hmmm... in case anyone is still thinking about those lyrics... I remember seeing an explanation of the spit or swallow thing somewhere.. oh found it
as quoted by Speed on the soilworkers.com message board:
"Hello people!
I think it´s time for me to do a little statement and especially about the lyric on the song Mercury Shadow.
As I´m happily engaged with my girlfriend Eva it would be pretty useless for me to write a lyric about homosexuality, even though I´m tired of all homophobic people out there.
But what I mean in the lyric is that I´m searching for some kind of cure against hate, if there is such thing that is...
Something that can make people look forward after a traumatic experience and make them realize something or give them insight. When I´m singing "We know how to spit or swallow, bring out the mercury shadow" I certainly don´t mean that I want to make love in a Ford Mustang 66´, what I mean is that we often face the point when we must decide if you should accept or not accept an horrible experince that we´re going through. Sometimes you can´t decide what to do and you want to make another decision that´s beyond this world. And this decision ladies and gentlemen is the cure with the wonderful name Mercury Shadow!
In Flamer really figured out a good songtitle for that song I must say...
I hope this explanation will help you a lot when you´re sitting there and listening to the album and wondering what the hell I´m singing about...
Take care people and keep up the soilworking!
All the best, Speed"