daddy's gonna pay...

[Kristie]

ooo my first thread in here

anyway, I was reading the month-old thread about "daddy" in Staring at the Sun a few weeks ago, and today I was listening to Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car at work, and I got to thinking... who is "daddy" in that one?

So I sat down and thought about that (since I actually work at work so much) and... I know there's a lot of interpretations that it's about heroin, or Jesus, with the crashed car being your sins, Jesus paid for our sins, etc, or simply a spoiled child.

Then I decided those didn't sit right with me... I think "daddy" in that one is the devil. Especially with MacPhisto singing it live (albeit in the third person), it appears to me as Satan seducing a lonely man through compliments, flattery, companionship, etc... basically "don't worry, I'll make it all better" promises. "You stay with me and I'll give you everything you ever wanted."

He gives you the keys to a flamin' car
Daddy's with you wherever you are
Daddy's a comfort
Daddy's your best friend
Daddy'll hold your hand right up to the end

Very sly.
Actually this probably has something to do with me seeing ZooSydney before I really started to like the song... I always associate MacPhisto with it.

Your thoughts? Who do you think it is?

disclaimer: forgive me if this has been discussed already, I didn't find any threads when I did a search... I found a couple vaguely similar interps elsewhere out there... yes, anyway.

 

[BVS]

I've always looked at as being about smack. Jesus wouldn't make sence to me, especially since Mac Phisto sang it, like you said. And I think because of the Daddy reference, I've always thought of it as a woman.

"You're a precious stone
You're out on your own
You know everyone in the world
But you feel alone"

Signs of a desperate woman.

"Daddy won't let you weep
Daddy won't let you ache
Daddy gives you as much as you can take
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car"

I think this is before the full on addiction. When the drug is her escape, it's still good to her, and she's building a tolerance.

"A little uptight
You're a baby's fist
Butterfly kisses up and down your wrist
When you see daddy coming
You're licking your lip
Nails bitten down to the quick
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car"

This is the beginning of addiction. She's real anxious between highs, she can't wait for the next score. And she starts to show track marks on her forearms.


"You've got a head full of traffic
You're a siren's song
You cry for mama
And daddy's right along
He gives you the keys to a flamin' car
Daddy's with you wherever you are
Daddy's a comfort
Daddy's your best friend
Daddy'll hold your hand right up to the end
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car


Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday's alright..."

Now full on addiction. She cries for Mom, but heroin's the only thing that will help her pain right now. As I write this, this reminds me of the scene in Basketball Diaries when he's at his mother's door and she won't let him in.


Just my opinion.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

into the heart says daddy is a sugar daddy, but i don't know. i can't imagine the meaning would be that transparent. i always perceived it to be about either jesus or the devil.

 

[hippy]

Then I decided those didn't sit right with me... I think "daddy" in that one is the devil. Especially with MacPhisto singing it live (albeit in the third person), it appears to me as Satan seducing a lonely man through compliments, flattery, companionship, etc... basically "don't worry, I'll make it all better" promises. "You stay with me and I'll give you everything you ever wanted."

I definitely think that MacPhisto singing this song in concert is a good clue for us all... as we know, Bono doesn't do things that don't mean anything!

Like you, twin, I really came to like the song after hearing it sung in concert (in numerous ZooTV boots). I like the interpretation that "Daddy" is MacPhisto, sort of a Screwtape figure. He promises to "pay" for everything so you don't have to worry about it. But even the way Bono sings the song on the record (and even more in concert) it's an insidious promise. He says he'll pay for everything, but something about it makes you distrust the words. I tend to interpret this as the "devil" BUT that "devil" could be anything from drugs to the actual devil. I think it's more about anything you might put too much faith in or trust too much to make all your problems simply go away.

Anyway, I like this song

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I've always looked at as being about smack. Jesus wouldn't make sence to me, especially since Mac Phisto sang it, like you said. And I think because of the Daddy reference, I've always thought of it as a woman.

"You're a precious stone
You're out on your own
You know everyone in the world
But you feel alone"

Signs of a desperate woman.

"Daddy won't let you weep
Daddy won't let you ache
Daddy gives you as much as you can take
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car"

I think this is before the full on addiction. When the drug is her escape, it's still good to her, and she's building a tolerance.

"A little uptight
You're a baby's fist
Butterfly kisses up and down your wrist
When you see daddy coming
You're licking your lip
Nails bitten down to the quick
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car"

This is the beginning of addiction. She's real anxious between highs, she can't wait for the next score. And she starts to show track marks on her forearms.


"You've got a head full of traffic
You're a siren's song
You cry for mama
And daddy's right along
He gives you the keys to a flamin' car
Daddy's with you wherever you are
Daddy's a comfort
Daddy's your best friend
Daddy'll hold your hand right up to the end
A-ha sha-la, a-ha sha-la
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car


Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday's alright..."

Now full on addiction. She cries for Mom, but heroin's the only thing that will help her pain right now. As I write this, this reminds me of the scene in Basketball Diaries when he's at his mother's door and she won't let him in.


Just my opinion.

Yeah, I'm seeing where you're going with that. .

And then the "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...", etc., etc., bit-that could imply too that it's a daily addiction now, like any day of the week is fine for a fix.

So, then, I take it the "crashed car" bit would refer to the fact that eventually this girl will get so addicted to heroin that eventually she'll "crash", she'll hit the lowest point in her life ever, as well.

However, I like the other one about Daddy being Satan. That's a great interpretation, too.

Angela

 

[sue4u2]

It's well known Bono has had friends who have died from this drug. I think BonoVox Supastar is on the right track with this interpretation . Particularly because Bono has talked about this danger so much in past interviews. Unfortunately it an all to familiar problem he's seen in his country and the US. However the other interpretatio is also right in respect the fact there's really not much difference in satan and heroin.