| Baha Men – Who Let the Dogs Out Lyrics | 11 years ago |
|
And here i thought no one would ever give this brilliant expression of the human spirit its due! Fine work, i've enjoyed your analysis immensely xD |
|
| Baha Men – Who Let the Dogs Out Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| LOL my thoughts exactly. | |
| Natasha Bedingfield – Size Matters Lyrics | 11 years ago |
|
Gonna break this down as folks 'round this site like to do. The meaning of this song is a double entendre, where Natasha imagines a positive correlation between the size of a man's heart (as identified by acts of kindness and compassion) and the size of his, well, you know what. I noticed this connection when i first heard this song, and i was, like, 12 or something at the time--by no stretch of the imagination did i have a dirty mind! *~*Lyrics *~* "I've been sizin' you up and stuff Watchin you live life large" Fresh out of the gate, and it's already dirty. "Sizing you up, watching you live life large" refer to watching someone, which means she's only seeing physical phenomena; such is the world we live in. Later on, once our minds have been tripped and shoved into the gutter, Natasha will explain away this apparent element of smut. But notice it's how she starts the song, when we have no other context, and must assume that she's thinking dirty. "Enough for the both of us To big up the love" lol... yeah. ... As far as we know this far into the song, "love" is a physical thing, and "bigging it up" would naturally mean she's upgrading to a larger penis, which she's determined this gentleman possesses. Cause Natasha's a creep. "Got the measure of the man in you" Restating that she knows what's underneath... whether that's underneath the surface of his appearance, or just underneath his clothes, seems to be up for debate. "It's more than the sum of the parts" Now we get an inkling that she might be referring to something besides his "manhood." The phrase "more than the sum of the parts" typically does refer to something ideological/non-physical. But here, she's kind of making it out to be about the pleasure he would give her if they had sex, because as we know, she's thinking of him in "that way." "It's true what they say You gotta big up the love" What they say is "size matters," meaning the bigger he is, the more pleasurable "it" will be. So she's letting us know that she's not dismissing this age-old piece of wisdom, though i've heard interviews where she says she is. Nope, she's agreeing: bigger you-know-whats are better in Natasha's book! "I've been checkin' nice things you do Standing in the Starbucks queue You buy coffee for a stranger Who's down on their luck" She showed us in the previous couple lines that she's going for something beyond just the physical here, and now she is showing the behaviors that caused her to conclude that he's big in all the right ways: he's generous. "Random acts of kindness flow, Compassion from a hand I'd like to hold" She loves using the word "flow" in this song, doesn't she? So yeah, he's compassionate, and that makes her want to hold his hand, while still letting the ambiguous language "flow." "It does it for me and I can't get enough" Well, there ya go. "Oh, don't confuse me when I say Oh, please don't take this the wrong way" This line has two meanings, as well. It's not concerned with sexualizing this poor gentleman that she's been creeping on, who is apparently a nice guy. But meaning 1: Refers to the message of the song as a whole: "don't accuse me of being a horny creeper" meaning 2: Refers to the subsequent lines. "Don't make a mistake when I say the following words." And those words are..... "You can lead a heart to love But you can make it fall" Of course refers to the cliche "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," but Natasha's version is more direct and less allegorical than the original. The heart she's referring to is her own. She has been led to love in the past, but she hasn't been made to fall for those guys. And why not? Let's see: "I'm tired of loving small" Ah, because their penises were too small. Oh, and they weren't nice guys like the random man in Starbucks. Seriously, though, "loving" here is ambiguous, meaning "falling in love" with someone, and also "making love." So Natasha is bringing together personality/generosity and penis size as being connected. "Cause size matters but not how you think I'm talking bout your heart" This is the dishonest part of the song. Just admit to having a sexual element to it. You can be talking about the heart, too, but you're also talking about... other things. You already said so. "And what you do with it" Once again, she includes an element of the physical alongside the spiritual/emotional aspects of the song. At the moment, though, there is nothing to "do" with the heart. That means that, when you hear this line, you're forced to think of the word "heart" as a physical thing that you can "do" things with. And Natasha has already lent us the imagery to correctly substitute the "heart:" it's the penis. So this line sounds primarily sexual until the next line comes along to contextualize it: "The more seeds you plant The more flowers will grow" Okay, so what you "do" with your heart refers to planting positivity in others. This chorus is riddled with sexual content, specifically the last three lines. But at least now we see where the heart actually fits into the previous line. "So big up the love 'till it overflows" Homegirl nasty. And she wants people to be kind to each other, which is sweet. Final thoughts on the last three lines of the chorus: "The more seeds you plant the more flowers will grow, so big up the love til it overflows." First of all, "seeds" and "overflowing," specifically in reference to a person, really specifically to a guy, and especially about a guy's... you-know-what, bring with them a connotation of fertilizing, namely referencing his sperm. This is sort of a cheap comparison, if you ask me, but it's pretty clearly what she's going for. Secondly, "flowers" often refer to women's reproductive organs. Thus, the kinder/bigger you are, the more women will "respond" to you. Finally, the meaning of "big up the love" becomes clear: on the surface it means be more generous to others, and subtly it means have a big... you know. Verse Two: "Most blokes too shallow to swim in Only interested in one thing It's all so meaningless 'cause puddles dry up" Here, calling guys who are only interested in sex "shallow" makes them puddles, and she's saying that they'll eventually become a "dry" place for her because they are small-"hearted." So a guy who is not generous in deed and in stature won't keep her sexual and emotional interest. "With a view of the world so small It limits the size of the dream And you achieving it" If you substitute a certain aspect of the anatomy for "view of the world," then one might infer that "The Dream" is her pleasure: a small you-know-what means a smaller "dream," and a bigger one means a bigger orgasm, as well as a richer relationship. "A new panorama With your arms around me, I see my life how it should be" Her life is forever affected by the imagined large genitals of this strange man. Big it up [Repeat: x2] Again, she is all about big things. On the whole, her vocal is a bit promiscuous in this song. Somewhat coy, imho. I'm not saying the song is only about sex, but it's a bit silly to say sex has no part in the song at all. It's not a "sexy song," but it's about contextualizing sex correctly in her relationships, and that's nothing to be ashamed of, or lie about when you're put on the spot. I didn't write the song, folks! I'm just pointing out the obvious! |
|
| KT Tunstall – Difficulty Lyrics | 13 years ago |
|
As for the meaning of this song, I've had this feeling in a LOT of friendships--I think anyone who's experienced relationship difficulties, or more to the point, who's seen a friend through a hard time, has felt this way. It's hard because you want to help them out, but you can't do more for them than what's in your power. The rest is left to them, if not to the circumstances they're living through. The "you change every day" could mean a lot of different things-if you don't know the person well, say if they've never let you in in some way (told about their past, etc.) then it can be hard to reach out to them. You feel as though you're breaking your back supporting and encouraging them, when really you don't know what's going on with them. It seems from your perspective that, as they deal with their circumstances, they go through shifts and changes in who they are. It's hard to get a read on someone if they keep themselves closed off from you. "How could i ask you to choose" would make sense here, because you can't call them out on their changing behavior, or advise them on how to handle their troubles, when you don't understand them enough to speak to them with any kind of authority. "You change every day" comes off to me as throwing this song back to "Heal Over." It's telling someone that who they are now isn't who they'll always be. Again, the person is enduring tough times in their life, and KT is saying that they’ll move past it someday–they won’t always be going through the same way. However, this is more of a sister song than a reiteration of the same sentiment. Rather than saying the same things as Heal Over did, Difficulty is from KT’s perspective. She’s opening up about her perspective as the shoulder that the friend is leaning on. This song illustrates the duality that arises when you involve yourself in another’s issues. It’s hard because you can never truly know where to draw the line. What more can be said, or done? You can’t just fix the problem for them, but you can’t leave them in the lurch. So, after dealing with a person over some period of time, maybe for a variety of issues as you live your lives, you have to realize that you’re not all-powerful, no matter how well-intentioned you are. There’s a kind of peace and self-possession in admitting that you lack this power, and acting on that realization means to drop the issue of how much you can do. Okay, this is post is rambly. My apologies. Basically, she’s poured some amount of effort into a hurting friend, but is now stating that she can’t do everything for that friend. In the end, it’s just not KT’s battle to fight. |
|
| KT Tunstall – Difficulty Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Hmm, I dunno. I haven't listened to this song a whole ton, but i've listened closely the times i've listened at all, and I definitely got the impression that it was "how could I ask you to choose?" I always thought it was an odd line.. :-) | |
| Laura Izibor – Shine Lyrics | 13 years ago |
|
Great song, pretty self-explanitory. I must admit, when I first heard this song, I had Laura mistaken for Adele! At any rate, brilliant singer, and a very encouraging song. |
|
| Jason Mraz – The Boy's Gone Lyrics | 13 years ago |
|
**The boy's gone. The boy's gone home. What will happen to a face in the crowd when it finally gets too crowded.** We all die alone. What will happen to us, as individuals when our world ends? **And will happen to the origins of sound after all the sounds have sounded** Where do all the people go, as a group, when we're not doing our thing any longer? Jason thinks the world will end. **Well I hope I never have to see that day but by god I know it's headed our way** Hopes to die before life changes to whatever comes after what we see here, apparently doesn't think it'll be good. **So I better be happy now that the boy's going home. The boy's gone home.** Who is the boy? Where is home? **And what becomes of a day for those who rage against it And who will sum up the phrase for all left standing around in it** “It” in these lines refers to “a day,” Apparently the day the world will end, considering context. But how could a day be affected by the sentiments of people? It couldn't, so perhaps the first line is asking, “what will become of those who object to the end of the world/god ending the world?” 2nd line: “Who will explain the meaning of life when it's over?” Jason is wondering if we'll be told the meaning of this life, and who god is. **Well I suppose we'll all make our judgement call We'll walk it alone, stand up tall, then march to the fall** We'll all stand before a higher power to be judged in light of “right v.s. wrong,” and each person will be judged according to their own lives. No excuses can be made, so what's done is done. “then march to the fall” implies that everyone is doomed. No one will come out good enough, and there's no escaping that. **So we better be happy now that we'll all go home.** Earlier we asked two questions: Who is the boy, and where is home?Now we see Jason's saying there's a place each person is destined to wind up, (hence calling it home: where you belong) after they've been judged for their inevitably inferior lives. I don't get the impression that he's saying “Home” is a single place we all go, so much as the term for wherever people wind up, (imagine you tell your friends, “let's go home, guys,” you don't mean that everyone comes to your house, you mean “let's go to our respective homes”). So this line is interesting, because before we all “march to the fall,” and now we'd “better be happy we'll all go home.” Sounds like, rather than saying we'll feel happy to be going “home”, he's saying, “we're all forced to go home, so we must make our peace with it.” Almost sarcastic. **Be so happy with the way you are Be so happy that you made it this far Go on be happy now. Please be happy now** I don't imagine this part is directed at the listener, but at Jason himself. He's almost forced to be happy with the way he is because, as implied in the previous part, everything we do is set, and life is an individual experience, meaning there's no help for you. If you're screwed up, make your peace with it. There's no reason to believe there's a savior, or a way to make up for your mistakes. As Jason embraces the idea that he's responsible for his own actions, he tells himself to embrace everything about himself, because it's something he has to live with, and cannot undo. **I tried to live my life and live it so well But when it's all over is it heaven or is it hell** He's tried to be a good person, but he wonders if he's good enough to deserve heaven at the end. **I better be happy now that no one can tell, nobody knows** He once again tells himself to make peace with the idea that he doesn't know where he's headed. **I'm gonna be happy with the way that I am I'm gonna be happy with all that I stand for** This second line is interesting. If he sees himself as flawed, it makes sense that he needs to make an effort to be happy with it, that he needs to plan for happiness, even if he doesn't feel it now. But why does he make the same effort for all that he stands for? Usually this is a point of pride for people, because they are a part of something larger than themselves, believing in a cause, concept, movement, etc. because it's something that they are, essentially, “happy with,” to use Jason's terms. I wonder why he needs to make a conscious effort, to plead with himself, to be happy with his values and everything he advocates. **I'm gonna be happy now because the boy's going home. The boy's gone home.** I'm guessing that, as this song is so introspective and personal, the boy is Jason. Just my thoughts! |
|
| Jason Mraz – The Boy's Gone Lyrics | 13 years ago |
|
No way God, religion, and death aren't tied into this song... Judging from different songs, and a general vibe I get, I'm working from the assumption that Jason grew up in a Christian home. This song, from that perspective, is Jason's thoughts and worries once he's walking away from religion. From the phrasing, I gather he believes there's a god, that we answer for our “sins,” and that he considers himself flawed. He walked away from Christianity/the idea of religion on the basis that you can't prove that a religion is right. I think that a large part of him, at least at the time he was writing this, was second-guessing his second-guessing, apparently unhappy with the implications of this life without, essentially, hope. He's also curious (in an uncharacteristically pessimistic way) about the meaning of life and what happens when we die. He also contemplates his morals, and seems rather unsure about what he believes in (in dealings that are unrelated to religion... Political stuff, how to live, etc.). He seems to have almost forced himself to move away from the idea of a worldview with all the answers, and is pretty much lost, aiming for nothing more than to be happy (a natural thing to struggle with in light of the belief that we don't know who decides our fate, how they operate, or what's expected of us...) From here, I think Jason began his current spiritual journey through different religions and philosophies, not trying to find a complete truth so much as make sense of himself and what he sees and understands. Peace! :-) I'll reply to this with a detailed analysis of the song, to explain where I came up with everything in this message! :-p |
|
| Pretty Balanced – Prosthetic Face Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
My eyes were the color of shit So I switched them for blue My earlobes were fat so I had them Pierced six times through My lips took up half of my face So I had them switched for small I switched plenty parts But it would’ve been simpler To switch it all Mr. Plastic surgeon Please replace my face I can’t stand its shape It’s just a disgrace So tell me, Mr. Plastic I’d pay you enough That would be fantastic Can’t you carve it off? I tried to explain to myself that God made me this way But He can create ugly things He can make it okay The prayers didn’t help So I took me a scalpel And tried I tried to appreciate What’s inside Mr. plastic surgeon Please replace my face I can’t stand its shape It’s just a disgrace So tell me, Mr. Plastic I’d pay you enough That’d be fantastic Can’t you carve it off? |
|
| Pretty Balanced – Station Waggin Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Forreal? No comments? This song is amazing. Self-explanitory, i guess | |
| Regina Spektor – Oh Marcello Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
I don't know why i find this song funny, but the part about the baby growing up to kill everybody, paired with the Italian accent is just too much xD I don't know what this song is about, or what i think it's about... perplexing... |
|
| Regina Spektor – Oh Marcello Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Well, the title is taken from an 80's song. | |
| Superchick – Me Aganist The World Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
I agree with the above comments: i think it's about the feeling you get when you defy expectations, how it feels that everyone's waiting to shoot you down, wanting you to be quiet. It feels like you're up against the whole world. "if we believe and we have faith, we're gonna change the world someday" people making the effort to be different is what causes change untimately. Good song |
|
| KT Tunstall – Fall Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| This song is beautiful and sad, but i can't seem to find a grounding for it to make sense... | |
| KT Tunstall – Telephone Bill Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
So, i'm guessing she has a guy friend who's a good guy and everything, but rather hopeless when it comes to love. So Katie helps him out by "filling a space that's so hollow", playing the part of a girlfriend. Neither of them can really afford these long calls, but he's worth the trouble. Am i being too literal? |
|
| KT Tunstall – Lay Down Low Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
Reminds me of Paper Aeroplane and Another Place to Fall. It's written to someone who's no good for her, willing to take advantage, put her down, and hold her back. Someone who is genuinely unhappy, and takes it out on others. Great song, and i love KT's style! Does anyone know where to get Tracks In July? I can't find where to buy, or even download...? |
|
| St. Vincent – Marry Me Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
That's exactly how i read this. I think she'll literally be gone, not that any part of her will be missing. She's demanding marriage from a weak man, understanding that it's not in her nature to settle down, but to move on with little emotional attachment. This song is not romantic, i'll tell ya that :-) |
|
| St. Vincent – Marry Me Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
NERDFIGHTERS! Chk-chk... BOOM |
|
| Page France – Jesus Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
I can't imagine this song having been written from a christian perspective. there is nothing revrent, or even respectful of Christ in the phrasing, tone, or imagery. If this song were an attempt at praising God, then whoever wrote it needs to quit while they're behind. Worms in his hair? "So dirty?" Can you imagine this image? I mean, really just sit back and picture it. Not only is this song not Christian, it is anti-christian. Making fun of believers because they think the trees will play kazoos (a mute person can't even play a kazoo, much less a tree...), etc. Besides, the idea that this song is Christan is pretty much shot down by the fact that, as several have pointed out, the guy who wrote it is not a christian. "and jesus will dance while we drink his wine" This line implies that Jesus is being used for entertainment purposes, at least to me. No, the discussion of this song should not center around whether it's christian or not, but what it's actually saying. (at least on this site...) "i will sing a song to you" Who? the listener(s)? Someone in particular? Now, from the easily supportable standpoint that the song is written from an unchristian standpoint, why is the narator expecting to drink Jesus' wine while He dances? Thoughts? |
|
| Florence + the Machine – Girl with One Eye Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i'm not very familiar with F+tM, or even this song. Nonetheless, it's caught my attention, and my first impression doesn't look much like anything here, so i thought i'd share :-) When i first heard this, i took it quite literally, and was pretty grossed out. But once i read through the lyrics while i listened, i got the impression that the girl with one eye is the narator at a younger age, when she was a kid, and how she's stifled her childllike self to be an adult. "She told me not to step on the cracks I told her not to fuss and relax" she's considering how she's changed from the time she was young to now--dropped her superstitions about walking on the sidewalk breaking her mother's back, etc. "Well, her pretty little face stopped me in my tracks But now she sleeps with one eye open" upon considering the differences, she's shocked by the contrast (as we often are.) i think this is how the little girl makes her cry. "That's the price she paid" pretty self-explanitory, i guess. "I took a knife and cut out her eye" the process of losing that blind innocence was painful, and self-inflicted. "I took it home and watched it wither and die" it's gone. i don't think the "taking i home" is so important. "Well, she's lucky that I didn't slip her a smile" ??? "That's why she sleeps with one eye open That's the price she paid" same as before. "I said, hey, girl with one eye Get your filthy fingers out of my pie" she still feels some of her youthful self surfacing, and insists that she back off, and take her grubby little hands out of her business. "I said, hey, girl with one eye I'll cut your little heart out cause you made me cry" she's not happy about this transition she's undergone (growing up), and takes it out on the little girl she used to be. "I slipped my hand under her skirt I said don't worry, it's not gonna hurt" she promised herself that sex wasn't going to be a big deal. i don't think this part is her own hand, but stands more for the fact that her giving up her innocence was her own doing, rather than blaming whatever faceless guy she slept with. "Oh, my reputation's kinda clouded with dirt" she doesn't hide the fact that she's not a little girl anymore, and people don't approve. "That's why you sleep with one eye open That's the price you paid" her innocent self pays the price for this reputation she's developped by cutting out her eye. this probably isn't the best way of explaining this idea. but... there it is :) |
|
| Regina Spektor – The Clocks Were Asleep Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
oh my, this song needs more comments! i looooove it so much. it's one of those songs that's really perfect. There's no other way to describe how it hits the ear.. i agree with you guys about the meaning. This song deserves a spot on a Regina Spektor album! it's great. |
|
| Nellie McKay – Sari Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
wow! i'd never heard of Nellie McKay, but this song came up on "regina spektor" radio, and i'm quite glad it did! i love it. The meaning's pretty self-explanitory, i think... |
|
| Regina Spektor – Oh Marcello Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
cool song! URL: http://reginaspektor.net/blog/2009/09/no-one-ever-leaves-they-just-change.html scroll down and it's on the list! woot woot! |
|
| Regina Spektor – Cinderella Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
After running a search for this song (in order to comment on it), it occurs to me that Regina Spektor - Cinderella is the only result. Regina's the only artist to ever make a song called Cinderella? Interresting. Anyway, are we sure these lyrics are right? it seems like at the beginning Reg sings "she was" in some places, and "shoe" the rest. But i'm no expert. i love this song. awesome piano, and i'd bet my bottom dollar that the lyrics are deep.... no idea what they mean, though. Is Cinderella the pregnant *ahem* girlfriend "back home" the bartender is talking about? apparently they were seen making love on tv. (where else has a screen, shown to millions of people?) i get a kind of Braille vibe from the whole unappreciated pregnancy thing. arrite. that's all i got. |
|
| Regina Spektor – Aching to Pupate Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i agree with your analysis, except for that last statement. it's a nice sentiment, but the only people who prefer butterflies to gold are the same ones who prefer Regina Spektor to Black Eyed Peas and Britney Spears. the "normal", typical thing for people to long for is material, tangible, and explainable, like mainstream music. these same people wouldn't understand what's funny about dancing with a broomstick and being "mysterious and giddy", nor would they wrap their heads around preferring a pretty butterfly to a pair of earings. you made some nice connections, though, about her wanting to "pupate" as an artist. Kind of reminiscent (sp?) of Musicbox, imho. ;-) |
|
| Regina Spektor – The Devil Came to Bethlehem Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
this should have more comments, even if they're as pointless as this one: i love this song! lol but for real, i agree with love_is_free: in this song, Regina's saying that you don't need to be Bible-perfect to be a "good person". |
|
| Iron & Wine – Belated Promise Ring Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
I looooove this song. I'm addicted, I think. I took it to be pretty open-and-close, apart from the metaphors that are probably over my head :-) My take on it is that this song is written from a guy's perspective. He's in love with a girl named Rebecca, and though there are flaws and faults, even things that might break them up years from now, he ignores them Because he's so lovestruck, her flaws don't even register with him: "And my mother says Rebecca is as stubborn as they come They both call to me with words I never knew" From a different standpoint (his mother's perspective), Rebecca is very, very stubborn, yet he hadn't noticed on his own because of his infatuation with the girl. He wants a boy when he has kids, but Rebecca doesn't. This issue is never resolved in the song, illustrating how nearsighted the narrator is being about this relationship. He's pretty much all set to be married, but Rebecca's still got some wild oats to sow: "I once gave to my Rebecca a belated promise ring and she sold it to the waitress on a train". He's more committed than she is, and frankly, she doesn't care and won't be rushed. And fool-in-love that he is, he'll wait patiently. "They say, "Time may give you more than your poor bones could ever take" In response to his situation (being in love with this independent, strong-willed girl) the narrator is told that life always throws more at you than you're really built to handle. He is gentle and attentive, while Rebecca is blunt and strong-willed. I took this statement to have a positive connotation: if life is the reason he’s in love with her, it feels like “they” are saying his fate is sealed, and he is destined (or doomed) to be with her. @ the people who say "my Rebecca" means that he's probably her father, I disagree. I think he just calls her that as an affectionate term. The best example that comes to mind is (don't judge me) from Everybody Loves Raymond. When a married guy finds out that his ex-girlfriend was being set up for a date, he said, "you can't do that." When asked why not, he answered, "because she's my Stefania". So it isn't only fathers who use that term. it's like sweetheart or something like that-generally neutral in defining a relationship. In the context of this song, I'd say that they're romantically involved, because 1. He gave her a promise ring. I've never heard of a girl getting one from her father. 2. The fact that they're sleeping in together (thanks to unkleknowpockets for pointing that out). 3. The lines, "she may kiss me when her girlfriends leave again" (Because girlfriends and boyfriends are typically the ones in competition for a girl's attention, not fathers.) 4. He could never love another girl. What is the significance of this line? No one else could take her place. Who would be her competition? Another daughter? I doubt he means to imply that, upon having another child, he won't love his second born, simply because he's so very taken with the first. And I doubt that his adoration for his daughter would stop him from falling in love with a woman. That's just creepy. 5. (Here's the kicker): "Saw the statues of our /fathers/ in the courthouse flower bed" Yeah... So, as far as I can see, this is just a young man in love with a girl named Rebecca. Reading into their relationship, specifically its future, I don't see it lasting, or at least being happy. He won't remain blind forever, and already we can see that they don't want the same things, in this case, the gender of their child (of course, once the kid is born, that's that, am I right?). He's willing to give her promise rings, while she blatantly sells them. She'd rather have money than a token of his affection, showing that things are unbalanced between them. And the same goes for her only kissing him when no one is around. I think that's self-explanatory. So, this is a song about a young man head-over-heels for a girl who doesn't feel as strongly for him, and has the ability to chew him up and spit him out. What a bittersweet sentiment. :-) |
|
| Superchick – Let It Be Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i defy you to find a person who dislikes this song! all my friends love it, as do i. i introduced my parents to Superchick with this song, and they both said that any other song from Superchick would've put them off, because the rest "aren't their type of music", but there's something about Let it Be that made them give the rest a chance. Now my mom has downloaded Stand in the Rain into her music library, and i've gotten my dad to listen through both Beauty From Pain (album) and Rock What You Got (album). as for the meaning, i think it's pretty self-explanitory. i agree with jesusaves, and would like to add: it's about judging ourselves through others' eyes rather than God's. You just hurt yourself, buying into human judgements-they don't know who you are as a person, and they don't love you like Christ does. So, rather than worrying about the bricks they throw at you to make themselves feel better, cast away those loads and turn your eyes to God, because He has a plan for you, and won't ever harm you! |
|
| Iron & Wine – The Trapeze Swinger Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i don't have the time to read every comment and interperetation, though i've read some great ones. So, here's the song from my POV, and i agree with those who say this song can be felt on many different levels, and no matter the intention of the author (i'm new to I&W, but i gather his name is Sam?), there's something epic and vast in this song that sort of injects itself into your mind and heart so that no two people will agree detail for detail about its deepest meanings, simply because understanding this song requires internalizing it, and once it's internalized, it's a part of you, and no two people are the same. So, summing that up, this song is too personal to be black and white. So, in keeping with the intention of this site, i'll just highlight some basic stuff about the song that maybe is common knowledge, but as far as i can tell, is widely overlooked. Something that sticks out to me, ever since first listen, is that love making is a main theme in these fond memories. They weren't just friends, yet they weren't exactly on their way to the chapel: "My hand between your knees, you turned from me And said, "The trapeze act was wonderful But never meant to last." and his reaction (anger) shows that the concept wasn't mutual-he wanted things to go on, or move foreward. dang. i've got to go. Just one last thing: i think it's fairly obvious that she's died, and while i didn't catch this on my own, i'll take everyone's word for it that he's dead, too. But initially i'd assumed that he was alive. i like the interp. that this song is a prayer to her. but, to each his own. hopefully this wasn't a waste of a comment. |
|
| Iron & Wine – The Trapeze Swinger Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
"Why leave notes behind at the pearly gates?" All will stand outside of the gates to be judged, but only the righteous will enter. So the spray-painted messages are either 1) from those who were rejected and headed to hell, sending a message to all who will ever approach, or to someone in particular who was still alive at the time of the spray painter's death or 2) a message from someone who was allowed in, left for someone who may not ever enter. Because if the recipient were allowed in, the writer could simply tell them personally. |
|
| Iron & Wine – The Trapeze Swinger Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| your comment gave me tears. So meaningful. | |
| Superchick – Stand In The Rain Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
this song's not about God, but it has Christian undertones, just because, instead of promoting some selfish means of shallow relief, it encourages you to just face whatever crap life's throwing at you, because this life isn't it, so there's definitely a light waiting for you at the end of the tunnel. Stand in the Rain is similar to Beauty from Pain, just without the word "God" in it, basically. " I don't want my views on it to be tainted because of this. I'm not exactly the number #1 believer of god... " Honestly, i take personal offense that this song being about God would "taint" it for you.. what's wrong with loving a God-oriented song? |
|
| Superchick – Beauty From Pain Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
Just reading these comments is really powerful- especially eriequiet's! i agree that this song is about any trial in life. God pushes us, tests us, and in the end uses the pain of it to develop us into His likeness (that is, if we don't jump ship in the process). As my pastor says, "nothing teaches you a lesson like pain. When something hurts, you don't forget it. Think about when you were a kid. Maybe you don't remember every second of summer camp, having fun with your frineds, but i bet you remember every single time you got a whoopin'! you even remember why you were in trouble..." People need to feel pain in order to change, and this is really relevant with regard to God, because, left to ourselves, being constantly blessed out the wazoo, we're the oposite of useful to His purpose, because we either take Him for granted, taking credit for our skills and blessings, or we simply remain stagnant in our faith. We never grow. So, yes, He could use us even as we're corrupted and sinful. But where does that leave us, as far as eternity? No, pain is something built into us to help us learn, to break us down to our most basic, incompetent selves, so that we can precisely see the power of God's hand as He swoops in at the final milisecond to deliver us. We say, "whew! that was a close one! i thought i was a goner." when in reality, His hand wasn't away from you for a second. and sure, it's easy to say, "there will be hard times, so that we'll be like gold that's been purified through flames." What we seem to forget sometimes is that, in order to be purified, you need to /go through fire/. And i think this song really was born out of that period when all you can see, and all you can feel, is that flame, and you want with everything you have, to just let go and quit. Whoever wrote this is blessed with an immense amount of couage, faith, and strength that makes for a mature christian who's as tough as leather, and shines golden from the inside out. ok, The End. |
|
| Superchick – Hero (Red Pill Mix) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
before this version of Hero came out, i kind of overlooked the original as a "good song" that had a "good message", that maybe didn't have music that backed up its intensity. But after i bought Regeneration and listened to this track.... wow. this is definitely in the top 3 most powerful Superchick songs. Hands down. I cried, just because of the reality of the subject, the way it's presented, and most importantly, how relevant it was to me. i'm really proud of the band for sticking up and calling people out on this, you know? i felt guilty, and this song was an extra push toward being a true light for Christ: not just living a "good, christian life" by attending church, not cursing, etc., but by really being a representative for God. And Jesus is real in the sense of dealing with issues, getting in people's faces about things when necessary, and certainly didn't back down because of a threat of rejection. I've been on the side of things where i was making fun of someone else, just because my freinds were, or being a jerk to someone because they weren't my definition of cool. But after listening to this song, i understand how utterly pathetic and hypocritical that really is. How can i call myelf a CHRISTian, when i'm standing directly outside of my church, making fun of a kid for having a stutter? So, yeah. i've made some changes-for one i don't take that kind of crap from myself, or my friends, especially the christian ones-what kind of testimony are you putting out there, mocking and disrespecting someone? this was way longer than i intended, but there's my mini-testimony for you... and i agree with MomoTheStrange: i'm not one for rap, either, but the raw delivery and conviction here really drive the song home. Like, don't just say, "aw, those poor kids. that must be hard for them." The rap takes it another step, even in a different direction (the one i'm sure the band intended): this issue isn't /about/ the fact that there is pain, it's about the fact that there are individuals standing on the sidelines, watching as people injure others, to the ultimate ruin of their own lives, and even worse, the lives of those around them. okay. i'm stopping haha sorry this is so long... |
|
| Rasputina – Watch T.V. Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i'm almost positive that the meaning she stated for this song was a joke, poking fun at herself for lifting the lines from something so shallow/unrelated (evidence by the audience's laughter on the video)... my guess is that the christian and anti-christian being referenced on E! have absolutely no bearing on the meaning of the song. She just took the two lines abouts stars/families out of conext. i guess you'd call that inspiration. or something. i didn't listen to the song before reading the lyrics, but i read through the lyrics about 5 times... by the third time, i became convinced that 1. someone had died, 2. it was another girl who the narrarator was close with and 3. this song is about the narrarator's denial about the loss. I'm pretty sure it's not a cousin or a friend, but a sister. Bear with me. i concluded the death from a few things, like the fact that this seems to be a monologue to someone unaware that they're being spoken to, and, more specifically, the lines "One star lost a family One family lost a star". i'm assuming "family" is literal. Maybe the dead person was the "star" because she was the baby of the family, nadfrom her sibling's perspective, recieved unfair attention. Another reason i don't think the dead person is literally a star of a tv show, or that the show itself is the dead (person?) is because of the line "i'm the lucky one". This really stuck out to me as something that's said about someone with regard to their relationship with someone they're close with. In other words, between two people, specifically of the same gender, there's a natural rivalry that develops, and when one is inevitably jealous of the other, it's quite cliche to state something along the lines of, "well, you're the lucky one", maybe from the nerdy, unattractive, or quiet girl to the prettier, more outgoing, or more popular girl. In the song, this line is followed by, "always having fun", a typical misconception between sisters who fight over petty things because the real bone they have to pick stems from, again, jealousy. So, that's why i think dead (younger) sister. Another reason i don't think it's just about a cancelled tv show (even taking into acount the possibility that the speaker is crazy) is the part where she makes up new lines for the people on tv. This sounds like a game people might play when they get bored of reruns (like on that show called Whose Line is it Anyway?, they called this game Film Dub...). So, now that the sister is dead, the narrarator tries to pretend that she's still alive by looking for her on the tv shows that they used as half-hour bonding time. i think that guilt plays a role in this, too, just because the younger sister was jealous of diferent things, like the nararator's "fun", and i'm guessing, her hair as well "i tie back my hair" just made me think of two girls: one with long, pretty hair, and the other who wished her hair was long. and maybe during tiffs and general rough patches in their relationship, the nararator would purposely wear her hair out, to make her shorter-haired sister jealous. But when things were peaceful between them, and they played little games with the tv, the nararator would tie her hair back, to a) keep it from drawing attention to a topic of previous tension, and b) as something symbolic. kind of a peace offering: "i know certain things make you jealous, but i'm putting all that stuff aside so that you and i can be close." but i could be completely wrong, and maybe it really is a battle in the afterlife lol EDIT: looking through the words one more time, i noticed the lines, "You were the one/ Who'd talk and smile for half an hour"... maybe the sisters didn't play together, but the nararator would sit back and listen, and maybe belittle her sister for playing the game ("that's dumb, why don't you just watch it like a normal person, or let me pick the show?"). so the narrarator didn't play with her, but the sister played on her own. But now that she's gone, the narrarator takes her place by citing lines for her... just a thought... P.S. i'd like to formally apologise for my inability to spell "narrarrator", along with about 50 other words in here that probably have their vowels all outta whack.... |
|
| The Bird and the Bee – Birds And The Bees Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
no comments?! this song sounds really relaxing. my favorite lyric from The Bird and the Bee is probably "Don't take shh, crucify it To breathe in, to breathe out". Let go of any negativity, stress, and general crap. otherwise, you won't be able to breathe. If that makes sense. |
|
| Tilly and the Wall – Sing Songs Along Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| satan worship? | |
| The Bird and the Bee – Baby Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
i took this song as being sarcastic-"like a baby/like a lady" sound insulting. She'll be there for him. Even if he's like a little girl. :) I might be biased, though, because the very beginning reminded me of my cousin, and how he broke his arm while climbing a fence with my brother. When my cousin finally convinced my bro. to get help, my brother didn't bother rushing, because any time my cousin has even the slightest issue, he screams bloody murder about it. So no one believed he was really injured, as crying was his typical reaction to anything from a toothache to, well, a broken arm. He has the reputation of being a crybaby. I'm sure you all care so very much. ;-) well, sarcastic or not, it's a nice song. The level of nice-ness is up for discussion, as far as i can tell. (lol) |
|
| The Bird and the Bee – La La La Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
precisely what i was gonna say! i think this is mostly supported by 1. all of this occuring in an attic (a.k.a. random place in the house where anyone else would be creeped out/bored), and 2. the pigs are eating popcorn and selling tickets. Grade A child's imagination right there. cute song. kinda reminds me of Ghost of Corporate Future by Regina Spektor- both urge listeners to unwind, be carefree, and be themselves. No matter who's watching. |
|
| The Bird and the Bee – Love Letter To Japan Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| soo, the song's about a love letter to Japan, or to someone /in/ Japan? lol i feel dense. i've only heard it once, though... | |
| The Bird and the Bee – Polite Dance Song Lyrics | 14 years ago |
|
/awesome/ song. Haven't seen the video (i'm abt to watch), but there is def. some innuendo. "show some brain" could could be taken as a referrence to male genetalia, and "i wanna see your nughty bit" is fairly self-explanitory. "please pardon me for losing my cooling", i guess is her being hot for this guy, and being very un-polite about it. Other than that, i love the beat, and everything else about this song. *plays on repeat for 10 more years* |
|
| Regina Spektor – The Calculation Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
"a web of skin and nails and hair... and bones and bones..." ~Lounge "until we were just bone" ~On the Radio "...and whether i could spare a pound of flesh to cover his bare bones..." ~Ezra Pound "his flesh was wounded...he has nightmares about boys dripping blood" ~2.99 cent blues (idk if that one counts) "bare feet on a cobblestone street...a splash in my ankles, my knees, then my thighs and my eyes open wide..." ~A Canon there are plenty of feet referrences in Mermaid, as well as her tail. And her voice. well, that's all i'm contributing haha she does sing about body parts a lot. oh yeah! b.y.o.s.: "all my friends clip their teeth with nail clippers... and in it i sent all the bones and the bones and the braids from my hair" she sings of death quite a bit, as well... and "flesh". how morbid. ODE TO DIVORCE! sorry. forgot one: "behind your tonsils, peeking over your molars".... ok. i'm shutting up now. |
|
| Regina Spektor – Bear Spektor Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
hey, i read in the booklet for "far" that her brother's first name is "Borusch". (i lent it to a friend, so i don't have a way to spell-check. sorry if that's wrong!) before, i always wondered secretly if she made up "bear spektor", or if he were a teddy bear that she called her little brother, sort of an only-child sort of thing. Or maybe her parents are as quirly as Reg, and decided that Bear was the greatest name you could ever bestow upon your child. But now i see that it's just an awesome nickname that he probably goes by. But at least it's not on his birth certificate! Ah, yes, rambling, my old friend. I've missed you so... EDIT: well now i don't feel special-- just old light beat me to the punch. Two years ago. hm. well now you have double the support: the child's name is certanly not bear. anyway, adorable song. and @ fruition: You're making me sad! now whenever i hear that recording, i'm going to think she feels like crying! :-( oh well. i still love the song. last thing: i kind of agree with just old light (hello again!). i think this song was an effort to make a song just for Bear, and i find it hysterical that 1) she obviously runs out of things to say, 2) she remembers the stuff she was singing, even though it wasn't anything profound, and 3) she performed it for an audience! lol ok, well i'm going to stop talking now... |
|
| Regina Spektor – Eet Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| e.x.a.c.t.l.y.! i couldn't have put it better myself. that's my exact interpretation of this song. except mine didn't involve cows. (good example, though.) ;-P | |
| Regina Spektor – Riot Gear Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
i love that song too. i especially find it interresting to hear other people's thoughts on it-it's so multi-faceted. i really don't see it as being about a desolate future, but more of an example of a character's bleak existence. Pavlov's daughter (i'm debating whether or not she's likely to be this Lucielle person) is affected by the bell conditioning in the same way as the dogs-i think she is an example of people's response to society's conditioning. so i automatically think of her as clumped in with songs about the future, because i feel that's where we're all headed: laying in our beds, drooling on our pillows at the slightest command from some outside, removed source. sorry if i muddled the meanings/interpretation of the song for you! i re-read; i wasn't very clear on what was implied in each song i listed. hope this helped! |
|
| Regina Spektor – One-String Blues Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
i was obsessed with this song for some time. i like how it has, like, a talking interlude haha it's so fun to sing along with that part. Regin-AH! Regina, I-ainnt go' nawww-thaariteeee-eenny-moooorre. lol anyway, don't ask me what this song's about. maybe Poseidon has significance to her baby's leaving, maybe not. She's just generally washed-up in this song, her man left her, and every night she wishes he'd come back, and she's taken all the wrong "buses" (made all the wrong decisions, obviously). that's why her eyes are dreary and pale. she's tired... my mom had a good point about how she tends to dabble in a genre in a way that's terribly cliche, but still has a quality that's present in all of her songs, and i thought, "crazy brilliant vocals and lyrics, perhaps?". but she compared Regina to Weird Al Yankovic -HEAR ME OUT!- because Regina imitates musical styles, but has that lighter vibe to her music (the common thread) than the people who are singular to that genre. My mom said it was like Regina was spoofing the genre, but it's too serious to be funny. But that's all got on the whole "song meaning" thing. it's a Regina Blues song. Enjoy. :-P |
|
| Regina Spektor – Be Like a Cloud Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
i agree with HaverchuckTheStud: this song is from Regina's own perspective, wondering about being called a "genius", and fans saying she writes "masterpieces". She's just doing her thing, enjoying her music, making up songs, and people read sooo much into it, and put more stock and attention into the lyrics and sounds than she does. But this isn't a bad thing-Reg encourages others to do what she does: don't ask for their permission. just be like a cloud, "'cause you're no worse than a cloud". in other words, just do what you love, because loving what you do is the greatest thing a person can do. Don't put yourself down and say "i'm not original, i can't write/sing like this person or that person", because if you love to write/sing/whatever, then you'll be every bit as good as the greats. Regina always said she looked up to the Beatles as a kid, and whenever she sings, "don't ask for their permission-you're no worse than a cloud", i think of them, and how Reg isn't striving to be "like" them, or looking for someone else's approval. She knows that she's every bit as good as them, because she's genuine, just like they were. overall, a really sweet, honest song. i take the face, eyes, etc. to be her imagination coming up with her characters. She's flying around a big city and looking in windows, seeing all of these different things, these different people. i figure this is something like how she feels about writing: the characters are going about their business. She's not making them up, forcing them to do what she thinks is interesting. Rather, she's an observer looking in the window, and the songs are her observations of what they do, and what she thinks they're thinking, feeling, and what they're probably up to. There's not always a set-up master plot. sometimes it's just a story that rhymes. "...and i make sh*t up all the time and I start to believe it myself Just 'cause it rhymes..." ~Making Records she spends plenty of time thinking about real issues, concerns, and people, and so when she interprets these imaginary characters, they're bound to reflect what she sees and feels, but it's not like she sat down with an outline and a gameplan. She just sings what the song requires. that's what i love about Regina, though. Sure she's unique, honest, informed, brilliant, beautiful, TALENTED, and adorable, but her music itself is really something unique. most people sit down and have their own processes, affected by their agenda: what is the point of writing this song? some people want to make themselves sound good, so they put words together that sound nice when they're sung a certain way, and they make melodies that show off all of the good attributes of their voices. others write for certain emotions, and their music reflects that. But Reigna goes about music very differently-she's not going for a hit single, a chance to show off, or even expressing something personal to her. Instead, she starts poking around and waits for the song to find /her/, then she does her best to communicate the song, but she's said herself that she wishes she had more voices, so that she could sing the songs the way they should be sung. She's unselfish about her music. The noises are the best she can do to express the music, not a cry for attention for being "quirky" or "offbeat". artist like her don't come along every day. She's like a singing sculpter (person who makes sculptures, not a sculpture herself). Rather than saying, "i want to sculpt a horse." and going on a hunt for a rock that'll do, Regina looks around at all of the rocks, and when one catches her eye, she starts poking around at it, trying to see what sculpture is waiting to emerge, then, when she understands enough of it, she hunts through her limited toolbox (sounds/accents/noises/impressions) to bring that sculpture into being. Sometimes it comes off in a way that others can comprehend, sometimes not. But i have an immense amount of appreciation for her music and her, considering she's able to dip into that same creative process again and again, seeing more lips and ears and boulders than she has the capacity to share with us, or even with herself. so that's my daily Regina-lovin' rant (a.k.a. my 2.99 cents). Love ya, Regina! |
|
| Regina Spektor – Ink Stains (All the Holocaust Deniers) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| w.o.w. spectacular. | |
| Regina Spektor – Riot Gear Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
wow. maybe i'm way off, but i got the impression that this was another futuristic song, like Machine and Consequence of Sounds. the sound of this song is happy, but the lyrics aren't. The narrator can't even leave the house without armor! in these lines: "But in the library of my house I have a laugh Medieval jokes are just as funny now If you've got a degree" nothing's allowed to be funny unless you have an education to explain why it's entertaining. Either that, or everything is over-analyzed. Even timeless jokes like "why did the chicken cross the road?" require a degree in order to be justified as funny. "The night comes Time to go on the town And in my best Sashimi dress And marble arch supporting shoes I am a vision in my horse-drawn tank" Everything is so calculated. Once it's night, the narrator knows it's "time to go" out to have a good time. She puts on her best dress (that sounds like some sort of sushi, though i don't know what Sashimi really is.) and the last line here is ironic, illustrating how there's no point to paying attention to your appearance when you can't even leave the house without entering armor and an army tank. there is also a comparison of the past, and the assumed future (or the present, in the case of this song). Rather than an old-fashioned horse and buggy, people need to travel in tanks. Regina spends a substantial amount of interview time on this subject: everyone's scared, nothing's safe, and the world is trying very hard to, well, suck. Ghost of Corporate Future, Consequence of Sounds, Machine, and arguably Pavlov's Daughter all support this. "Stay out Drinking into the night And they are saying those same things And I'm like "Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee" 'Til half-past three And then it's time for me to go" clearly, this good time isn't s enjoyable. the woman is just going through the motions, creating the image of someone enjoying their time in the bar (or wherever). The speaker isn't the only one faking a good time-she's hearing the same old jokes from more than one other party. This passage is ironic, too, because most people don't plan from early on in the day to stay out until 3:30 am. this is the result of having so much fun that you forget the time, not a calculated item on a strict schedule. "Heaven help the ones who know What makes the world go slow What makes the world go slow" i'm still working this out, but i think this person is basically calling attention to the fact that they're oblivious to why they're unhappy. time moves rather quickly when you're having fun, when you're passionate about what you're doing. Time moves slowly when you're waiting, when you're bored, and when you're not stimulated. It is implied in this passage that time is moving slowly for a vast majority. But "the ones who know" are those who are, presumably, on the "outside"--those who can see what the problem is with leading this shell of a life. "Come home Take off my tuna dress Put on my collard greens And in my sleep What dreams may come Before I'm woken by alarms Put on my riot gear" This final stanza shows that this is a cycle. Day in and day out, this woman lives the same meaningless, impersonal life. NOTE: Just re-read, and noticed a couple of overlooked lines: "what dreams way come before i'm woken by alarms" These lines say that people aren't meant to be this way. their brains seek out stimulation in the only way they can: dreams. everything is structured: sense of humor, literature, entertainment, travel, work. Even human interaction is staged and shallow. But the highlight of the day (or night) is during sleep. The only interest the narrator shows in her own life is her wondering about her dreams. That's my take on it, and comparing it to what others have already said, i guess i wasn't completely off the mark: While i think this song has a futuristic, bleak vibe, rather than being about a certain social set in today's society, they /are/ rather comparable. Maybe the year is 2559 A.D., and maybe it's not, but the message is the same: wake up, be you, and enjoy your life. Oh, and i just thought i'd add: FAR(T) ROCKS MY SOCKS! |
|
| The Crimea – Loop a Loop Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
mmm-mmmm-mmmm-mm-mm. m-mm-mmm-mm-m. lol catchy! i agree with amyt. i wanna add that maybe their appearance is like a biker, provacotive (sp?) dressing, or something like that: "...wanna change my name, 'Cause baby I'm not an angel" they don't look innocent enough for others's tastes. just my thoughts :-) |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.