A couple years prior, during a roundtable session, one of my hard rock friends played the music video for “X-Ray Visions” and it was a hit with the room, song and video. This singular event ushered “X-Ray Visions” steadfastly into my algorithm playlists, because I swim with the current in those rivers, the unavoidable ending result is it became the first Clutch song I proper memorized.
The second Clutch song I have properly memorized is “Earth Rocker,” I hope superior Clutch fans approve with my initial happenstance.
What to say about “X-Ray Visions?” Well, my same hard rock friend, has concluded before that Neil Fallon was his favorite lyricist, and it is easy to point to “X-Ray Visions” for supporting argumentation to this point. “X-Ray Visions” appears to be the ramblings of an agent involved in the military’s paranormal efforts. The words are appropriately psychedelic, as it is not entirely clear if this agent is experiencing a drug induced delusion or legitimate physic madness. The chorus tells us the narrator certainly believes it is or real.
“Telekinetic dynamite! Psychic warfare is real!
You better believe me, brother, x-ray vision!
Telekinetic prophetic dynamite! Psychic warfare is real!
I know what you're thinking sister, x-ray vision!”
So that’s fun. Think “The Men Who Stare at Goats” only now as a badass hard rock song. I really enjoyed the movie “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” and I always knew it was based on true events, but I did not realize until just now that the book is one hundred precent non-fiction, which makes me curious the depths of insanity the American Military explored in their efforts to out class the Soviet Union in impossible warfare tactics. Insane or no, it is a very interesting and fun, I would like to know more. Also, great content for a rock song.
Hastily returning to the lyrical strength of Fallon’s, I am very fond of the verse:
“Next thing that I did was tap out Morse code,
With a wooden nickel on the receiver of the phone,
Before I could complete it, I was quickly overtaken,
By the angry spirits of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.”
Who in the world would ever think to include the spirits of the Reagans in a song about the failed attempts at the USA’s physic warfare? Neil Fallon apparently is the answer. As fun, and crafty as that is, I think the adjective that is most appropriate is “bold.” It may not be revolutionary to have a rock superficially about this topic, but this is coming from the same creative brain of a man who has written at least four songs about driving motor vehicles in outer space. Why not? Most people would ask why, but being so bold Fallon does not seem to hesitate.
There is mention of consulting horoscopes in the first verse and this is returned to later during the bridge when Fallon introduces the band by their, presumably real life, astrological symbols. And hey, apparently Fallon and I are both Scorpios, which means nothing. Fun times though.
Go.
I believe my hard rock friends favorite lyric is the final words on the third verse:
“With every day that passes it keeps on getting stranger,
But that really doesn't bother me cause I get off on the danger.”
Hard to argue with that not being the best line in the song “X-Ray Visions.” It might also be the most intensely hard rock lyric ever written in any hard rock song ever. I am not sure. I am not an expert. Just some random dude on the internet rambling about good music (don’t expect too much).
Seeing Clutch live recently was a great way of getting out again after being couped up for so long. Tonight, April 22nd, I am going to go see Beast in Black, so that should help turn things around for me. Perhaps I will find the motivation to get this blog back on it’s old schedule. We will have to wait and see. I guess the point of this final paragraph is to express my gratitude to Clutch for the rocking the house, always, and giving us songs that are nothing but highly imaginative.
- King of Braves
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