Story Behind The Song

This is part of the Bridge Over Bottled Water sessions that I recorded on a 4-track analog Fostex in my room at my house. The whole album was recorded over about a month. I wrote this song sometime during late '98 or early '99, but I can't remember exactl

Song Description

A song about a music industry burnout.

Lyrics

They told him money wasn't everything, but he chose not to believe them
He signed his name right on the dotted line, he thought, "Principles? Hell, I don't need 'em!"
So he got famous for a little while, he wrote everybody's favorite song (for five minutes, anyway)
He found one thing's for god damn sure and that's Andy Warhol was wrong

CHORUS
You've got five minutes to make your first impression
Five minutes to make that impression last
Five minutes to be a one hit wonder
Five minutes of fame

Well, six months later folks remembered his song, but they could not recall his name
He got disgusted with the whole damn business, he was looking for someone to blame (besides himself, maybe)
But in the end the system ate him alive, no he could not linger too long
And in his troubles he saw one thing was right, and that's Andy Warhol was wrong

CHORUS

BRIDGE
His new friends began to evaporate as new fame became old news
He started spiraling down towards madness, 'cause disenchantment always lights that fuse

Five years later walking down the street, someone asked him if he used to be himself
He said, "Once upon a time I was, but that dream's long since returned to the shelf
Now don't get me wrong, you've got to follow your heart and maybe you can stick around for more than one damn song
Just keep one thing in the back of your mind: Andy Warhol was wrong."

CHORUS