Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Arabian Nights (3:52)
Available on Midnite Vultures and 4 other releases.
CreditsTony Hoffer: Engineer, Mix, Producer, Programming
Mickey Petralia: Mix
Beck Hansen: Producer, Programming, Vocals
DJ Swamp: Scratching
Lyrics:
Arabian Nights [Version (a)]:
Bazookas and fisticuffs
Meditating in Porsches
98-karat stickshift
Chinatown late night meals
Alfonzo giving me a backrub
2pm lazer bizzaginal rejuvenation
Triple album project
Detonatin' tracks like these
Magnums and Barettas
Part-time hostages at pottery classes
Blind date at the wax museum
Norwegian hockey players
Passed out in government limos
Prime ministers with cryogenic faces
Louis Vuitton suitcases
Autographs and paid vacations
Divorce papers and synthetic lubrications
Playing you like top-40 stations
Ah you know the deal
Arabian nights, white satellites
Voodoo is tight like sleek diamond ice
Airbrushed memories strewn like
Pamphlets into thick Mississippis
Time-lapse footage of duct tape lies
Animal frequencies piercing deoderized nerves
Cosmetic procedures on the cartilage of apocalypse
Mannequin tycoons with airport piano bar mystiques
Remodeling conjugal amaracus
Flexing like suburban Spartacus
Getting smacked up by unemployed hand models
Running out into traffic with Beaujolais bottles
Arabian nights, white satellites
Voodoo is tight, like sleek diamond ice
Bazookas and fisticuffs
Meditating in Porsches
98-karat stickshift
Chinatown late night meals
Alfonzo giving me a backrub
2pm lazer bizzaginal rejuvenation
Triple album project
Detonatin' tracks like these
Magnums and Barettas
Part-time hostages at pottery classes
Blind date at the wax museum
Norwegian hockey players
Passed out in government limos
Prime ministers with cryogenic faces
Louis Vuitton suitcases
Autographs and paid vacations
Divorce papers and synthetic lubrications
Playing you like top-40 stations
Ah you know the deal
Arabian nights, white satellites
Voodoo is tight like sleek diamond ice
Airbrushed memories strewn like
Pamphlets into thick Mississippis
Time-lapse footage of duct tape lies
Animal frequencies piercing deoderized nerves
Cosmetic procedures on the cartilage of apocalypse
Mannequin tycoons with airport piano bar mystiques
Remodeling conjugal amaracus
Flexing like suburban Spartacus
Getting smacked up by unemployed hand models
Running out into traffic with Beaujolais bottles
Arabian nights, white satellites
Voodoo is tight, like sleek diamond ice
The Song:
"Arabian Nights" would have fit in quite perfectly on Midnite Vultures, had it been recorded in time for inclusion. It is one of Vultures' B-sides, appearing originally on "Mixed Bizness" singles.
The liner notes credit Tony Hoffer as co-producer, sound designer, engineer, co-programmer, and co-mixer, so it's probably safe to assume it was a track cooked up by Beck and Tony one lovely day. A nice piano riff sets the mood, while DJ Swamp adds some killer scratching, especially during the intro. No instruments are credited at all, even for the chill band coda.
"Arabian Nights" is in full Hollywood Freak mode: "Meditating in Porsches," "Louis Vuitton suitcases," "paid vacations," "cosmetic procedures," and "divorce papers" abound. All of the worldly locations mentioned (Chinatown, Norway, Arabia, Mississippi) add to the flavor. Many of the songs on Midnite Vultures similarly refereneced exotic locales in their lyrics. The music is a little over-the-top (it begins with a shootout in a barnyard!), but never turns into too much of a novelty (which is true for most of Vultures, actually).
"Arabian Nights" would have fit in quite perfectly on Midnite Vultures, had it been recorded in time for inclusion. It is one of Vultures' B-sides, appearing originally on "Mixed Bizness" singles.
The liner notes credit Tony Hoffer as co-producer, sound designer, engineer, co-programmer, and co-mixer, so it's probably safe to assume it was a track cooked up by Beck and Tony one lovely day. A nice piano riff sets the mood, while DJ Swamp adds some killer scratching, especially during the intro. No instruments are credited at all, even for the chill band coda.
"Arabian Nights" is in full Hollywood Freak mode: "Meditating in Porsches," "Louis Vuitton suitcases," "paid vacations," "cosmetic procedures," and "divorce papers" abound. All of the worldly locations mentioned (Chinatown, Norway, Arabia, Mississippi) add to the flavor. Many of the songs on Midnite Vultures similarly refereneced exotic locales in their lyrics. The music is a little over-the-top (it begins with a shootout in a barnyard!), but never turns into too much of a novelty (which is true for most of Vultures, actually).
Notes:
- In one interview, Beck explained how "2pm lazer bizaginal rejuvenation," appearing here in "Arabian Nights", influenced much of the mood of Midnite Vultures. "About a year ago, I started seeing these ads in the paper for 'Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation,'" he said. "First it was a little ad. The next week, it was twice as big. And after a month, it was a full page--it just took over. Something in that triggered a bunch of associations and projections. Like, what kind of activities do you have to engage in to get to the point where you need to bring a laser into the equation? The new album exists in that realm."
- "Remodeling conjugal amaracus" was a posted interpretation of one line of the song from the bbs.beck.com. Amaracus is a type of flower, which could be part of the sexual word play Beck employed throughout his Midnite Vultures tracks. But, honestly, it sounds like "Antarcticas" to me!
- "Arabian Nights" is a reference to the legendary 1001 Arabian Nights: a collection of fairy tales passed down through the centuries, the most famous being "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad" and "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp." The travel and riches and stories and treasure and romance fit uniquely well into the modern hiphop lingo Beck is using. Leave it to Beck to make the connection!
- Beaujolais is a region in France that makes eponymous wine. Similarly, Louis Vuitton is a French designer.
- What are "thick Mississippis"? Rivers? A brand of something I'm not cool enough to know about? Beck.com says it is "fifth Mississippis."
- In around 2000, Beck did a joint interview with Outkast, basically just a conversation about music with both Andre and Big Boi. Near the end, Beck told them, "I'm gonna send you a B-side that I did a couple years ago that was very influenced by ATLiens. It's called "Arabian Nights"." He then said it was his tribute to them.