Climb To Safety

Passion and Pain with Jerry Joseph [Part II] http://www.jambase.com/Articles/3399/PASSION-AND-PAIN-WITH-JERRY-JOSEPH-%28PART-II%29

Kayceman: We went over some songs last time and I wanted to ask you about a couple more. So how about, "Climb to Safety"?

Jerry Joseph: First as I'm getting older, or maybe more popular (I'm very hesitant to say I'm getting more popular), I hate when I explain the song and then I end up ruining it for somebody because they have their own meaning for it. "Climb to Safety" is a great example of that. Someone was like, "We got married to that song." And I'm like, "Really?" I think I was in Fort Bragg when I wrote that. I was really strung out on dope and I was on a tour. My friend Glenn Esparza has a writing credit on it, but I don't remember what he did. Probably just sat there and made sure I didn't fuckin' die. You know it was one of those ones that was written in five minutes, those are usually the best songs. I tend to keep a list of titles, like when I see things I think are cool titles I write them down in my journal or whatever. "Climb to Safety" was a title I had since I was in Colorado and saw one of those "Climb to Safety" flooding signs. This is where I hate disappointing people. I wrote that really fast, like 20 minutes. And when you're doing that it's just kind of off the top of my head, lyrical imagery and stuff. I can't remember what I was reading that had the thing about "reflecting skin" as a matter of fact I think that was another title I had written down was, "Reflective Skin." So for me that was written from being in a pretty lousy dark place, and it's just something that flowed really quickly. I don’t really remember, I was really fucked up.

K: Well that's how it comes across, that's how I've related it. And that's when it's served its most powerful purpose for me, when things have not been so good. I find it odd that someone said they got married to that song, but I guess whatever works.

J: Well that's what's good about songs people are supposed to be able to make up their own versions and their own stories.

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