NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI: BINKY THE DOORMAT

   The title of this song allegedly comes from the film 'Shakes the Clown' with Bobcat Goldthwait. Somewhere in the movie the character of Binky says he shouldn't be called Binky the Clown, but Binky the Doormat. The connection? The film was in part produced by IRS and Miles Copeland, REM's old record company. The title and movie have no bearing on a song full of kink sex and loathing, the lead character seemingly fed up with going along with the kinks of their partner who is identified as a female--a rare gender identifier for Michael. The song itself was one of my favorites from the album early on, but I believe this is more indicative of the turn the album takes next into the three strongest songs. I like BTD, but it has some troubling aspects--not least of which is the slam the door 'Go away' finality of a relationship. It's difficult to go zero to angry in a short pop song without the emotions feeling reactionary, plus whenever it comes to pleasure it's a larger leap to have erotic kink become the straw that breaks a relationships back. That aside it's a rock song made for arenas to take advantage of the sound on the tour, it works well as a performance most audiences can appreciate when they don't know the song.

BINKY THE DOORMAT

This is horror movie stuff
The muffin is peach, you're makin' love
You mean this opera involves handcuffs?
I, I lay defeated
Yeah, sour milk mouth horseradish sweet
She's a girl and she's loving me
Distance is my tendency
I am defeated

Have you lost your place?

(Go away, go away)
I wore my doormat face

(Go away, go away, go away, go, go, go)
I hung my this or that

(Go away, go away, go away, go away)
I laid my welcome mat

(Go away, go away)

If I'm your oyster, where's the war?
You leave me gasping tattered and torn
I know you can't find a fork
I am just a little acorn
Well acorns grow to mighty trees
You've got sauce, but you don't have knees
And look who's asking pretty please
I lay defeated

Have you lost your place?

(Go away, go away)
I wore my doormat face

(Go away, go away, go away, go, go, go)
I hung my this or that

(Go away, go away, go away, go away)
I laid my welcome mat

(Go away, go away)

Wow


Call your bathroom friends around
I will fake a little frown
I will be your little clown
Easily defeated
Yeah, you shut the door and open wide
Seconal and astroglide
You fuck with me and traumatize
Don't you see I love your hide?
All the beauty that's trapped inside
Can't you see I love your hide?
Can't you see I love your hide?
Can't you see it?

Have you lost your place?

(Go away, go away)
I wore my doormat face

(Go away, go away, go away, go, go, go)
I hung my this or that

(Go away, go away, go away, go away)
I laid my welcome mat

(Go away, go away go away, go, go, go)

I hung my this or that

(Go away, go away, go away, go away)
I laid my welcome mat

(Go away, go away go away, go, go, go)

Go away

Go away

Go away

Go away

Go away

Go away

  Fairly easy riff on this one with a second guitar in the verse background. The middle bridge is mostly making use out of the fuzzed guitar by raking the strings while muted.

BINKY THE DOORMAT

Verse

e|--4-4-4-4---4---2-2-2-2---2----|

B|-------------------------------|

G|-4---4---3>4---2---2---1>2-----|

Verse Guitar 2

e|-0---0-0-0----|

B|-5---7-5-3----|

G|-4---4-4-2----|

D|-0---0-0-0----|

Chorus

e|-----0---3---0---0-0-0-----0---3---|

B|-2---3---3---0---0-0-0-2---3---3---|

G|-2---0---0---7---6-4-0-2---0---0---|

D|-2---2---0---8---7-5-0-2---2---0---|

A|-----3---2---8---7-5-0-----3---2---|

E|-----0---3---6---5-3-0-----0---3---|

Middle Bridge
(Play loosely and scratch those strings!)

e|-0---------0---0------|

B|-3---------3---5------|

G|-2---5-4-5-2---2------|

D|-0---------0---0------|