Lyrics:

Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat) [Version (a)]:



Acid casualty with a repossessed car

Vietnam vet playing air guitar

It's just the shitkickin' speedtakin'

Truckdrivin' neighbors downstairs

Yeah



Whiskey-stained bucktoothed backwoods creep

Grizzly bear motherfucker never goes to sleep

It's just the shitkickin' speedtakin'

Truckdrivin' neighbors downstairs

Yeah



Belly-floppin' naked in a pool of yellow sweat

Screaming jack-ass with a wet cigarette

It's just the shitkickin' speedtakin'

Truckdrivin' neighbors downstairs

Oh my goodness



Ooooh, ooooh



Psychotic breakdown, double-edged axe

Growing hair like a shag rug on their greasy back

It's just the shitkickin' speedtakin'

Truckdrivin' neighbors downstairs

Oh my goodness



Come on honey, feel the grease

The beast is grease

Come on honey, feel the grease

Oh my goodness, come on honey

Feel the grease, ah yeah

Come on lay it on me

The Song:



Beck introduced "Truckdrivin'" in concert on March 25 1997 by calling it a "true-life song. This is urban tragedy. This is a 1990s gothic tale of a duo, of tragedy and self-abuse. Not to be exploited. Not to be frowned down on. Just to be heard."



As this implies, this song takes its inspiration from a very true, ugly story. Fortunately Beck finds a bit of humor in it all, but it still is somewhat frightening. Beck explains, "It was a real experience. I wouldn't have written a song like that. I was shook up, 'cause two fellows, they were very abusive and they were living right below you, so it impinges on your life and I can hear them all day and finally they had a huge brawl."



The opening sample is of that very fight, and that's where the story begins. Beck recalls, "When I was recording the song in my living room and they were out front screaming at each other and I couldn't...I had to stop recording my song. And it was strange because I was recording the music for the song; I hadn't written words yet. And I couldn't record anymore because they were too loud and I just left. I had to leave 'cause it was too hectic. When I came back I had all this...I had the song and then after they had this argument...it's too bad I lost the tape that has the original argument 'cause the argument went on for 40 minutes. It was unbelievable. I put 2 seconds of it on there. Pretty classic. But somebody out there has it." Another time Beck calls it "a special tape, filled with horrible things that will destroy your destiny if you know what it is."



The song's first known recording was as one of the tracks left off of his first album, Golden Feelings . This version is a very similar recording to the one on Mellow Gold , but for some minor differences, though it's really hard to tell for certain. The sample of the fight at the beginning goes about 6 or 7 seconds longer. The guitars and vocals seem to be going a bit faster, I think. I cannot figure out if the vocals are different... I think so, but I'm not sure. The deeper voice sounds the same (though with some longer spoken adlibs at the end like "Bring it on down for me, honey"), but the second one may be doing some minor things differently. The title of this outtake is given as "Shitkickin Speedtakin," which indicates that the title given on Mellow Gold might have been edited for major label release.



Beck's talent here really shines through, because "Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs" is such a lovely simple and uncluttered recording. There are just 4-tracks! The two acoustic guitars play around a very basic, easy riff, but they flow together wonderfully. The other two tracks are both Beck's voice: one falsetto, one deep. The backing vocals melt into the song and are immensely entertaining ("Come on honey, feel the grease! Oh my goodness!"). Beck has always been really good at harmonizing with himself.



Beck explains that his inspiration came when he was forced to leave the building due to this violent, insane fight. "I was so shook up by the thing that I pulled over on the freeway and I just wrote the lyrics out and then the next day came back and sang the lyrics over the song. It was one of those experiences where life writes the songs. Which is good." Beck's language to describe the fighting neighbors is perfect, funny, and at times striking. The first two verses are setting up the two different characters in this little battle. One is an "acid casualty with a repossessed car," the other is a "Vietnam vet playing air guitar." One is a "whiskey-faced buck-toothed backwoods creep," the other is a "Grizzly bear motherfucker [who] never goes to sleep." Beck nails the details perfectly, and his descriptions are clever and entertaining.



After an excellent, almost psychedelic-sounding guitar solo, Beck alludes to the characters' drug use: "Bellyfloppin' naked in a pool of yellow sweat / Screaming jack-ass with a wet cigarette." Beck has used the phrase "wet cigarette" a few times before, and it probably refers to drugs. This side of the song was important enough to be included as a parenthetical title. Beck introduced "Truckdrivin'" in concert on March 25 1997 by calling it a "true-life song. This is urban tragedy. This is a 1990s gothic tale of a duo, of tragedy and self-abuse. Not to be exploited. Not to be frowned down on. Just to be heard."As this implies, this song takes its inspiration from a very true, ugly story. Fortunately Beck finds a bit of humor in it all, but it still is somewhat frightening. Beck explains, "It was a real experience. I wouldn't have written a song like that. I was shook up, 'cause two fellows, they were very abusive and they were living right below you, so it impinges on your life and I can hear them all day and finally they had a huge brawl."The opening sample is of that very fight, and that's where the story begins. Beck recalls, "When I was recording the song in my living room and they were out front screaming at each other and I couldn't...I had to stop recording my song. And it was strange because I was recording the music for the song; I hadn't written words yet. And I couldn't record anymore because they were too loud and I just left. I had to leave 'cause it was too hectic. When I came back I had all this...I had the song and then after they had this argument...it's too bad I lost the tape that has the original argument 'cause the argument went on for 40 minutes. It was unbelievable. I put 2 seconds of it on there. Pretty classic. But somebody out there has it." Another time Beck calls it "a special tape, filled with horrible things that will destroy your destiny if you know what it is."The song's first known recording was as one of the tracks left off of his first album,. This version is a very similar recording to the one on, but for some minor differences, though it's really hard to tell for certain. The sample of the fight at the beginning goes about 6 or 7 seconds longer. The guitars and vocals seem to be going a bit faster, I think. I cannot figure out if the vocals are different... I think so, but I'm not sure. The deeper voice sounds the same (though with some longer spoken adlibs at the end like "Bring it on down for me, honey"), but the second one may be doing some minor things differently. The title of this outtake is given as "Shitkickin Speedtakin," which indicates that the title given onmight have been edited for major label release.Beck's talent here really shines through, because "Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs" is such a lovely simple and uncluttered recording. There are just 4-tracks! The two acoustic guitars play around a very basic, easy riff, but they flow together wonderfully. The other two tracks are both Beck's voice: one falsetto, one deep. The backing vocals melt into the song and are immensely entertaining ("Come on honey, feel the grease! Oh my goodness!"). Beck has always been really good at harmonizing with himself.Beck explains that his inspiration came when he was forced to leave the building due to this violent, insane fight. "I was so shook up by the thing that I pulled over on the freeway and I just wrote the lyrics out and then the next day came back and sang the lyrics over the song. It was one of those experiences where life writes the songs. Which is good." Beck's language to describe the fighting neighbors is perfect, funny, and at times striking. The first two verses are setting up the two different characters in this little battle. One is an "acid casualty with a repossessed car," the other is a "Vietnam vet playing air guitar." One is a "whiskey-faced buck-toothed backwoods creep," the other is a "Grizzly bear motherfucker [who] never goes to sleep." Beck nails the details perfectly, and his descriptions are clever and entertaining.After an excellent, almost psychedelic-sounding guitar solo, Beck alludes to the characters' drug use: "Bellyfloppin' naked in a pool of yellow sweat / Screaming jack-ass with a wet cigarette." Beck has used the phrase "wet cigarette" a few times before, and it probably refers to drugs. This side of the song was important enough to be included as a parenthetical title.