submissions
| Babybird – Bad Old Man Lyrics
| 11 years ago
|
|
For some reason I can't expalin, this song always makes me think of Rupert Murdoch. That is the beauty of the song, everyone thinks of their very own 'Bad Old Man'. It is so sad how underrated Babybird (Stephen Jones) is. |
submissions
| The National – England Lyrics
| 12 years ago
|
I've always heard this song as being about writer's block, and the pressure the band (and in particular the lyricist) feel to provide new albums. It all harks back to the line 'The English are waiting' in 'Mr November'. The English are of course the band's label (4AD/Beggars):
'Feeling I've lost today' - Writer's Block
'You must be somewhere in London,you must be loving your life in the rain' - forlorn feelings about the label, and resentment at the pressure they are causing.
'Walking Abbey Lane' - a further image of music in England, he meant of course Abbey Road, hence the next line, 'I don't even think to make corrections.'
'Famous angels never come through England, England gets the ones you never need' - a dig at the England's Anglicanism; saying that all the well known saints are revered by (or come from) other countries and other religions.
Carrying on the religious theme, the lyricist is now 'in a Los Angeles cathedral' and the choir is singing ('minor singing airheads sing for me').
The lyricist then realises that the problem isn't the record label in England, but himself:
'Put an ocean and river between everybody ever, between everything, yourself and home' — it is his own difficulties at relating to people.
'Afraid of the height cause they're desperate to entertain' - his fear of having to perform and the fame it might bring.
(The lyricist then goes on to write 'High Violet'. Much to England's delight.) |
submissions
| James – Hey Ma Lyrics
| 13 years ago
|
|
ContinuousSpectrum has it exactly right. The line 'Black swans on your picnic table' refers to Nassim Nicholas Taleb and his Black Swan theory that 'The event is a surprise (to the observer) and has a major impact. After the fact, the event is rationalized by hindsight.' The usual Tim Booth understated, subtle genius. Respect. |
submissions
| Simple Minds – I Travel Lyrics
| 13 years ago
|
The second verse lyric is 'Airport playing Brian Eno', a reference to Eno's ambient album 'Music For Airports'.
Artistically, with regards to lyrics, it was all downhill for this band after this. Musically, they were superb until Mick MacNeil's departure. |
submissions
| Deacon Blue – Your Town Lyrics
| 13 years ago
|
|
Thank you, andrew_m, you are so right. What I want to know is, how on earth did Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) write the 1812 Overture? The fraud. I just wish chaps like yourself would contribute more words of wisdom to this site. Respect! |
submissions
| U2 – Kite Lyrics
| 13 years ago
|
|
Hi actanonverba, it is about the end of relations, but it is only a song. The rage you feel has to be dealt with some...some you hopefully love. |
submissions
| U2 – Gone Lyrics
| 13 years ago
|
|
jessejames3...I've been wondering, are you a comic, or just a simple soul. Answers on a postcard please... |
submissions
| Madness – House Of Fun Lyrics
| 15 years ago
|
|
Can't believe there is a post about hearing this on CBBC's. My mirror is laughing at me, and its saying 'boy are you getting old...' |
submissions
| INXS – Original Sin Lyrics
| 15 years ago
|
|
I love music from the colonies. It's so ethnic. Rule Britannia; God Save the Queen. |
submissions
| U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday Lyrics
| 15 years ago
|
|
Wikipedia mentions the first Bloody Sunday as being in London in 1887. Not that Wikipedia is in anyway a definitive source. I'm sure there have been many Bloody Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays etc, throughout history. All that matters is that right here, right now, Ulster is British. In some distant future, the underclass will breed us Brits out, and the north and south will unite as a third world country, one in which the peasants rot in their own personal hell. I'll be dead obviously, but happy days indeed. |
submissions
| Sex Pistols – Belsen Was A Gas Lyrics
| 16 years ago
|
Hey Skragg, what does u wanting to have intercourse with fascists, the system, rich ppl (sic) and 'all those losers' have to do with this song? Do you understand the purpose of this site?
Anyway, as has previously been noted, this song was simply written for the shock value of the (pretty poor) pun that is the title. Nothing more and nothing less. Now we can say that is is not funny and it is not clever, but it still has us all discussing it 30 years later. So it worked.
ps Skragg, i am rich, but I'd like to be atleast wooed before we get down to business. |
submissions
| Coldplay – In My Place Lyrics
| 16 years ago
|
|
Martin stated in a magazine interview that this song was about a first date that went wrong (said by UK tabloids to be with Natalie Imbruglia, but can you believe a UK tabloids?). He apparently made a bit of a twat of himself (not hard for the man, I know), despite actually being besoted with the poor girl involved. If this girl was actually a singer, it gives some sense to the lines with 'sing to me' and 'sing out loud'. |
submissions
| Deacon Blue – This Changing Light Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
|
The last verse is about the International Brigade, socialists/communists who went to fight for the republic in the Spanish Civil War. Writer Ricky Ross relates this to the non-socialist years under Mrs Thatcher. There is a monument to those who died in the war, in the bands hometown of Glasgow. Rich musicians preaching about the glories of socialism...don't you just want to laugh, cause your loaded? |
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.
