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“How They Suffer”, according to Michael Gira, serves as a tribute to the parents of both Gira and Jarboe, with the understanding that their generation of people were on their way out. There are two voice recordings present on the piece with a mournful synth melody in between them.
Gira’s father die...
[Recording 1: Robert Gira]
It's not as much a deterioration fact it's the disease I have
Which er, uh, the- the right eye is blind as you know
And that was done, er, unfortunately
As-as a result of a detached retina
And the retina they could never splice together
They tried to seal it together and couldn't
And told me I'd lose my eyesight at that y'know
O-o-o- short or long term I would lose it
And unfortunately... er the... retinal- uh
A retinal det-detachment started in my left eye
My good eye, which I still have today
And it was the result of glaucoma...
And... a retinal... not detachment but a retinal... er, er
I don't know what the hell they call it
But uh, today, uh
I am what they call legally
Because of this retinal problem and er glaucoma, er
I-I'm what they call... erm...
Legally blind
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Recording 2: Jarboe's mother & Jarboe]
Today I do not have a fever
I feel about the same as I ... did yesterday
I- I'm trying to eat a little better, so I can get stronger
(You exercising?)
I'm exercising by just walking around the, around the house
Went out in the yard just Wednesday
(You have a headache?)
No, I don't think I have a headache
(A little dizzy, today?)
Maybe slightly dizzy
(You feel weaker? Or stronger than you did yesterday?)
Just o- just overnight
I don't seem to be much different over one
Over one night yesterday to today
Takes a little bit longer than that
(Any aches and pains anywhere? Or on when you fell?
Or when you fell on your heater, having your exercise?)
Well, that's the, that's sore, about where I fell on the heater
(Where?)
Here, well I guess here
(Where is that?)
I dunno what you call that
(Does it hurt when you breathe?)
[Cough, cough]
It hurts a little bit when I breathe in a little deeply
(D'you sleep at all?)
Well if you're asleep you can't tell whether you're asleep
How They Suffer was written by Michael Gira.
How They Suffer was produced by Michael Gira.
Swans released How They Suffer on Tue Oct 22 1996.
I didn’t see my father again until ‘86 when he came back to America. That’s when I put water under the bridge and spent a great deal of time with him, interviewed him on cassette quite a bit. Everybody’s human and has shortcomings – God knows, I’m replete with them – but he’s my father. As I grew ol...