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Points| Elliott Smith – No Confidence Man Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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I think Freja got it spot on. While drug abuse might be a secondary meaning, I think the first meaning is pretty straightforward- sexual abuse by his stepfather. Later in his career Elliott would talk about his stepfather's physical and sexual abuse. I'm sure that was the subject of his song 'Abused' as well. The only thinkg I am not sure about is the rubber loop- maybe a condom, but a loop and children makes me think of a belt loop like someone might use to abuse a child with. I like Freja's theory about the play on words of 'confidence man'. An interesting interpretation since 'no confidence' can apply both to Charlie (Elliott has no confidence in him since he betrayed him and also implies that Elliott lost confidence in himself since he is considering 'checking out' (if Freja's interpretation of the 'wake up your friend' lyric is correct). What puzzles me is the Flowers for Charlie song. Flowers for Charlie appears to be a song in which Elliott forgives his stepfather. Assuming that Elliott really was sexually abused by his stepfather (which the stepfather vehemently denied), how could Elliott come to forgive him for that? What's also disturbing in that song is the lyric 'kiss me quickly' which seems to have a sexual connotation. Well, only Elliott and his stepfather really know what this is all about. |
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| Richard Harris – MacArthur Park Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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I'm surprised no one has commented yet that Webb wrote this song about a relationship he had with Susan Rondstadt (Linda's cousin). She worked across the street from MacArthur Park and this is where she and Webb would hang out. I don't know the history of their relationship, but the lyrics make me wonder if Webb somehow sabotaged the relationship to fail. Maybe putting inane lyrics to such beautiful music is his analogy of how he took a beautiful relationship to ruin it. That would have been clever. Thought if that was his intent, it didn't work since the song was a hit. Webb and Susan are apparently still friends. |
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| Neil Young – Cinnamon Girl Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| Well,I like cinnamon and girls so I really can't help but like this song. Now if is was called chamomile or coriandor girl, I think I and many others may have had some serious issues with this song. So he definitely got his herb right (btw as a side note Simon and Garfunkle made good choices as well with Sage, Rosemary and Thyme in Scarborough Fair- those 60's groups really knew their herbs!) Oh, and this song has a killer riff too. | |
| Neil Young – Cinnamon Girl Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| Well,I like cinnamon and girls so I really can't help but like this song. Now if is was called chamomile or coriandor girl, I think I and many others may have had some serious issues with this song. So he definitely got his herb right (btw as a side note Simon and Garfunkle made good choices as well with Sage, Rosemary and Thyme in Scarborough Fair- those 60's groups really knew their herbs!) Oh, and this song has a killer riff too. | |
| Neil Young – Sedan Delivery Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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Great grunge song written 10 years before the grunge movement took off. Neil Young is def the godfather of grunge. Yeah, I think the song is about a drug runner. Love the imagery in the song- playing pool with a woman with vericose veins, losing blood at the dentist, the mad scientist in the lab making drugs. Great sleazy, grungy song. Like the Chrome Dreams version better than later versions of the song. |
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| Neil Young – Powderfinger Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| Oh another thought I had was whether this might be an allegory for Neil Young's life in the music industry. I don't know that much about his history to know what was going on with his career when he was 22. Wondering if he was going through a tough time with the critics and maybe he took a potentially career fatal stand with his music at the time. I know he steered toward "the ditch" after Harvest but don't know how this corresponds with his age. Also perhaps he was having trouble with drug use at the time which might give a double-meaning to the word powderfinger? Don't know if this angle has been explored before. I always find it fascinating when musicians use allegories to describe what is going on in their lives. | |
| Neil Young – Powderfinger Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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I agree with the comments that this song is probably intended is an anti-war or anti-gun song. Clearly the dad would have gotten the family out and run away "red means run son, numbers add up to nothing." I take it the red refers to the red beacon on the boat or identifying the type of individuals on the boat. But then again, maybe the dad would have only fled this kind of foe, but stood up to another enemy. So it's hard to say if it really is anti-gun or anti-war. Regarding the context for the song, I agree with the commeents that the song seems to take place in the South with the reference to 'Emmy Lou' and possibly during the Civil War- the powder loaded gun. Also, the guy's reference that he hopes 'they didn't come to stay' makes me think of scattered soldiers taking over people's houses as refuge. I don't agree with the theory that these are federal officers breaking up a still. You would think that the young guy would be on the lookout for that- instead he doesn't seem to know who is on the boat. Also, the guys on the boat take a first shot at the dock- seems to be a pretty hostile action for federal agents. This reinforces my thought that these might be scattered or renegade soldiers. At the end of the song, the narrator has regret. But it is hard to say if it is regret for having tried to fire on the enemy or simply being put in that situation where he had to be the one to protect his family. The line 'cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger' seems like he wants peace of mind that he had good motives in firing the gun- protecting his family. So hard to say what the song is really about. I've always thought of it as a heroic song about a young guy in a tough situation who does his best to protect his family though he doesn't necessarily think he is the best one for the job. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in His Hair Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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Wow, this is such a cool song. Love reading the comments, it really helped me understand the song. The song definitely seems to be about a cheating lover. I have a slightly different take on some parts of the song. In the first part, it appears that he is reflecting that he finally understands the consequences of cheating (from the poker to prize). Then he introduces the woman who caused him to cheat- having a mind to make him a 'messenger man'. My guess is that the woman wants to get back at her husband/boyfriend and by cheating with the narrator, sends him a 'message'. So she always intended to make it public which causes him trouble with his wife later in the song. In the second stanza, I think the 'national plan' the dad subscribed to is simply leading an ordinary life (not necessarily in the military). The apron could refer to a butcher's apron. Taking the pillow cases off the pillows and making a property line around the bed I think just indicates his plans to cheat. The morning papers just refers to his disgust with a mundane, regular life. The next part refers to the cheating. All the things I haven't had before I think refers to the sexual activity they were engaged in. At the end, the lover tells Bobby to just forget her and not look back. The next stanza I don't think refers to his wife's suicide. I think it refers to the wife attempting to kill Bobby. Perhaps they are so poor they can't afford a car, or maybe just one- the one Bobby used to drive to have his affair. In his mind, he probably saw his wife trying to kill him if she ever caught him cheating. The shadfly is a good analogy- procreate and die. Also perhaps a double metaphor for the chickens coming home to roost- his bad deed catching up with him. The final stanza about the aftershave I think again refers to Bobby. I don't think that the song shifts perspectives as others have speculated. I think Bobby, not being wealthy, uses aftershave as cologne and his wife knows this. So when she smells it on him, she knows he has cheated. Great song! |
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| Sufjan Stevens – The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| On other observation. The title refers to a 'predatory' wasp which again makes me think this is about the narrator of the song preying on his friend, unintenionally through teasing. Thinking about it some more, I don't think it has to do with physically abuse, but unintended emotional abuse through teasing. I think the wasp represents the guilt Sufjan feels for possibly causing his friend to run away. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Borderline Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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This song is one of my favorite Sufjan Stevens songs right now. Such an evocative song. Hard to believe this was relegated as a b-side. Simply beautiful. I also think this song has to do with boderline personality disorder. It so bittersweet how the narrator sets the scene with a wonderful lover and satisfied home (not hole). He then transitions to the 'sad' part- sudden sad (not said) brother (the narrator). With the resigned lament of 'what do you care?' The boderline partner is so depressed and listless as to not care about the wonderful lover. Apparently the disorder appeared 4-5 years ago and the loving partner may have never engaged in the relationship had he known about the disorder ('I wouldn't receive it'). The song also indicates that the boderline partner is physically abusive "I'll take the stitches you put in my head". But the caring partner is willing to put up with the abuse if the boderline partner gets out of their depressed mood and puts up their head. The parts that are a bit confusing to me has to do with take the pictures, run down the park and run down the ark. I'll guess that the depressed partner won't leave the house. Perhaps the loving partner will show them pictures of the outside world? The running down the park maybe means he would run for joy if the depressed partner perked up? The running down the ark I will interpret as renewing the marriage/love covenant between them if partner snaps out of their mood. I like the end of the song where Sufjan and the female vocalist almost individually say the 'losing my mind' lyric. As if both the loving partner and the borderline partner both feel like they are losing their minds. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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I have to admit that I have not read all of the comments for this song, but I did read about half. So I apologize if I am repeating prior interpretations :) Sufjan is one heck of a lyricist. Love this song and the music. As other posters have commented, it makes sense to me that this song is a reflection of a summer camp trip that Sufjan took with his brother and his friend Franco. In the first stanza, I interpret this to be a young Sufjan, perhaps shortly after the trip writing about his experience. I think a key experience of the trip was the fascination with the predatory wasp. The idea continues to intrigue sufjan that he imagines that it either followed him home or magically appears in his room at night ('thinking outrageously'). I believe the layers of coats and leg warmers are to prevent him from being stung by the wasp- something a very imaginative child would do. It would also explain why he is hiding in his bed (from the wasp). This makes sense when you think how young children continue to cling onto ideas for days and even months after they experience something that really affects them. But as several other people have commented, I believe the wasp is a metaphor as well. The next stanza recounts the significant experience of the best friend being bit,presumably by the wasp, but is he really bit by the wasp? Sufjan says that he sees the wasp on the length of his arm. Could it be that Sufjan and possibly other friends physically beat up Franco or emotionally through teasing him? The song says that the friend was bit on the shoulder, so why is he washing his face? Is that a metaphor for the shame he is feeling from being teased? The rest of the song is fairly straightforward. His friend runs away and Sufjan sorely misses him. I think Sufjan extends the wasp metaphor by indicating that he was stung by the loss of his friend. Are the layers of coats and leg warmers to protect against such a loss again- to shield himself from pain- or to prevent himself from acting in such a hurtful manner again? |
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| David Bowie – All the Young Dudes Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| I have never heard that Suffragette City was offered to Mott the Hoople. I really find that hard to believe as Bowie considers SC to be one of his best songs. He did offer Drive In Saturday to Mott. This is documented in a live, I believe BBC concert around '99 when Reeves Gabrel was still with his band. He said Mott rejected the song and he was so upset he shaved off his eyebrows! | |
| David Bowie – All the Young Dudes Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| All the Young Dudes is not on Aladdin Sane, it is on David Live (at least the only official release of Bowie singing the song). As I said to another poster, his studio version can be found on Rarest One Bowie. However, not a very good version in my opinion, kind of depressing. | |
| David Bowie – All the Young Dudes Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| Not true. Bowie did a studio version of the song which can be found on Rarest One Bowie. | |
| David Bowie – All the Young Dudes Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| Bowie wrote this song and gave it to Mott, he didn't 'cover' it. Bowie did record a studio version of the song, but it is not as good as Mott's. | |
| David Bowie – Stay Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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Definitely one of Bowie's most underrated songs. He clearly loved he song as it was mainstay of his concerts through the mid-80's. Love the guitar solo. I always thought that given the funk/soul bent of the song, it would not have been out of place on Young Americans with a slowed down arrangement and sax instead of lead electric guitar. The song seems to be an evolution of a song cycle on the STS album. From pure cynicism about love (Station to Station) to finally re-embracing the concept of love at the end of the album (Wild is the Wind). This song is placed second to last on the album. It seems to find Bowie still a bit trepid about fully giving himself into the idea of love. The first stanza seems to set the stage of where he is in life- weeks/days dragging by- life is lifeless, he takes drugs to help him get by- he hopes others will use with him so he doesn't feel so alone. In the second stanza he suggests to someone that they hook up. What he means by 'this time we can get it together' maybe he means time and circumstance just haven't allowed it, maybe he tried having sex with the person and it just didn't work out. Maybe he means finally declaring he is in love with the other person. Dunno. The chorus is more straightforward. He wants to ask the person to stay after they have sex, but can't bring himself to do it. Maybe he's afraid to commit out of fear of getting hurt or facing rejection by the other person ('you can never really tell when somebody wants something you want too') In the third stanza, I think he is hoping that his lover makes the first move and says she is in love with him (make me delight). He then goes on to say how life (not 'right') is so vague (uninteresting, ill-defined) when he goes from casual encounter to casual encounter (meet someone new). He then tries to get up his courage by saying that tomorrow he'll know what to do (ask his lover to stay) as he is convniced that she is in love with him ('I know it's happened to you') Anyway, that's my take on it. |
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| David Bowie – Station to Station Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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Great analysis JourdainB. and like your interpretaton of European Cannon flayerhater. I interpret 'drive like a demon from Station to Station' to mean Bowie taking stock of his life up to that point. Physically touring non-stop (Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs, Philly Dogs tours), changing personas (Anthony Newley-esque singer, folk rock singer, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Soul Singer and now the Thin White Duke), and finally in terms of beliefs (buddhist, Christian, fascist, bohemian). I think at this point in life, Bowie was just feeling spent and burnt out. You see this more on his next album Low-where the lyrics are minimalist and he takes time to relax and indulge in ambient instrumental music with the help of Brian Eno. The lyrics, 'bending sound, dredging the ocean, lost in my circle' I interpret to mean making music (bending sound), which then morphs into his view on making the music (dredging the ocean of existing music to innovate new music- such as his fusion of soul & rock on this album) as well as 'dredging the ocean to find meaning in life, and finally lost in his circle of constantly making music as well as bein in a general rut in life. Pretty depressing stuff. The lyric I'm not sure about is 'making sure white stains'. What comes to mind first is semen stains. This could be his way of expressing cynicism about love- it just comes down to making white stains. Don't think it refers to cocaine as I cocaine doesn't stain- maybe metaphorically. Anyway, fascinating a fascinating song overall- complex both musically and lyrically. And though it is hard to interpret because so much of it appears to be so personal to Mr. Bowie- it definitely appears to be quite an impressive and poetic statement of where he was at this point in his life. |
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| Morrissey – America Is Not The World Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Much of this song doesn't really work for me. I understand where Morrissey is coming from and actually somewhat sympathize with his perspective (and I'm an American myself). But I'm dissappointed in Morrissey lack of cleverness in his critique. For instance, the song, "The Queen is Dead" was a clever and humorous indictment of the royal family. I just think in Morrissey criticizing America, he could come up with something better than 'you know where you can shove your hamburger' and 'you big fat pig'. It just seems lazy. I can imagine Morrissey really wanting to write a politial song critical of America, especially our foreign policy. But sometimes when you try to force inspiration, it just doesn't work. That being said the second to the last stanza isn't bad and I really like the last stanza, it is very touching and moving. It is also typical Morrissey, displaying his typical, very human, conflicted feelings about a subject, not liking it, but then at the same time, feeling affectionately for it as well. I'm sure that Morrissey has a fondness for at least LA since he lived there for quite awhile. But I don't think he lives there anymore. And yeah, very timely that we now have a black president. That's what I love about this site, you can update your comments on songs to reflect current events. So now that we have a black president, we might have something to say to Morrissey to help him believe after all! |
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| Morrissey – Alsatian Cousin Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| What's always confounded me about this song is what the title refers to 'Alsation Cousin'. It sounds like a reference to a short story or a play, but it isn't. Alsace-Lorraine is a region of Northeast France. So that might place the background of one of the three people in the story- the cheating partner, the person with whom they are cheating or the cuckold. My guess would be that it refers to the cheater since that is to whom the lyrics are addressed and whom the song centers around. But why is it significant the the cheater is from Alsace or the narrator's cousin? Perhaps Morrissey was just trying to think of a song title more interesting that 'Cheating Partner' or 'The Girl Most Likely To'. | |
| Morrissey – Alma Matters Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Beautiful song. I loved it when it first came out. I loved the music but couldn't understand the lyrics. The other posts, particularly the one pointing out that 'Alma Matters' is latin for 'nurturing mother' helped me in my interpretation of the song. I think first you need to look at the album Maladjusted as a whole to get the meaning of this song. Some themes of the album are settling old scores 'Sorrow Will Come To You in the End' burying hatchets and old grudges "Ammunition", getting in touch with his feelings 'He Cried' 'Trouble Loves Me' and 'Wide to Recieve' and enjoying an inside joke 'Roy's Keen' finally reconciling his past, particularly in terms of his parents 'Papa Jack' and in my opion 'Alma Matters'. You could consider this Morrissey's mid-life crisis album. As I've stated elsewhere, because the album is so personal and insular, I find it hard to relate to and that is why I think it is considered one of Morrissey's least commercially successful albums. It's an album I think Morrissey wrote for himself and I think you have to be Morrissey to really be able to fully relate to it. So Alma Matters I think is a song Morrissey wrote for his mother, with whom he had a very good relationshp and who encouraged or 'nurtured' him throughout his career. I believe the person he addresses in the first and third stanzas are his father who was known to have questioned his choice about entering the music business. He really would have preferred for Morrissey to have become a Soccer or in England, a football player, a sport in which Morrissey excelled. But because of the love and support of his mother, he succeeded in the music business. Well, that's what it means to me anyway. |
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| Morrissey – All You Need Is Me Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Yeah, I love this song. I agree with many of the other posts that the song is about the reaction of the music press and maybe some of his fans to Morrissey. I think the line 'there's a naked man standing laughing in your dreams, you know who it is, but you don't know what it means' is hilarious in that it states that, yeah whether you like him or not, you can't get him out of your head and of course it inevitably conjures and image of a naked laughing Morrissey in your head- let that image burn in your brain cells music critics! The perspective that Morrissey provides to those who take him too seriously is funny as well- in an era of wars and terrorist attacks, music journalists spend their time writing about and criticizing Morrissey. The line about a small, fat child in a welfare house is somewhat confusing as Morrissey was neither fat nor grew up in a welfare house. Could be his usual self-deprecation. The line about not liking him but loving him and either way being wrong is confusing as well if taken literally. Perhaps he is saying that his music is best enjoyed if you listen to it objectively without thinking about him personally. But then why does he say we will miss him- it's usually only people that you like that you miss. But then, I think he is just being self-deprecating again, he is not worthy of people feeling strongly or passionately about him, but you have to admit that he is a character that will be missed when he is gone. Classic Morrissey song. Great to see he can still write such a catchy, clever song at this stage of his career. |
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| Morrissey – I Don't Mind If You Forget Me Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I think this song really showcases Morrissey's irony, humor and understanding of human nature in relationships. The song opens with the narrator offhandedly not minding if someone else forgets them. The language Morrissey uses is the language one would use in the closings of letters- it is a clever device to show the subtle changing nature of a relationship- where someone is gradually turning away from another- no longer are they signing off their letters with 'love' but rather with the impersonal and formal 'regard' and 'best wishes'. I can totally relate to this because I had a long distance relationship where I had girlfriend who did this to me- she stopped using 'love' and didn't use any closing just her name. He uses similar impersonal language such as 'sincerely' and 'bye bye'. The conflicted feelings that the narrator feels about the end of the relationship is very human- in one instance, he really does understand the need for the relationship to end and felt the strange need and pressure for this to happen within himself "I really do understand". But the next moment, it appears that this understanding nature takes an act of will to sustain and that he really doesn't understand. The humor comes into play with the language that Morrissey uses about himself- he's learned his 'lesson' about trying to get someone to love him and is so unloveable and unmemorable by others that he 'never left an impression on anyone.' That's hyperbole alright! And what someone who has been recently rejected sometimes feels. But the end is the topper. The all caps is like someone would use in a letter to really let someone have it. The narrator, who may have been a milquetoast who let the other person just walk over them finally loses it and stops trying to be polite and understanding and just repeatedly calls the other person a fool. Again, a very human reaction to being dumped. Sadly, I think I remember Morrissey saying that this was one of his least favorite solo songs. I don't think he has ever performed this in concert. The music is certainly nothing special. But I think he captures the sentiments of one being dumped very well. |
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| Morrissey – I Don't Mind If You Forget Me Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| Wow, such a sad story. I too had a good friend in my childhood who basically moved on. Definitely a hard thing to deal with. | |
| Morrissey – Glamorous Glue Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| Oh and the 'too much in love' line I think refers to his love of the culture of LA. | |
| Morrissey – Glamorous Glue Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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This is one of those songs that I've always liked the music and some of the lyrics but never knew what the heck it was really all about. Another confounding "Your Arsenal" song where Morrissey's meaning is pretty oblique. I think Morrissey wanted to write songs with political statements but didn't want undergo the magnifying glass of scrutiny and controversy. So I think he tried to play it safe by making the meanings pretty vague. But here is my 'guess' at the meaning of this song. First I thought 'jar' referred to a 'killing jar'. Well everything certainly would die in a killing jar. But what does a killing jar have to do with people lying and voting? I think the interpretation that makes better sense is that he is talking about a 'voting' jar. The first day after casting his vote in the jar he realizes off the bat that the people he voted for and all politicians in general lie. The 'everything dies' part is a little confusing- sure politicians die, but maybe he means promises of hope and change die as well in the political process. He may also be specifically referring to the promises of hope and change by the Labour Party and that some people stubbornly won't vote Conservative even though it might make sense to do so (people accused Morrissey of holding conservative views around this time). The lines 'where is the man you respect and woman you love' are straightforward- the good, clean politicians. The nifty little motto 'everything of worth on earth is there to share' seems to indicate that you don't need politicians to get you what you need- you can get what you need by just working directly with others. The next stanza Morrissey himself explained in an interview. He believed that London was no longer the cultural center of the world and that the center had shifted to LA. Hence, Morrissey hung around LA a lot around this time. I think Morrissey's message was that England had gone to pot both politically and socially. The going empty handed from the land I believe referred to him leaving England. The title itself- 'Glamorous Glue' I believe is his general term for politicians- some politicians are very glamorous and charismatic and their job is to hold or bring people together. |
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| Morrissey – The National Front Disco Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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The problem with some of the songs on "Your Arsenal" is that the meanings of the songs are pretty opaque- "Glamorous Glue", "We'll Let You Know", "Certain People I Know". There's some inside thought or vernacular the Morrissey is using that doesn't come across clearly to the general public. Well, let's look at the lyrics. National Front- ultra right wing conservative group, that is clear enough. Why a disco- a place for dance and fun. Perhaps the "David" in the song finds it a fun and exciting political party. The others in the song, David's mother, friends and even Morrissey himself seem to think he is making a mistake-"where is our boy, we've lost our boy". But the David in the song doesn't see it that way at all- he isn't lost, he has arrived- he embraces his new views and new party. What is confusing about the song and I think the reason it generated controversy is the music of ths song- footstomping, energetic, uplifting and exciting- it seems to celebrate the National Front. Also, irony works best if it gives you a wink and a nod that there is something wrong with the subject matter or showing absurd negative consequences of one's views or actions. There really is neither other than observer's worrying that 'David' is lost. I mean for instance, if Morrissey substituted 'Labour Party' for National Front, nobody would have batted an eye at the lyrics. So I can see why Morrissey caught flack for this song. |
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| Spandau Ballet – Only when you leave Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I'm surprised no one has commented on this song yet. I love the music and tempo of this song, it's very thrilling. As for what it means, well, it is clearly about a prostitute and her 'john'. This is keyed off of the lyric, 'give a little passion to a stranger.' Who gives passion to a stranger but a prostitute. Clearly, the prostitute is either leaving the business or moving away, which is a big disappointment to the john who has fallen in love with her. The 'action' that is gone is lovemaking. I also think the lyric that says, 'it's only when your gone that I burn.' Apparently, the prostitute has given him a venereal disease such as chlymydia or gonarrhea that causes a burning sensation. He doesn't really notice it until after love making. And then of course, as in all good Spandau Ballet songs, the element of pychosis is introduced, 'only when you leave, you'll leave in danger ooh and I'll make sure that you pay'. How ironic, the john who has been paying all of these years is now going to make the prostitute he has been frequenting pay. Very complex song about a subject matter that is not commonly sung about. Very interesting. |
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| The Smiths – Handsome Devil Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Quite a lot of comments about this song, which is surprising since it is a relatively obscure song only being on the Hatful of Hollow compilation. I really love the driving music and sinister tone and lyrics of the song. The meaning seems pretty straightforward, to me at least. As others have stated, I think it is simply a song about sexual frustration. I'm surprised no one has interpreted the line "I know what hands are for, and I'd like to help myself" to be about masturbation. I think the lines that follow display the narrator's sexual fantasies- that someone asking him for the time wants to have sex, he sees the streets crammed with sexual objects, he thinks about groping, getting into bed and whipping a schoolboy. The frustration is evidenced through the active and forceful verbs he uses "crammed" "Let me" "whip" "grab" "swallow". The last line seems oddly out of place "there's more to life than books you know, but not much more". In explaining the song, Morrissey basically disregarded all of the lyrics and just focused on these, stating as a defense of the song that it was about the importance of education. Kind of a laughable ducking of the other 95% of the song! But that's Morrissey! But I think these lyrics could reference not the scholarly schoolboy's books, but rather Morrissey's own books- perhaps DH Lawrence novels or other erotic literature that created the fantasies that enabled him to "help himself". Morrissey was reportedly celibate at the time this song was recorded so it may be natural to assume that he was relying on books, fantasies and 'self-help' to get him through these times. Oh and the reference to mammary glands- could be a man's inactive breasts. Or could reference women. Morrissey had reportedly been with both men and women up to this point in life so it's quite possible that he was equally turned on by both sexes. Anyway, just another interpretation to consider. |
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| The Smiths – Handsome Devil Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| Wow, quite an in-depth analysis. Good job. | |
| The Smiths – Girl Afraid Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| I never got that before- good catch! | |
| The Smiths – Back to the Old House Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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One more observation about this song. i think this is the first song wherein Morrissey emphasizes a weakness and a failing on his part to divulge a feeling for another person- "and you never knew, how much I really liked you, because I never even told you" This frank and public admission of lack of courage and personal failings is a signature theme in many Smiths and Morrissey songs and makes Morrissey a person who is easy to relate to and symphathize with. |
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| Romeo Void – Never Say Never Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| Hmmm... after giving this one a great deal of thought and erudite study I have come to the conclusion that this song is about a woman who likes to breastfeed her imprisoned father and sleep with homeless men and airline passengers. Oh, and she also adheres to a philosophy she *might* hold a person in higher esteem if she has sex with them first (weirdly, this tends to coincide with my personal outlook on getting to know new women!) You really don't hear songs like this much anymore... | |
| Spandau Ballet – Gold Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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You guys totally nailed this song's a** to the wall. I'm surprised no one else picked up on the *real* meaning of this song other than you two. Everyone seems to think this is some sort of uplifting song about a person completely loving and unconditionally believing in their lover. Ha, Spandau Ballet sure pulled a big wooly mammoth over everyone's eyes with this song! Clearly, as protocon has wisely pointed out, this song is no less than golden robot rage, global mass robot destruction and psychotic homicide of its creator. The only small bit I have to add to the prior two posts is that I do not believe that the golden robot rips its master apart limb to limb. Oh no, it is something *much* more sinister. We're talking consumption of human edibles Read the first set of lyrics-- "Thank you for coming home, I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn I left them here, I could have sworn These are my salad days, slowly being eaten away, Just another play for today" The robot recharges itself in 'power chairs' designed by its maker. The chairs are all worn- not meaning the fabric, but the batteries in the chairs are worn out. The only other way the robot has to recharge itself is through the consumption of human flesh. Sadly and poignantly, the robot slowly eats its creator. The creator just resignedly accepts this fate as his 'salad days'. For the robot (being just a robot), it cannot grasp the moral, ethical and philosophical significance of a creation causing the destruction of its creator. For It, the act of eating the mad scientist is just its way of 'playing' that day. Such a creepy thing for the Spandau Ballet brothers to dream up- where do they come up for this stuff? |
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| The Smiths – The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I know the common interpretation of this song is child abuse and I think that is likely it. However, the first few times I heard this song, I had a different take on it. That the narrator is feeling survivor's guilt after some awful accident, like a car accident, involving his wife. Perhaps the child somehow saved his life by pushing him from the car or unbuckling his seat belt after it fell into a river. Having lost his other child, he is resolved to never have anything bad happen to his remaining child and to make sure that the child is fully loved, even without his mother. The lyric "I never even asked his name" could indicate that he formerly such and incredibly bad and neglectful father that he'didn't even know his own children's names. In terms of lyrics 'never, never, never again' perhaps he felt unworthy of being a father anymore, having failed to protect his first child, but the fathering instinct kicks in and he feels the need to be a good father to his remaining child. Now, I think all of that works until the last set of lines. The creepy lyric that implies child abuse is the one that goes "climb upon my knee sonny boy, although you're only three". If it was an innocent relationship, why would climbing upon an adult's need require the qualifier 'although'. I love the music of this song, and much of the lyrics, but hard to listen to a song that seems to deals with such an awful issue. |
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| The Smiths – Reel Around the Fountain Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I think with this song you just need to call a spade a spade. Or as Morrissey would say, don't look for a secondary meaning, at worst you just might find the first (Just Playing Easy to Get). I think this song is clearly about an older man with a shy and retiring minor. In some early Smith's songs, Morrissey seems to have had a fascination with older male and younger male relationships- namely Handsome Devil and This Charming Man. However, in those songs, he clearly places the younger males in a more mature timeframe- a scholarly student in the former and a young man about to be wed in the latter. What made this song unsettling to many I think is his use of very young child phrases- 'two lumps please' like a young child playing with a tea set and 'you're the bees knees' which are phrases a 7 or 8 year old would use. Maybe he was intentionally being over the top for effect, or maybe those are the best child phrases he could come up with at the time. But it is pretty creepy. An interesting twist in this song is that the minor appears to be a willing participant. I interpret the lyrics "15 minutes with you, well, I wouldn't say no" to be from the perspective of the child since it is preceded by the lyric "slap me on the patio, I'll take it now". Also, the lyrics "pin me like a butterfly and mount me" and "take me to the haven of your bed" appears to be from the child as well as the older person in a relationship is generally assumed to be the instigator of sexual activity. But it is not clear whether Morrissey considers the relationship of the older person with the younger person to be a good thing or a bad thing. The opening lines, sung in a morose fashion and telling of a loss of youthful innocence seems to suggest a sad tale. However, lines mentioned above seem to indicate that the youth is perfectly fine with the relationship. Anyway, message is somewhat confusing and contracdictory and perhaps this is Morrissey's attitude about such a relationship. If so, this is similar to the method he employs in the song "This Night Has Opened My Eyes", another early Smith's song. Regarding the title referring to male fellatio, I don't think that is it all. That interpretation makes absolutely no sense when you hear the line "meet me at the fountain"- meet me at your penis? No, for me it conjures the image of two children chasing each other around a fountain, which would be in keeping with the other childish imagery in the song. |
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| The Smiths – Barbarism Begins at Home Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| This is such a great funk song. I love the rhythm section jam in the final 3-4 minutes of the song between Rourke and Mike Joyce- that has got to be the greatest music they ever recorded with the Smiths. And Morrissey's howls just add to the excitement. That being said, I always feel a bit guilty for rocking out to a song about child abuse. | |
| The Smiths – Back to the Old House Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| I love this song. The music by itself is enough to make it a terrific song, but the lyrics make it a great song. I love the feelings of contradiction Morrissey expresses, which he carries through most of his catalogue- he would rather not go back to the old house and yet at the end he says that he would love to go back to the old house. Perhaps he would love to go back and see the one that he loved and see if he can start something with that person. But in the end he knows that he will never go back due to the bad memories and perhaps in the knowledge that he was a failure in getting he loved to notice him then and he is likely to fail again now. | |
| The Smiths – Asleep Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| It's a shame the Smiths never performed this song live in concert. Would be awesome to have a life bootleg of the song. The song was partially performed by the band during a soundcheck. I have the audio and it's pretty nice. But still, would have been nice to have a full concert performance of the song. | |
| The Smiths – Ask Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| The thing I find most interesting about this song is how much it stands out from most other songs written by the Smiths around this time, which tended to be character portraits, songs of yearning and lament or self-deprecation. I have to believe a story by Craig Gannon about the origins of the music. Gannon was a temporary replacement for Andy Rourke, the Smith's bassist, who was having drug problems around the time of the Queen is Dead. Gannon said he was toying around with his guitar and wrote the basic melody for 'Ask'. Johnny Marr then wrote a bridge and finished up the song. That would account for why the music is so much different than other Smith's music of this time and may have prompted Morrissey to write different lyrics as a result. If this is true, makes you wonder what other types of songs the Smiths may have written had Gannon stuck around. Also look at the music that was produced when Johnny Marr started distancing himself from the group- 'Work ia a Four Letter Word' and 'I Keep Mine Hidden'- two songs that Johnny Marr hated. Course Morrissey went back to the same general Smith's themes when he became a solo artist. | |
| The Smiths – Accept Yourself Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I find it odd that one of the first Smiths songs written was also one of their most uncharacteristic. A relatively uplifting song about self-affirmation and self-validation. You can practically count on one hand the number of uplifting songs with purely positive messages that the Smiths and Morrissey as a solo artist have written-this one, Ask, Sheila Take a Bow, Sing Your Life, Do Your Best and Don't Worry, and maybe Ammunition- um, and that's about it I think. I think the lyric "I sat in my room and I drew up a plan" is interesting knowing that prior to joining the Smiths, Morrissey spent much of his time alone and writing in his room- hoping to be a great author. Well, he did become one as a music lyricist. |
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| Morrissey – Maladjusted Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I think of this song as Morrissey's attempt to write an 'epic' song about the rough side of London that he either read about or fantasized about. But I don't think it quite works. While the music is great- heavy, sinister, kind of claustaphobic- I think the story is kind of muddled. In my opinion, Morrissey says it best when he uses the least words- such as in the song- "Used to be a Sweet Boy", he let's the music and simple images speak volumes for him. I think ultimately with the Maladjusted album, and why many fans to consider it to be one of his lesser works is that his heart really wasn't in it for writing songs for a general audience. He seemed to be going through a mid-life crisis of sorts and had too many scores to settle and too many things to come to term with 'Sorrow Will Come in the End', 'Ammunition', 'Trouble Loves Me' and in my opinion- songs about his parents 'Papa Jack' and 'Alma Matters'. I think this introspection started with Southpaw Grammar (also not considered to be one of his more popular albums). Even a fun songs like Roy's Keen and Dagenham Dave (from SG) play more like inside jokes than songs his fans could not really relate to. The one song on the album that is a throwback to his earlier, more freewheeling ironic days is 'Satan Rejected My Soul.' Fortunately Morrissey learned to loosen up again and made a smashing comeback with 'You are the Quarry.' |
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| Morrissey – Billy Budd Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| I agree with Withnails interpretation- makes a lot of sense to me. But what does, 'so you think you should...everyone is laughing mean? And seems pretty meanspirited to refer to Marr as Billy Budd- Billy Budd was a simpleton in the Melville novel and something of a sidekick. I think it's funny how he ends the song with the 'please don't leave us in the dark' reference- knowing that his oblique and inscrutable references would likely confound his fans. | |
| Morrissey – Have-A-Go Merchant Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Yeah, I've heard this song is a dig at Natalie Merchant as well. I wonder if this song was released around the time Merchant started her solo career, which would make sense of "have a go" as in have a go at going solo. The irony of the song is that he appears to parody her social commentary style lyrics, while at the same time expressing support for her career "and always I'm her right beside you." Could it be that Morrissey sees parallels between his and Merchants carreers- they were both of popular bands, bands which disbanded around the height of their fame, and he wants Merchant to be successful as he has been successful. Though his lyrics are almost patronizing in the same manner of "The Girl Least Likely To." I wonder if Morrissey was somewhat jealous that the 10,000 Maniacs scored a hit with 'his' song- "Everyday is Like Sunday" or perhaps he did not deem them worthy enough to cover it and maybe that's why he takes swipes at Merchant's songwriting. His line about 'a small baby girl cradeled in your arms, your only contribution' appears to a reference to a particular Merchant or 10,000 Maniac's song and denigrating Merchant's songwriting to having written only one good song. I don't remember any hits referencing a baby girl, but I am not familiar enough with either of their catalogs to know. Seems similar to the swipe Lennon took at McCartney in "How Do You Sleep" - "the only thing you done was 'Yesterday'. The lines about the pubs opening and closing and traffic lights I interpret to be when and where her songs are likely to be played. The "we'll never know" line puzzles me. Surely he would know if she had any other hits. But again, this could just be a backhand swipe saying that he is not going to bother to pay attention to her career to know if she has any other successful or notable songs- or maybe he just expected her career to fall flat after her first album. Seems to be a pretty biting song overall. |
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| Morrissey – Driving Your Girlfriend Home Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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This has always been one of my favorite Morrissey songs. The song plays out like a well scripted scene of a play. The way I intepret this song is as something more psychological and beneath the surface than just Morrissey as a gay man giving a friend's girlfriend a ride home. I think there is an unspoken romantic tension in the song between a straight man and a friend's girlfriend. Unlike many Morrissey songs in which you can pick up literary references, wordplay, or real world allusions to decipher the meaning of this song, I think in this one, you really need to listen to the music and the way in which the lyrics are such to ascertain the meaning. The music, to me at least, sounds sad and kind of longing and the responses, or lack thereof are sung with a tinge of regret- "I can't answer" "I can't tell her". The narrative clues that lead me to believe there is romantic interest in the girlfriend on the part of the narrator are the following: (1) The (presumably) male narrator is driving the girlfriend home, presumably after a fight with the boyfriend- why not another girlfriend? why not call a taxi? (2)Throughout the song, the narrator is dutifully following her directions- to the point of repeating the diretions in his head- "Drive on" she says, and I drive on- turn left, I turn left etc. Why reemphasize that? To show that he is obedient to her like a puppy dog. (3) The narrator politely listens to the girlfriend's complaints. He could just say, 'listen, this is all none of my business and I would prefer if you did not talk about it'. He could just be being polite, but again, I think you need to listen to the music to get further insight of the driver's feelings. Finally, I think the use of phrases like, I can't answer and I can't tell her and telling. You could look at it as the driver just being polite, but I think there may be a double-meaning with "I can't tell her" meaning, he can't tell her his true feelings about her and he can't share with her his feelings about the boyfriend because they do not have that sort of romantic relationship that I think the music implies that he wants. |
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| The Smiths – That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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I've always loved the music of this song and wanted to understand the lyrics so I can relate and get more out of it. This song is complex- obviously you have to be Morrissey to know what it is really all about. The language is obscure and indirect and my guess is it relays an incident in his life. I read an interview once where Morrissey stated that he had a thing for leather seats- hence the reference to leather seats in This Charming Man and my guess would be in this song. The way I interpret this song is about a guy who is just starting to date another person "times tide will smother you, and I will too". Smothering usually refers to a person's actions in a romantic relationship. This new beau/belle has a tendency to make fun of people who are lonely and depressed. The beau or belle has no idea that the narrator is one of these people and hence the need to chastise them and let them know its not funny to laugh at lonely and depressed people. In fact, the narrator is so angry that he mentions that they are going to die some day just like everyone else "times tide will smother you". However, by the last verse, the narrator finally gets to have sex with their new partner and he thinks he may have found the love of his life- hence he is no longer one of the lonely people "I've seen this happen in other people's lives, now it's happening in mine". The interesting thing about this song, assuming my interpretation is correct, is that the title and majority of the song is taken up talking about how bad it is to laugh at depressed and lonely people, and not on the monumental event of the song, which is that Morrissey, or whomever, have found the love of their life. But then, it's Morrissey's nature to focus on the focus on the more dismal aspects of life right? As he says in 'Still Ill' "There are brighter sides of life and I know because I've seen them, but not often. |
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| The Smiths – Paint a Vulgar Picture Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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As many have said, this song is a great summation of the music biz. It is also a great summation of Morrissey and the Smiths recording careers, minus the death. I know some may say, 'well, reissues and repacking is in the hands of the record companies'. Well, even if Morrissy and Marr 'couldn't have said no' they could at least of spoken out against it right? In fact, the latest Morrissey release is a compilation of his recent b-sides, with *no* new material whatsover, which Morrissey is actively promoting. So does he want his fans to buy his singles or not? Or does he want them to re-purchase them all with a nifty new photograph of himself on front? Paint a Vulgar Picture is a Wilde quote and also seems to refer to Wilde's novel the Portrait of Dorian Gray. The protagonist of that novel sells his soul to keep his youth and beauty and pledges to lead a life of sin and debauchery in return. A beautiful portrait that an artist has done of him will age instead and reflect the true state of Dorian's soul- which is as ugly as the sins he commits. The Dorian story is a very apt reference for the recording industry. When an artist is young, they seem to be more pure- in it for the art than the money (though not as true these days). The fans want to believe in this image. Its the commonly held stereotype that the more successful a person becomes in the recording industry, the more corrupt they inevitably become- due to wealth and the general environement of the music industry. The record companies themselves add a lot of stress and pressure to the artists, which can lead them to all sorts of bad choices. However, the record companies attempt to maintain an artist's pristine image so they will remain popular with the fans- so they hide the needles, stash bottles and cover up the embarrassing stories. The beautiful public image is maintained, while the artists private selves are secretly decaying. As an artist inevitably falls out of favor, retires, or dies, the recordings themselves eventually get corrupted through endless reissuing and repackaging- becoming little more than widgets for the companies to squeeze more $$ out of. And of course, the biographies and tell alls come out about the corrupted and morally bankrupt stars- leading the fans to either become horribly disillusioned or, as in the song, leaving the fan to sadly cling on to the artists previously manufactured image or their ideal of what the artist was when they began their career. |
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| The Smiths – Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Wow, no comment that this song is about a gay man in love with his straight friend? Sorry to be so crass, but that interpretation seems to be posted on every other Smiths song on this website. I've always loved this song. I think this song and 'I Know It's Over' are the most emotionally powerful songs in the Smiths canon. |
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| The Smiths – Shoplifters of the World Unite Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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Another Smith's song where the lyrics are pretty obscure. But I think the interpretations that this is about homosexuality or sexuality are way off base. Morrissey obviously has no qualms about speaking the lingo when he does so. There is only a passing reference to 'love' in the first line, and that appears to be an ironic or sarcastic one. The interpretation about intellectual property makes sense, especially if the man said so in an interview though I never read that interview. My interpretation is that the song is a comment about Capitalism. The first two lines seems to be a spin on Elizabeth Barret Browning's poem, "How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways". For Browning, love is pure and free flowing and someone can effortlessly count the ways they love another person. In Morrissey's world, you need to learn to love Capitalism and manufacture or 'assemble' the ways to love it. The Shoplifter in the song is the counterculture- the subversive who is doing his/her part to tear down Capitalistic society. I agree with the posters that Morrissey consciously echoes the Marxist Manifesto- Workers of the World Unite- in the song's chorus. Capitalistic society should be torn down because they make plans to go to war "...last night the plans for a future war, were all I saw, on Channel Four (never mind that Communist ones do too!). I think this interpretation makes sense in light of the 87 Record Mirror interview snippet that someone else posted where Morrissey mentions the absurdity that someone goes to prison for shoplifting, but not for making nuclear weapons. |
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| The Smiths – I Started Something I Couldn't Finish Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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This is another Smiths song that has always puzzled me. I disagree with many of the comments that indicate homosexual overtones or undertones to the song. I think you really have to read those into the song, the lyrics do not suggest in the least there are two men involved. I would say that the song is at best gender neutral, but the word 'tradition' leads me to think this is about a male and a female as that is typical considered a 'traditional' relationship. Though the story of the song could apply to either type of relationship. My interpretation is that these are two friends and one friend makes a bold sexual advance- someone else said- 'give me head', or it could be 'let's have sex'. Some other said, it could be a simple declaration of love from one friend to another who was not open to it- but I don't think that one, even Morrissey, would consider that to be a 'hard faced' gesture. The guilded beams reference makes me think of the Middle Ages when a slave might be taken home shackeled to a wooden beam across his back, or when a women was betrothed to a man in marriage and had to marry a guy whether she liked him or not- 'that's what tradition means'. The 18 months hard labor I take to mean the amount of time it takes the protagonist to win himself back into his friend's good graces. The problem with that interpretation is that it doesn't completely fit with the title, which indicates that the narrator had control whether or not to finish the 'something'. The expression of uncertainty "... now I'm not too sure" also implies that he has some say over whether or not the 'something' should continue. An alternate interpreation that might fit better is that he actually got his friend to engage in the act- perhaps implied in the statement 'grabbed you by gilded beams'. The 18 months hard labor could be a literal statement, such as a sentence for performing a lewd act in public or for having sex with a minor. The statement that the friend was forced into a zone that they were not meant to go into indicates that the friend actually 'entered' a zone- could be mental but it could also be physical. So in this interpretation, it could be that the friend actually is open to continuing the relationship, but the narrator feels guilty about it because he sees that the whole thing was wrong to begin with. I think the friend being an underaged minor makes most sense in this case. I think it is interesting that 'A Rush and a Push...' references 18 months as well. I wonder if there was an incident that Morrissey was involved in or heard about at that time that became a theme for the album- if so, I bet 'Death at One's Elbow' is part of that theme. |
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| The Smiths – A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| I have always loved this song- loved the music and the lyrics- though I could never make sense of the lyrics. After thinking about them some more, my theory is that the song tells a story in an out-of-time sequence. Troubled Joe literally is a ghost, a young man who hung himself 18 months ago. The mystical time zone is death and the ghost of Joe is coming back to the home where he committed suicide. That's the intro. The song then flashes back to the troubles of Joe- lots of energy (caffeine), but little to do (lack of spice in his life), a troubled relationship with his father. All he really wants is love, but he can't find it and is longing for someone he likes to call him. People try to be supportive, but to no avail. Ultimately Joe ends his life. Depressing interpretation I know, but then Morrissey can be a pretty depressing lyricist. | |
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