RIP Mr Vertigo

[u/NHBuckeye]

A true legend on the flying trapeze, but the 50 mph winds this week were too strong and broke him. 😢

Guess it’s time for a new set.

[u/NHBuckeye]

Here’s an old pic of the whole set

[u/ETRevelator34 → u/NHBuckeye]

That's cool as hell

[u/SuperNin10Bros → u/NHBuckeye]

BRILLIANT!!

[u/Still-Living-3127]

That grave does not look shallow

[u/strippersandcocaine → u/Still-Living-3127]

How can he even feel the rain?

[u/haribopeaches]

I sat behind a guy at forest hills this year who was wearing a sick custom tie dye jersey that said MR VERTIGO and number 92. He got so excited when Gravedigger started and then had a whole choreographed dance with his jersey during that part. A real treat!

[u/NHBuckeye → u/haribopeaches]

It’s like the guys who show up in the Pig costumes. I always try to get a pic w the pig. ❤️

[u/Browns_Body_Mould]

Ooh, I know this one....

Dave Matthews talks about Gravedigger in the recent-ish SIrius XM interview with Bruce and Nolan. They ask him if there is a line in a song that brings him joy every time he sings it, and he names that line:

"When he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze
1940 to 1992"

He makes the point that there is an irony that that Mr. Vertigo lives longer than the kid, but the whole song is filled with people who are all dead now.

[u/prstele01 → u/Browns_Body_Mould]

Oh well if that’s what Dave says, then I suppose I’ll concede my interpretation.

[u/deathraypa]

I always thought it was 1940 to 1990. I guess the the 1990 into the number two threw me off.

[u/B00TYMASTER → u/deathraypa]

same

[u/Quirky_Attempt9458 → u/deathraypa]

Always felt it should be ‘93 for rhyming.

[u/prstele01]

I always thought Mr Vertigo was little Mikey Carson 67-75 bc when he wanted to BE Mr Vertigo on the flying trapeze.

1940-1992 is someone never revealed.

[u/genawesome → u/prstele01]

Little Mikey Carson is 67-75.

Mr. Vertigo 1940-1992.

"Little Mikey Carson '67 to '75 He rode his bike like the devil until the day he died

When he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze 1940 to 1992"

[u/B00TYMASTER → u/genawesome]

yes im curious how anyone is interpreting it as anything different lol

[u/genawesome → u/B00TYMASTER]

Thanks for the backup, Booty Master.

[u/Educational-Gas5303 → u/B00TYMASTER]

Kinda sounds like "1940 to 1990, To Gravedigger: ..." Doesn't make much sense if you think about it, but that's what I heard at first.

[u/hellogovna → u/Educational-Gas5303]

It rhymes better your way.

[u/headybuzzard → u/Educational-Gas5303]

That’s what I always thought too

[u/Difficult-Ad8785 → u/Educational-Gas5303]

That is actually how I understood it as well. Like it is a letter to the Gravedigger on how to dig his grave so the to Gravedigger does make sense.

[u/prstele01 → u/genawesome]

You are separating the verse where it isn’t separated.

Mikey Carson wants to grow up to be someone called Mr. vertigo on the flying trapeze.

The dates for Mr. vertigo don’t make any sense if it’s 1940 to 1992.

[u/genawesome → u/prstele01]

I separated it to illustrate why I make the connection.

Reading it and hearing it, it seems clear to me that Dave is saying Mr Vertigo was 1940-1992. It doesn't make sense to me that Dave would say a person's name and then the years for just a different random person.

I'm curious why to you the dates 1940-1992 for Mr. Vertigo don't make sense?

Clearly people can, and do disagree with me. Just seems straightforward to me. But I could always be wrong. Can someone call Dave and ask so we can all settle this? :D

[u/reagan_baby → u/prstele01]

I think the point is to paint the picture of the death of Mikey as being that much more tragic. He was so young and had a charmingly childish plan for his future that was taken away because of his death, like wanting to grow up and be Spiderman.

[u/prstele01 → u/reagan_baby]

Yes, that is easily understood.

What we are discussing is that the last set of dates is something completely different and not related to Mikey Carson.

[u/reagan_baby → u/prstele01]

The motif in the song is he states a name and then states their birth and death dates, like he is reading thr text of a gravestone. He brought up Mr Vertigo's name to tell Mikey Carson's story and the tragedy of it. He punctuates that emotional climax by then adding Mr Vertigo's birth and death dates as well. Like, he dies too, everyone dies. We all fall down.

[u/DrumTrack → u/prstele01]

I agree with this. The lyrics lay it out this way, for sure.

[u/prstele01 → u/DrumTrack]

Yeah I don’t see how anyone sees the other way.

“Little Mikey Carson - 67-75
He rode his bike like the devil until the day he died.
When he grows up he wants to be Mr Vertigo on the flying trapeze.

Oh, 1940-1992.”

It feels like a seperate tag, and feels like Dave is referring to someone he knew but won’t name out of respect.

[u/InevitableNightmair → u/prstele01]

It’s not a separate tag everyone he names by name gets their date of birth and date of death. Everyone in the song is dead.

[u/prstele01 → u/InevitableNightmair]

I wasn’t aware Mr Vertigo was an actual person. It just seems like that’s something Little Mikey wants to be.

[u/InevitableNightmair → u/prstele01]

He’s a person in the context of the song, who little Mikey wants to emulate. So he has a birth and death date.

[u/Swtcherrypie → u/prstele01]

That’s how I always interpreted it.

[u/leslielantern]

Cyrus Jones lived forever

[u/savorydesserts]

Wait I might have a fix. I’ll message you. I’m making these right now with foam board and someone’s insta has a lot of tips with foam board.

[u/NHBuckeye → u/savorydesserts]

Oh thank you!

[u/Shot-Adeptness-8237]

Today I learned it’s 1940 to 1992! I always heard it as 1990, and then “to, Gravedigger” like it’s his directions TO him.