Retrovertigo
My Favorite Song Lyrics

IGuest...

I asked the writer of the song, Trevor Dunn, exactly what the song was about...I always knew what it was about and what it meant to me (a helluva lot, I can never get thru listening to the song without crying at least once)...

Anyways, this is what Trevor replied to me on his website last year:

YOUR QUESTION:
Name: Tony A question regarding Retrovertigo, if I may ? Is that song written from a first person perspective ? And is that person you ?

If so, what is that persons viewpoint/state of mind with regard to the subject of the lyric ?

If it isnt written from a first person viewpoint, please feel free to tell me from what viewpoint it was written from and as I said, their state of mind with regard to the subject of the song...

MY ANSWER:
Yes, if I am remembering correctly, it is a first person perspective, that person being me. Without explaining too much, which I loathe in terms of lyrics, the state of mind was disillusionment with a world or society that values image and money over human life. While certain "retro" fashions and lifestyles are considered hip, the on-going tradition of human suffering continues. As the world progresses technologically, certain people value and emulate "the good ol' days", while others are born into poverty never having progressed past the dark ages. The title "retrovertigo" is a term I came up with to describe my nausea regarding this phenomena. At the time I was living in SF where swing dancing was making a come-back, silicon valley was exploding, vintage clothes were expensive, and the notion that anything could be bought or sold--a soul, a tragedy, the end of the world---seemed viable.

Http://trevordunn.Net/qa2007.Html

-reply by Rilence