Big Black Monster

[CREEP2]

I think the "monster" is absolutely, without question, alluding to either his problems with addiction or with his bipolar disorder.  I don't think it would make a difference which he was referring to - everyone has their demons.

At it's roots, this one's about Scotty and his disappearing act.  After being called out on it ("What have you got to say?") - he offers such a typical Weiland, tongue-in-cheek response, that one can't help but smile: "A big black monster flew right in."  I freaking love it.  Then, as if to reaffirm his statement and prove that he wasn't lying, he offers the following: "Did you hear the monster come out?  He came crashing in!"

If he doesn't play this in Chicago, the SWBGC (if there is one) may be forced to take a turn for the worse.

Edit:  I had to look up the term Bonnie Brae - turns out, it means "pretty hill" in Scottish.

This is one of those songs that he should play I like to think it is one of the more popular songs off both disks.

[stpnj2008]

As much as I try, I just can't get into this track.

[capt_caveman]

I thought that Bonnie Brae was a street in LA.

[down]

I love everything about this song. The vocals are perfect, and all the layers of sound do make me want to shake my ass.
I could see/hear it on CSI..

I never took it that he was answering the question of where he was/had disappeared to with the explanation of a big black monster, but rather that this big black monster was taking over his life, and the 'did you hear', is really directed toward himself (he is the monster, but he can't tell the difference]

[CMCracker]

I don't think the monster is the drugs...I was trying to explain this song to my sister the other day.  My interpretation of it is that He left the house to get some "cigs" and never came back(out doing drugs) and that she isn't listening to his explanation(falls on deaf ears) but he can't come up with a better excuse than a monster came out and got him...

My love this song...my sister thought it was stupid till i explained what I thought it meant

[hawk900]

Bonnie Brae
True to our mission, Bonnie Brae (which means 'pretty hill' in Scottish) is one of the nation's preeminent therapeutic learning environments for troubled adolescent boys who have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. Our Board Of Trustees and our skilled professionals make up the dynamic team that's been helping troubled young boys become men since 1918.

My first interpretation of the big black monster = death and the song is about his brother not him.

Hawk.

[STPGurl]

Nah, I'm with Cori.  It's about his "failures" as a husband (I use quotes because I assume that's his feeling) and his excuses for all his time away from home.  This time, his excuse is the Big Black Monster - which came a-crashing in.  Any excuse he'd have given would have "fallen on deaf ears" - wifey was sick of it.  So why not lay blame on a Big Black Monster?

[Suffer_Long]

The song made me remember a great Esquire article Weiland did back in 2005- "The Devil Gives you the First Time for Free" http://http://www.esquire.com/ESQ0405WEILAND_132

Here's part of the article that explains what I think the Big Black Monster is:

There was a period when I was shooting so much cocaine that I think I broke into another dimension. I opened a door, but I let some things in that were malevolent and aggressive. Sometimes it was just like a sort of dark almost presence. Sometimes I could see it a bit more. And the weird thing was, my dogs were totally aware of it. They would be aware of it even before I was aware of it, usually two to three seconds before I would sense it coming. And my dogs, depending, would act in different ways. Either they would come to me and, like, try to make me feel comforted, sometimes almost molesting me, you know, trying to lick it off me or something. Or sometimes, if they felt threatened or felt that I was being threatened, they would bark or growl. Or sometimes, if it was something monstrous, they would just split. Or sometimes they would whimper. One of them was an English cocker spaniel. She would always just split the scene like immediately. But my big dog, a really big male golden retriever, he was a strong-willed dog. He liked to bark and protect me. But sometimes, even he was terrified. Like a couple of times, there was this thing that was huge. I couldn't really tell the shape of it, but it was almost to the ceiling. It would pound on the wood floors as it would move forward.
I guess it lasted for a couple of months. I became so terrified that I didn't want to experience it anymore.

Overall, I think this song talks about the times he'd dissapear for a few days while doing drugs.  He'd act like he'd just be going out for a bit (to get some cigarettes), but it would turn into a multi-day drug binge.  Afterwords he feels guilt  towards his lover for lying, and he's ultimately left with himself due to his actions (that's why he's stranded "Bonnie Brae" style).  The "Big Black Monster" was this evil thing he'd see that would come out while he was high, and it scared him (that's why he asks "Did you see the monster come out", and then says he's crashing).

[Suffer_Long]

wickedgarden23- Damn, I don't know how I missed your post.  Sorry about that.  At least we're on the same page.

I'm an idiot.

[wickedgarden23]

wickedgarden23- Damn, I don't know how I missed your post.  Sorry about that.  At least we're on the same page.

I'm an idiot.

Haha it's all good. No worries

[Lazy Divey]

My 8 year old niece loves this song.  She makes me put it on whenever I pick her up from school.