In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I'll lose some sales and my boss won't be happy
But I can't stop listening to the sound
Of two soft voices blended in perfection
From the reels of this record that I've found
Every day there's a boy in the mirror
Asking me "What are you doing here?"
Finding all my previous motives
Growing increasingly unclear
I've traveled far and I've burned all the bridges
I believed as soon as I hit land
All the other options held before me
Would wither in the light of my plan
So I'll lose some sales and my boss won't be happy
But there's only one thing on my mind
Searching boxes underneath the counter
On a chance that on a tape I'd find
A song for
Someone who needs somewhere
To long for
Homesick
Cause I no longer know
Where home is
But I can't stop listening to the sound
Of two soft voices blended in perfection
From the reels of this record that I've found
Every day there's a boy in the mirror
Asking me "What are you doing here?"
Finding all my previous motives
Growing increasingly unclear
I've traveled far and I've burned all the bridges
I believed as soon as I hit land
All the other options held before me
Would wither in the light of my plan
So I'll lose some sales and my boss won't be happy
But there's only one thing on my mind
Searching boxes underneath the counter
On a chance that on a tape I'd find
A song for
Someone who needs somewhere
To long for
Homesick
Cause I no longer know
Where home is
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Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Woweee. I just love this song. The soft way the voices blend together are an obvious imitation of S&G's style. This whole song has a lovely 60's vibe to it, seeming to play off a lot of popular songs from that decade. The lyrics match the melody perfectly too, and even though I've only heard this song, I already love Kings of Convenience, they must be geniuses. =) But what I really wanted to say was how this spoke to me directly....especially the last few phrases:
"a song for someone who needs somewhere to long for
homesick cause I no longer know where home is"
It nearly made me cry, because having grown up in a foreign country and only visited my 'homeland' a couple times has left me with a strong sense of...homesickness. It's like I always feel homesick. I don't know where I'm from, where I fit in, where I should go. And this song expresses those feelings so hopelessly and perfectly. It makes me feel sad, but it also feels good to know that somebody else has felt the same restless, empty homesickness... At least I have Heaven, the place I can really call home - but until I get there, this will be my theme song. So that's my interpretation of this song. =D
I agree musicgypsy. It's an amazing comparison the one you made. It just made me remember that it's the same way I feel. It's just that after many years that you are in that kind of 'in-between existence' it feel like that one is the the normality. That questions like where I belong? or what am I gonna do? do not really kick in anymore. They're always there, but you are used to them. And then the only things that remains is to think of home as being incarnate by yourself. You are your home, and thus you are always home, but sometimes you feel like you are never at home.<br />
So I've been a college student for about 4 years now... and I'm probably not going to be graduating on time. I've just been feeling a bit lost and this constant feeling of homesick no matter where I'm at. Even if I am "home" I still get that empty uncomfortable feeling, and it just makes the feeling worse because I am "home".
I feel like when I look at myself in the mirror there is this voice inside me asking me "are you happy here?" or "what are we going to do next? what's the plan?" ....
I feel like that's what this song is about. I thought I was the only one who felt like this but glad to see that I'm not :)
Such a good song, but ever so sad. WoW....a real tearjerker.
Makes me think about heaven - or at least, a home that has no address, where God lives. Listened to this a lot last term - my first term at uni - to remind myself that I don't belong in a place, only in friendships and relationships and in church. Plus the Kings don't seem to care about jobs! Only music. And that's how I feel now. :)
I'll also add that I know alot of people in their mid 40's and 50's that came to the conclusion that something was missing in their life- some misticism, perhaps, something to dream about as we do when young. Some activity, or sight or sound that brings out the emotion in us.
As to this example, I picture a frustrated person working on an office of some sort - and how dull his life is, with nothing to dream about, no big emotions, just a blank life. So he listens to this song - yes, it reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel too - and suddenly he has something to hang on to... a beautiful picture, if you ask me.
This song is me.
I think its about finding home in music, because home is no where else.
B-E-A-UTIFUL!!!!! yeh i agree with testemunha he's deffinately tring to find some answers in the music. Does he work in a music store or something? its a really fantastic song.
I agree about the meaning. It also seems to have a lot of Simon and Garfunkel references: the title, 2 soft voices blended, boy in the mirror, bridges... And the sound of the song. Breathtaking.
It's an unbelievable song - definitely something to do with Simon and Garfunkel, you just have to listen to the harmonies to hear it.
Beautiful song, indeed. My favorite on Riot...