is beginning to do it for me......
SCIENTOLOGIST!
I call this song quite likeable-I don't really care for Beck.   {#Eek}
This artist tis the only one hat I like that does speaking on a record, well maybe Robbie Robertson...but Beck has that smooth cloudy voice and it flows with the rhythm of his songs. Love  Beck.....and any direction he goes in....true artistry.
 bokey wrote:
I can never figure out if I like this guy or not.Sometimes I hear a musician and sometimes I hear a bunch of electrons.
 
Kind of the same for me, except I really really like some things he has done. Just put aside the notions that the abstract lyrics mean something (they do if they do to you) and that he played every note (he samples a lot, unabashedly) . He is a very creative individual.
 bokey wrote:
I can never figure out if I like this guy or not.Sometimes I hear a musician and sometimes I hear a bunch of electrons.
 
Same here.  But I sure appreciate being exposed to the wide variety of music.  I'm kind of digging this one.
name the two most over-rated performers of the last 25 years 

Coldplay and Beck.
Nice...kinda reminds me of Spearhead/Michael Franti.
Beck..... che dire!!!!  Solo Beck
sounds like he's channeling the beatles
like all good artists - rip it off and make it up 
 bokey wrote:
I can never figure out if I like this guy or not.Sometimes I hear a musician and sometimes I hear a bunch of electrons.
 

yeah.
exactly.
I can never figure out if I like this guy or not. Sometimes I hear a musician and sometimes I hear a bunch of electrons.
Another RP win for me; I'd probably never have heard this song and been taken by the groove, the lyrics, and the surprise instruments. 
this is NOT Dark Star.  
https://www.ratebeer.com/beerimages/99227.jpg
This song has one deep groove, and my office chair is rollin'.
One of the coolest songs that is also decidedly sinister-sounding... I really dig Beck for pulling it off so well and making it so uniquely his groove!  And I just love it that I can hear this here (and probably only here) on RP!


YESSSSSSSS..........- beautiful mysterious funky and transportive {#Music}


 rickhoran wrote:
now if we can get dark star by grateful dead to preceed or succeed this song.

 

i'd prefer CSN's Dark Star
 chedak wrote:
I don't see any zombies...but I can visualize them in my mind!
 By the time you see them, it's too late. They'll be in your mind all right. Or maybe just your brain.

now if we can get dark star by grateful dead to preceed or succeed this song.

Thinking about the rain under a sweatshirt hood…
 Kawasaki_ZRX wrote:
Can't put it in words, Amazing Stuff
 
Agree - Love so much of his work.
Can't put it in words, Amazing Stuff
Likin' the back beat groove...{#Yes}{#Yes}{#Yes}
An aural seduction.
Sopranos on ?
WAY COOL LYRICS!

Lyrics to Dark Star
:
One, two
One, two A disappointment condition, a perfunctory prescription
Of an indigent mindset of belligerent silence
We got all we need droning out of a tin can
Thinking about the rain under the sweatshirt hood
Listen to the noise on the battery tape deck
A Judas trainwreck, anonymous suspect
Hovering in carbon monoxide cremations
Loners waste away inside of vacant locations
Think tanks empty, international dream bank
Plug in my reactor to the fallout zone
The enemies' story is a lot like mine
And if you get to the point then you know better than I Dark star like an eye that's closing
Sees through the shards from a scar that's open Autopilot drivers riding out on the ice age
Infidels swallowed in a vanishing point
Ammunition souls shooting holes in the ozone
Widow's tears washing the soldier's bones
Sterilized egos delirium sequels
Punctured by the arrows of American eagles
Robot to teach you all the rules that delete you
Backspace my brain, my equilibrium guns Dark star, just an eye that is closing
Sees through the shards from a scar that's open One, two
One, two
You know what to do
Actually, he's both.

 
ddbz wrote:
This guy has got some musical balls. He is either crazy or brilliant.
 


think tank's empty
This guy has got some musical balls. He is either crazy or brilliant.
 Govi wrote:
I see zombies shuffling across a Kansas wheat field.  Lots of zombies.
 

I don't see any zombies...but I can visualize them in my mind!
 Quayde wrote:

I'm not.

 
But then again , I am....so there!

 ZedLeppelin wrote:
{#Devil_pimp}

Surprised it isn't more popular.
 
I'm not.

{#Devil_pimp}

Surprised it isn't more popular.
oooozy moooosic.
niiiiiiice
I see zombies shuffling across a Kansas wheat field.  Lots of zombies.
Cool song - nice transition, Bill.
 peter_james_bond wrote:

The bottom end on this tune is killer!
 
Absolutely! Seems like there are tones I can feel but not hear.

 xtalman wrote:

Though I have noticed that once they do get into Scientology and such the quality of their work hits the dumper.


 
From what I've heard, he was born into that religion. It's like being a Roman Catholic. No matter how far away you can try to distance yourself from it, you still feel guilty about something.


This kid gets more interesting and creative every time I hear something new.
 fuh2 wrote:
mega-blasterpiece
 
The bottom end on this tune is killer!
 xtalman wrote:

Though I have noticed that once they do get into Scientology and such the quality of their work hits the dumper.


 
Perhaps for some, but not for this guy. 

I'm not a big one to carry on about vocals but Beck's got a pretty cool voice I think.  Bonus points for being a great musician (song's an 8-best played loud)
mega-blasterpiece
Decent, but I wish Beck would please revisit his Mutations phase.
 nagsheadlocal wrote:

Dude, seriously. I really don't care if musicians or actors have half-baked ideas about religion or politics. I'm paying them to entertain me.

 

Though I have noticed that once they do get into Scientology and such the quality of their work hits the dumper.


 The_Enemy wrote:

I give it a 7.  I dig Beck even though I have issues with scientology. But I don't blame him for that.


 
Dude, seriously. I really don't care if musicians or actors have half-baked ideas about religion or politics. I'm paying them to entertain me.

Did you ever see the DVD that came with this CD? Man, I wish I had it back in high school when I was regularly getting baked.
I love the slow groove of this track. Very coooooool. I even love his "shitty" harmonica playing, fits the break.  Beck is an amazing, original artist.{#Cool}

 boober wrote:
I love these astute comments:"He's a scientologist"
"He's a shitty harmonica player"
 

Me: "You got your scientologist in my shitty harmonica player!"

You: "Your shitty harmonica player is in my scientologist!"

Boober: "Wait! It's two great tastes in one!"

(boy, did I ever give my age away with that joke :)

I give it a 7.  I dig Beck even though I have issues with scientology. But I don't blame him for that.


Beck: Meet Lou Reed.

Beck. Meet Moby.
Volume up to 11.  {#Yes}
,,,,always the innovator,,,,kid is one groovy cat~
awwww yeAH
could be linked well with "Human Behavior" by Bjork; both have that big wide open sound...
whtahtefcuk wrote:
Crank it up!
meh.......
Crank it up!
I love these astute comments:"He's a scientologist" "He's a shitty harmonica player" He's an artist's artist...the kid is good!
mattt wrote:
I'll bet it just kills you that he can turn his inferior amateur harmonica playing into worldwide fame and a kajillion dollars, don't it?
I'm pretty sure Beck didn't get rich and famous because of his harmonica playing.
mattt wrote:
I'll bet it just kills you that he can turn his inferior amateur harmonica playing into worldwide fame and a kajillion dollars, don't it?
Wish I had a kajillion dollars to buy all the incredible music I hear on Radio Paradise, le sigh. Guess I'll have to settle for listening to great online radio and no control.
Love it..
wmstadler wrote:
If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand. No, I'm not a harmonica snob, but I have been playing for a number of years. The harmonica takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Beck hasn't put in his time yet.
I'll bet it just kills you that he can turn his inferior amateur harmonica playing into worldwide fame and a kajillion dollars, don't it?
wmstadler wrote:
It's the only sound he was capable of getting. It's painfully obvious to those in the know that he's put in very little time learning the instrument. Would you, as a beginner, practice ANY other instrument for a couple of weeks and then record it for all the world to hear?
Why would he not have hired one of countless professional players to do it? If he wanted a polished sound, he would have. He could even hire someone to do it and make them sign an NDA and say that he played it. Totally legal and happens all the time. This sound is what he wanted. Sometimes off-kilter is just the trick. Obviously it doesn't work for everyone.
I like it for what it is...typical Beck!
VERY VERY NICE
GOOD
wmstadler wrote:
It's the only sound he was capable of getting. It's painfully obvious to those in the know that he's put in very little time learning the instrument. Would you, as a beginner, practice ANY other instrument for a couple of weeks and then record it for all the world to hear?
And Vangelis played the piano out of tune for the Blade Runner soundtrack because it was the ONLY sound he could get out of it. I will present this sentence as fact even though I have no way of proving. Go me.
squidish wrote:
Oh, I get it! A Beck songwriting contest. Here is my entry: Paint by numbers music Through a silicone waistband Gets some in betweeners to the complex carbohydrate Slippin' on the signal like a memory train. Yep, I just made that up.
Hey, Squidish -- that's pretty good!
FluorideFreeMN wrote:
What a superb set! 7:48 am - Beck - Dark Star -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:43 am - Wilco - You Are My Face 7:41 am - Elliott Smith - Between The Bars 7:38 am - Calexico - Sunken Waltz 7:33 am - Radiohead - House Of Cards
I knew it!!! Heard this stuff yesterday. Just three minutes late this time.
and(!)
wmstadler wrote:
It's the only sound he was capable of getting. It's painfully obvious to those in the know that he's put in very little time learning the instrument. Would you, as a beginner, practice ANY other instrument for a couple of weeks and then record it for all the world to hear?
No, it's the sound he wanted. It's not supposed to sound smooth, refined, or practiced. Reference Beck's oldest material, namely on One Foot In The Grave and Stereopathetic Soulmanure, and you'll hear the same harmonica. It isn't pretty but it's what he wants.
FluorideFreeMN wrote:
I get accused of being a scientologist all the time....is that supposed to be an insult now?
Just never run for office!