| The National – Slow Show Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Wow. I am imagining that now too. | |
| The National – Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I have to admit, I thought it was "geese," so to play along with the "swans" line. I pictured the narrator sitting on a park chair, talking to the geese while they ate bread, going over whatever is going on in his head with them. | |
| Wilco – Spiders (Kidsmoke) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I actually think some of this song is a response to school shootings. This explains the "recent rash of kidsmoke." The second verse seems an attempt at coaxing a teenager to talk about their issues, and offers a sort of weird hope with "the sun will rise, we'll climb into cars/The future has a valley and a shortcut around." The last part about the stone rising reminds me of the easter story, as does a lot of the record. But I think the most telling part of the entire song is "there's no blood on my hands, I just do as I'm told." This was the most common defense of ordinary Germans turned into Nazis, and I think Tweedy is commenting on American dastardly complacency in response to such issues, particularly why American children are so violent. "It's not my problem, there's no blood on my hands," etc. | |
| R.E.M. – I've Been High Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I've read that Up was one of the main influences on the sound of Kid A, and if you'd heard the album, you'd know that Stipe and co.'s heads were in the electronic place before any Radioheads were. The only difference is, R.E.M. has that electricity undertowing something of value. I find Radiohead to be all pomp and no circumstance, and find it nearly offensive that someone says that they influenced R.E.M. on a page meaning to provide forum for one of the most simply elegant lyrics I've ever heard. This is one of the most beautiful songs in the catalog, R.E.M.'s or anyone elses. Radiohead's best stuff, by the way, can't touch R.E.M.'s worst. |
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| R.E.M. – The Outsiders Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I take the 'outsiders' to be the left--the liberals left feeling out of place and unrepresented by the Bush regime. This song beautifully describes that feeling after 9/11, when Bush said that anyone not for him was against him. What a strange environment it was, somehow anyone who didn't thinka long with the ultra-right didn't love their country. The Q Tip part is amazing, brings tears to my eyes and inspires me to fight for that ideal that some of us still believe America has a chance at becoming. | |
| Wilco – Theologians Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I might have a different translation, but I have the verse as John 8:21. "Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." I agree with a combination of the interpretations here, and I think thermo4's is particularly profound. I, however, think that Jeff Tweedy isn't speaking in his own voice the entirety of the song. I know he is being tongue-in-cheek, but I think it's telling that on the "One True Vine" live version of the song he introduces it "We're gonna get all religious now." And I think he is up to something from the get go. The direct use of Christ's words at the conclusion, I think, is a clue that Tweedy is speaking from his perspective. I get the impression that this is the crucified, resurrected, ascended Christ looking down on the theologians who proport to do his will on Earth, but really don't know nothing about his soul. And how could they, he is an ocean, an abyss in motion? The theologians discussed here are in the same vein as the Pharisees in Christ's time. How silly Christ must have thought them, arguing with the son of God on theological matters. The "cherry ghost," of course, is his spirit, which Christ tells Peter he will leave with him to start his church. Whether Tweedy intended this, or is even religious, I doubt, but this is the entire point of that Holy Spirit, I think, the very depth of that abyss in slow motion. It causes its story to be told whether the teller knows it or not. This combined with "The Ruling Class" makes for a very interesting theology. I definitely think Tweedy knows more about Christ's soul than any theologian. |
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