Assassin

[Reads audience question:] “One song of yours that you don't want to play ever again.” That's a good question. I don't think I want to play "Assassin." I don't think I want to play "Assassin" again. It’s something about it. Don't hold me to that, because I might do it at some point. [But] it reminds me personally of a time when I was looking at things with a sensibility that was — like, the Battle Studies sensibility was a little dark for me. Like, relatively dark, for me. I'm not a very dark person, as is probably well known. But that's a little too intense a predatory thing. I don't dig the predatory vibe. But I like the music. But, hey, you never know. That’s a really good question. I enjoy that question.

what was the fastest you've ever written a song and the slowest

Fast: Gravity, You’re Gonna Live, Never on the Day… Slow: Assassin, Belief, Still Feel Like Your Man (that bridge was a PUZZLE)

Caller: Will you allow me to try to convince you to reintroduce "Assassin?"

JM: Interesting question. There's a song called "Assassin" that is probably the most reflective of the period in my life where I'd lost myself. There are two ways you can say it. A, "I drifted from myself," B, "I was a douchebag." Depends on how you want to look at it. And that song is a little bit flatironed. You know? Remember when I had, like, flatironed my hair? The more flatironed my hair was, the more upset I was as a human being. And so the song is a little bit too shallow for me.

It's about [mocking aggressive voice] "I came over to have sex with you, and run, but like, you actually were having sex with *me* and running!" And I'm like, I don't relate to that. But I might play it again someday. Once I'm sure that I'm far enough away from it. Which I think I am at this point.