This is Michael Penn’s first appearance on the blog in three and a half years, when I named his sophomore album Free-For-All my second-favorite of 1992. Today’s song comes from the same album.
I have a theory on why Penn never became a bigger star. I think his lyrics are just too inscrutable. His one hit, ‘No Myth,’ was easy enough to decipher. “What if I were Romeo in black jeans?” is a great, memorable line that doesn’t make you scratch your head like so many of this later songs.
Take a look at today’s random SOTD. It’s not exactly written in code, but it doesn’t make immediate sense, either. Not the way most hit songs do.
To be clear, I don’t mean that as a criticism. I love Penn’s wordplay, even when I have no idea what those words mean. I just think he might have sold more records if he had dumbed things down, or cleared them up.
A blank spot
temptations
do resist.
The other shoe will drop
just an aftershock
Nice hat; you look like a referee
Nice watch; but why are you timing me?
Its spring has come unwound
I was not out of bounds
This is not out
I drew that line
when I was handed free time.
Bells clang
I guess it’s a holiday
Did that rhyme?
Shit! I’m a poet now.
So give me stuff for free
and if I do somehow
Into the soft whites
of beautiful lies
stare down
stare
I don’t apologize
I’ve never been the kind
to close an open mind
so leave behind all that extra free time.
Picked a lock and hopped some fences
that won’t do
Burning these = a bad example
finding out = a Roman candle
If I’m pale, it doesn’t mean something’s wrong
If I’m blue, I just held my breath too long
So if you wouldn’t mind
just do the deal and I’ll be real sublime
when I get all your free time.
Meet Me In Montauk 
Your theory may be right. Meanwhile, I really like this song. I need to play more of this album.