In episode 3 or 4 of Twin Peaks, there's a scene where Shelly Johnson and Bobby Briggs are making out in the kitchen while Shelly's husband, Leo, is out.
Shelly reassures Bobby that, "I can hear Leo's truck a mile away."
Upon my first viewing, I completely misheard that line and thought she said, "I could use venom either way."
How I got that, I'm not sure, but I liked the phrase so much that I wrote it down in the note page on my phone that I use for lyrics.
Once this song started coming together, I found that line and used it as my prompt to build the rest of the lyrics.
I've been reflecting a lot on the nature of evil this year. As a teacher, I've had to teach Lord of the Flies, I had a few students who I failed to reach for one reason or another, and it's hard to watch Twin Peaks without thinking about these kinds of things.
The closest thing to a conclusion I've been able to come up with is this:
We all have venom, passion, and darkness within us. But we also can choose what we do with it.
If we deny that part of us and cling too closely to a belief in our innocence, we lose our battle before we begin, discard agency, and may find ourselves pursuing anti-social and destructive tendencies with an ignorant, self-righteous, or permissive zeal. If we believe in our wretchedness wholeheartedly, we may find ourselves so racked with negativity, guilt, shame, and self-doubt that we cease to function.
Power, perhaps, lies in a belief that we might choose to direct our passions, our venom, and our darkness towards something that might help ourselves and others, thereby reconciling the conflict and exhausting the energy that might otherwise be manifested towards destruction.
lyrics
I could use venom either way
Tonic or toxic, lust gets obnoxious
Breakin' away, tryna heal
Like I give a damn about how I feel
Like I give a damn about how I feel
Like I give a damn about how I feel
I could use passion either way
Productive/destructive, something corrupted
Something to trust in and heal
Like I give a damn about how you feel
Like I give a damn about how you feel
Like I give a damn about how you feel
I could use venom either way
Tonic or toxic, forgiving what's caustic
Reaching out, trying to heal
Like I give a damn about how I feel
Like I give a damn about how I feel
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
I could use venom either way
I could use passion either way
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