Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 33-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.
“Water In A Bucket” is about the American Dream, brought into focus through the basic necessity for water. The video I made this week shows people in happier times—before the dream turned into a nightmare. The lyrics attempt to turn awareness to the very basic act of having to haul water. I’ve used the video to re-politicize the song by adding footage of a water faucet in Flint, Mich. This seems like a step in the right direction in general. Giving older work new context.
Images: Stock footage. Flint faucet. Mecca Normal performing in Holland circa mid-90s.
Water In A Bucket
La la la my my my la la la my my my
Water in a bucket
down the street
You carry your water in a bucket down the street
La la la my my my la la la my my my
You carry your water too
in a North American city
in a North American street
Where the dream started
it started without you
I wanna get out of this dream
nightmare
I wanna climb out of this dream
this dream
this nightmare
nightmare
nightmare
It’s no dream
nightmare
nightmare
I wanna get out of this dream
nightmare
The dream started without you
It’s no dream
La la la my my my la la la my my my
“Water In A Bucket” from Water Cuts My Hands (K, 1991) (download):