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We're Not Who You Think We Are

Certain Songs #1984: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 – “(A Man’s Gotta Know His Limitations) Briggs”

December 16, 2020 by Jim Connelly

Album: Ole! Tarantula
Year: 2006

. . .

The centerpiece of Ole! Tarantula is just a plain ole classic Robyn Hitchcock song, starting out with the intertwining of Robyn’s and Peter Buck’s guitars, and featuring some spot on backing vocals when needed.

Oh, and it’s on the short list of Prettiest Songs Ever Recorded, Robyn Hitchcock Division. So there’s that.

A man’s gotta know his limitations, Briggs
Or he will just explode
You lived in your imagination, Briggs
You blew up in the roooooooooaaaaaaaaaad
And I’m talking to you
And to you over there
And to you over there

And so if that first verse is basically just the guitars and Robyn’s voice, when it kicks in for the chorus, it’s utterly irresistible for me.

You were riding in your car in San Francisco
You were riding through the weather and the rain
You were riding in your car in San Francisco
But you’re never gonna ride that way again

There’s a hit of nostalgia here, and a hint of sadness and maybe even regret, but with Scott McCaughey, Chris Ballew and Sean Nelson hitting the harmonies, a feeling of freedom and even triumph. Or maybe that’s because some of my favorite memories are of riding in a car in San Francisco, even though it’s not necessarily the most car-friendly city. Or maybe even because.

It all comes to a head in the last verse, with the the backing vocals now fully interacting with Robyn as the jangling guitars have been accompanied by slide which is commenting on the action.

We’ve all got a Briggs in us
(Ooooh-oooooooh)
Somewhere down the road
(Somewhere down the road)
I don’t know about you folks but
(Ooooh-ooooooooh)
This Briggs will explode

Not gonna lie: I love both the callback to the first verse and the Dylan reference, like he wrote the entire rest of the song to get to “this Briggs will explode,” which he probably didn’t, but still.

“(A Man’s Gotta Know His Limitations) Briggs”

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Filed Under: Certain Songs Tagged With: (A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations) Briggs, Ole! Tarantula, Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2539: Sufjan Stevens – “Heirloom”
  • Certain Songs #2538: Sufjan Stevens – “Casimir Pulaski Day”
  • Certain Songs #2537: Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago”
  • Certain Songs #2536: Sufjan Stevens – “Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!”
  • Certain Songs #2535: Suede – “She Still Leads Me On”

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