Well she doesn't have a great voice to call her the best female rock singer but she still rocks and she is still very beautiful. Some people don't have all the privileges of the world. Beauty and a precious voice are not always together in one person. Alanis has a better voice but she is not as beautiful as Shirley.
Yup, the Jesus Christ and Joan of Arc lines, they just don't write lyrics like that anymore. I played this and some other garbage for my nieces and nephews. Thought for sure they would hate it. Nope, they all wanted to hop into the way-back machine. Kids today really don't have it easy.
Weird memory with this song...I was wearing headphones before history class started, listening to this album. The teacher came in and said "hey what are listening to"? "Garbage", I replied. And he said "Ooh so why do you keep listening to them"? Corny as hell, but memorable.
+annie35 I actually have a similar one, but with a different song: I was watching the Stupid Girl music video on MTV (oh, those were the days...), and my dad walked in the living room and asked me, "What's this garbage you're listening to?" Little did he know... ;-)
I was born in 2004. My mom insisted I hear this band at least once. Now I'm addicted. The 90s are the best and Shirley Manson is my new favorite person in the world. Her weirdness (which is awesome- normal people freak ME out) seems genuine whereas everyone else is just attention desperate. My favorite song of theirs is I'm Only Happy When it Rains. Everyone who doesn't know who this band (and particularly Shirley Manson) is needs to find out RIGHT NOW.
SO many different voices in one poet Such lyrical brilliance married to hooks that burrow into you and make themselves a permanent home And with a powerful analytic brain behind it all. Truly a classic renaissance person -- and that's before we even get to the acting chops or model looks...
Interesting! Had to rechecked this video out after reading their book “This Is The Noise That Keeps Me Awake.” Apparently, Shirley was puking her guts out through nervous energy throughout this video shoot. This video is the first time they played lived together. They have not toured and weren’t even finished with their first album yet. Shirley had to prove herself to be a front person and she stepped up in a big way becoming a bandleader. Steve Marker, Duke Erickson and Butch Vig knew Shirley was in it for the long run. Super interesting and fun to watched history being made here in this video.
This information gave me goosebumps 🙃 I have severe covid right now so the goosebumps turned into a major chill and tremble. Worth it. Thanks for the info
Damn, talk about suffering for your art! Shirley is one TOUGH woman! Glad she made it through the whole video---it was worth it. Can't go wrong with Samuel Bayer!
This song is such an underrated classic and what got me into Garbage. I remember first hearing it on the radio when it came out in the summer of '95 and it is one of those songs that's so good, it instantly kicks your ass in a good way.
Still my all time favorite song, cuz it resonates how badly I've been burned, and left for dead God bless you Shirley Manson. Ty for giving me this song to listen to when I need it.🌹👍
Hi, I am a 37 yrs old man. First time I "heard" of that bandbwas in 1998. I was 11 yrs old. My mother's (40-ish) introduced me to that band. She was really moved by a young woman in rock music. Forward later, that band became one of the most influential thing i have ever heard, Version 2.0 is god tier!
This song, this artist, the lyrics, resonate the pain of loss before COVID-19. Been alone Three years now, lost everything, family, marriage, friends turned against me, left for dead. So thank you Shirley Manson, cuz I nearly died too.
I had a chance to see them when they opened for Smashing Pumpkins' Melancholy tour in the 90s. Shirley had a great charisma on stage. If memory serves correct, this was the last song they played for their set.
garbage had never performed live as group prior to this, and had initially had not considered ever performing live onstage even. the director for this video made them perform vow live while he filmed the takes. they ended up liking it so much that they scheduled tour dates. and the rest is history.
So much attitude passively displayed in this amazing & underrated song. I was a metalhead in the 90's, but Garbage was still my favorite bands. I would still count them in my current top 5 and their self titled (debut) album is one of the best albums ever put out.
+Lisa Blackburn When Garbage first formed Shirley was apprehensive about preforming live.  But, after recording a few videos, she decided she may like the stage. With Shirley's stage prowess and great instrument players, they've been a big hit.
I still remember back in 1995, I was in a Tower Records (MISS them!) in the San Fernando Valley part of L.A. just checking stuff out, and they were playing "Vow" on one of their video monitors to plug Garbage's first album. As soon as I laid eyes on Shirley Manson I was instantly hooked and in love! Not only was she absolutely mesmerizing in this video, but the song itself was incredibly catchy, infectious, and very...erotic. NOTHING sounded like them at the time! I've loved Garbage ever since!
Former NYer who practically lived at the Astor Place Tower Records. They had the best sales and in-store performances. Saw Lisa Loeb and Dweezil Zappa play a set. Good times.
I remember buying the cassette for this album on the strength of the hit singles 'only happy when it rains' and 'stupid girl'. Many, many, many headphone listens to the album later, this song was permanently cemented as my favorite song of the album... easily. It still raises hairs on me when I listen to it. Potent. Powerful.
I've loved this song since it came out in mid-1995, almost 30 years ago. We were lucky to be that generation that saw this music on MTV, and experienced it on the Radio. You have to give a lot of value to the musical production of this song, the details, the layers of guitars, the effects, the mysterious atmosphere, Garbage were definitely and are very ahead of their time, they sounded very modern to be like Grunge or Britpop.
I've had "Absolute Garbage" on my iPod in my car for at least the last five years and it's all I listen to. I can tell how far away from home I am by which song is playing.
Whenever "In The End" by Linkin Park ends I ALWAYS think "Waiting For a Light That Never Comes" is next because my very first playlist had them in that order.
I can't use what I can't abuse And I can't stop when it comes to you You burned me out but I'm back at your door Like Joan of Arc coming back for more I nearly died I nearly died I nearly died I came to knock you up, I came to cut you down I came around to tear your little world apart I came to rip you up, I came to shut you down I came around to tear your little world apart And break your soul apart Ah, you burn and burn to get under my skin You've gone too far now, I won't give in You crucify me but I'm back in your bed Like Jesus Christ coming back from the dead I nearly died I nearly died I nearly died I came to knock you up, I came to cut you down I came around to tear your little world apart I came to rip you up, I came to shut you down I came around to tear your little world apart And break your soul apart I nearly died Oh, I nearly died I nearly died I came to cut you down, I came to knock you up I came around to tear your little world apart I came to shut you down, I came to rip you up I came around to tear your little world apart And break your soul apart Tear your little world apart Tear your little world apart And break your soul apart I can't stop when it comes to you I can't stop when it comes to you When it comes to you When it comes to you Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Duke Erikson / Shirley Manson / Steve Marker / Butch Vig
one of the greatest bands of the 90's and still rockn Best time for music in my opinon. So many outstanding bands, so few survived the industry Love this band, and yes Shirley not only has outstanding talent as do all the band, she is great eye candy.
This was such a great song and thank god the Detroit radio dj's were on it and played it!!! I was hooked to this band ever since!!! 1996!!!!! Most underrated band of the 90's!!! Love you guys!
I found this CD on my Dad's home stereo and I asked him " What is this Garbage?" He told me to listen to it and I did ... Wow amazing ... this track, in my car stereo(back in the day) was just so mesmerizing.. the whole sound of it blew me away... still does 30 years later,
I recall when this song came out in the 90s, first time I heard of Garbage and right before I went to school for audio engineering. It conjured many emotions during a period of coming off of drugs and after 'choosing life'. This album became even more remarkable after I re-learned to 'hear' in school and became able to pick out the various nuances that 3 producers can weave into a recording.
Can't believe this song is 25 years old..oh my my..so many memories of listening it on mix tape..time flies..viva Shirley Manson...the best 90s rock chick
I remember driving to work back in 1994 when this song came up on the rock radio I was listening to. First thing I did back from work is buying the album. I had the chance to see them live twice, one around 1998 at Saint-Nolff, later at Landerneau in 2016. Brittany (where I'm born and bred) is such a great place for festivals
what a truely talented group, and still making music. I hope they never stop. Shirly Manson has such a beutiful voice full of ranges all over the scale . i will never get tired of listening to them.
You have no clue, how much this, song alone has an atomic impact into my life that resonates four years ago. Thank you for that strength and guidance into my life. God bless all of y'all cuz you truly saved one person. Me. Ty. I love ya.
What do you get when you put together a group of talented musicians and an equally talented woman with a great voice and tremendously beautiful? You get one of the best bands of the 90s
It's been God alone knows how many years and this remains one of the most powerful and compelling songs ever. And Shirley was, is and will always be the best and most beautiful rock vocalist ever. Loved her for as long as I can remember
Truly unique and a pioneer in her time and even till now! She is honest and tells it like it is! Explosive, brutal and sometimes ruthless but there is no lying in her!
Nov95, DC, Black Cat. Me, early, front & center. Shirley comes out, silver sequin mini, grabs mic, looks down, smiles, and then blew us all away. After show, bar, band comes out - but not Shirley. I step out for smoke, 14th st nw sidewalk, very cold. Door with no external knob nor handle swings open, Shirley quickly emerges, arm up, hailing cab. I break for the street, Shirley and I meet at cab simultaneously, I open door. In one graceful motion she looks up, says "thanks", and gets into cab, I say, "you're welcome." Now she's sitting, looks at me as I'm beginning to close her door, and says, "you were dead center all night." I say, "yes." Somewhat beguilingly she says, "thanks for coming." I say, as I close her door, "my pleasure."
Love Garbage, saw them in 2002. I finally figured what this song is truly about. It's a conversation between the drug user, and the drug. The drug user is saying lyrics such as nearly dying and coming back for more, and burning to get it under her skin, and other signs of addiction. The drug, is replying that it's come to cut her up and break her down and tear her world and soul apart. A brilliant song. Reminds me of Metallica's Master of Puppets.
Of course, your interpretation is as good as mine. But having had a life burnt to the ground by a girlfriend with a personality disorder, I always read this song as a revenge fantasy.
I took my 20s something daughter to a Garbage concert a few years ago. She was eager to go but didn't know much about the group. By the end of the two-hour show, she was beaming with excitement and hoarse from yelling at the concert. She would yell "WE LOVE YOU SHIRLEY!" and said we were DEFINITELY going to do this again! A lovely memory that Shirley and the band brought to me and my daughter. YOU ROCK GARBAGE! Thanks for the memories.
There were quite a few too. I was big on L7 and Sonic Youth early on. Appreciated Veruca Salt much later on. PJ Harvey... when I put Dry on I *have* to listen to the whole album through. I'm not exactly sure what happened.
Because of the freaking LA traffic, I missed their concert. One mile took me more than one hour so I just heard (not even see) their last 2 songs, at least I did see the entire Alanis concert!
This band, I feel honored to be alive within their rise to musical legend status, and to have grown up on their music. Shirley and the boys are iconic. Garbage is iconic, and when my hairs are grey and those who are younger ask me about the influence of this band, I will tell them how truly inspired we all were to root them on !.
Nominees for Best Garbage Song: Only Happy When It Rains (Garbage) Not my Idea (Garbage) Queer (Garbage) Super Vixen (Garbage) Vow (Garbage) Push It (Version 2.0) When I Grow Up (Version 2.0) I Think I'm Paranoid (Version 2.0) Untouchable (Beautiful Garbage) Parade (Beautiful Garbage) WINNER: Vow!
You're missing Milk; Stupid Girl; Bleed Like Me; Automatic Systematic Habit; Cherry Lips; Blood for Poppies; The World Is Not Enough; Androgyny; Cup of Coffee; Sex Is Not the Enemy; The Trick is to Keep Breathing; Bad Boyfriend; and Shut Your Mouth... and that's just off the top of my head. I know there are more that I'm forgetting...
Wow, that's quite a list!! Tbh I don't like Untouchable very much. It's funny cuz you like it. Still a good song, but nowhere near my fave. Not even in my top 40 Garbage tunes.
