Famous Prophets (Stars)
Car Seat Headrest
Will Toledo, vocalist of indie rock band Car Seat Headrest, was born and raised in Leesburg, Virginia, and now lives in Seattle, Washington. Though now he is not explicitly religious, he was raised Presbyterian. Toledo is interested in religion, and this is evident in many of his songs, specifically Famous Prophets (stars).
From something as simple as the name of the song, the listener is aware that there will be religious references within the song. This is a song about loss and love and reconciliation. At the end of the song, the listener hears a choppy-sounding version of Corinthians 13:1 - 13:13.
"Love-
I gain nothing - I have love, I gain nothing - I have love...
If I give all I possess to the poor (all I possess to the poor) and give over my body to hardship (over my body to hardship) that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing - I gain nothing
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast-
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres-"
This further emphasizes Toledo’s helplessness in his relationship, but as this audio plays, it is interrupted by what is called the “Pain Star.” This is a concept that came from a dream one of Toledo’s friends once had. The idea was that once every few thousand years, a pain star would appear. If you were to touch it, you would suffer unfathomable pain, but only for a split second. It is often interpreted that he likens his (queer) relationship to touching the pain star.
"[Pain Star]
My
Be
Ohh
It'll take some time
It'll-It'll
Be
Aaah-ooh-aaah-ooo-oo-oooooh
Aaah
Don't see
Don't see each other-
We-
We don't see
We don't see-ee
Aah-ooh-aah
Aah
Aah
Somewhe-e-e-e-e-e-e-re-e-re down the
Down the
Down the line
Down the line
Down the line
-ch other
-ch other
Ohhhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ohhhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ba-ba-ba-ba
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
Ba-ba-ba-ba"
Toledo reframes this religious story by adding the character of the pain star. It offers an alternative perspective on the consequences of falling in love. In the bible verse, it highlights the beauty and importance of love, but by adding the idea of the pain star to this religious text, it emphasizes that where there is love, there can also be immense pain. But is it still worth it?
This album is part of an 8-year project by Toledo. Originally released in 2011, Toledo grew up and continued to live and reflect on his past, driving him to rerecord this album from his current perspective. The first version was entitled Twin Fantasy: Mirror to Mirror, and the 2018 version is entitled Twin Fantasy: Face to Face, alluding to the rest of this bible verse:
"[Spoken Outro: Reesa Mallen]
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. At the end of my childhood, I put these ways behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known
And now these two remain:"
Toledo is reclaiming this verse as he sees it applying to his own life. He has grown and changed over the years and has realized there was no way to fully see the situation for what it was as he was going through it. Additionally, the final line has been altered from three to two; this could be a reference to the two versions of the album or to him and his boyfriend. It is ambiguous.
From this information, we issue Famous Prophets (stars) by Car Seat Headrest a rating of:
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