| Lights – Everybody Breaks A Glass Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I just want to say that this is one of Light's greatest songs yet. It's truly well done. Lights, you've elevated yourself. Keep going. |
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| Bright Eyes – Shell Games Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I completely agree. I think he brings up his past works not to discredit or denounce them, but to work as a reflection of who he was, and how he was who he was, and to tell this 'arbiter' (whomever that may be) that 'he's learning'. The second stanza just goes right into him telling us how if he could imbue his past self with what he knows now, he'd probably do things differently. |
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| Bright Eyes – One for You, One for Me Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Err, I got the title backwards. 'One for you, one for me' is what I've been meaning. | |
| Bright Eyes – One for You, One for Me Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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There's an old joke about two boys divvying up a handful of nuts near a cemetery. The boys are mistaken for the Devil and St. Peter divvying up the souls of the world, where one of the boys recites over and over "one for me, one for you". Though that joke is probably irrelevant, I'm left wondering what's being divvied up in the song. The titles of the tracks on the album all seem to reflect upon varying beliefs - Rastafarian (Haile Selassie), Wicca (Triple Spiral), Buddhism (Beginner's Mind), Judaism/Christianity (Ladder Song - "Jacob's Ladder" possibly?), and then a world where machines are equal to/rule/save humankind (A Machine Spiritual). Without knowing any of the lyrics as of yet to any of these songs, I'd guess that maybe different beliefs are being divvied up here with 'one for me, one for you'. |
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| Bright Eyes – Shell Games Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Here's my take on this song after listening to it for the first time and reading all these comments: First stanza - Alludes to his previous albums (except A Collection of Songs and The Story is in the Soil) and how he placed them before an "arbiter" (an 'arbiter' is someone who judges completely, so to me, it seems like it's either A) the music industry, B) the people who are listening to his music (possibly not just the fans, but everyone), or C) some sort of omnipotent God-like figure) Given this is Conor, I'd bet on it being the music industry. Second stanza - A stanza all about "what ifs" - If he could change his mind, if he could prepare himself for another life, if he could forgive himself for the times he was cruel. I'll skip the chorus for a second, just because it (the chorus) becomes clearer to me after the third and fourth stanzas. Third stanza - Talks all about his music career as a 'kid without a cause'. He did drugs, strove to be pure, honest, and truthful, was somewhat obsessed with death, how he wrote about all of this in his music, with lots of energy (piss in vinegar translates to 'loads of energy') and then sold all of it to the music industry. Fourth stanza - He then transitions his past career into the now by saying that he's STILL angry (just as he was then in all of his other albums) at the 'architect' (the God-like figure, or the individual who theorized life to be one repetitious motion after another) who created the every-man (mankind), and, likewise, Sisyphus (the character of a story about a man who repeats the same motions again and again for eternity). He's mad at this guy for creating this torturous life, causing him to slip into madness, which then so happens to be the only place where anyone can truly be free (...from the madness of normal living, day-in and day-out, respectively). Conor then states that he doesn't want to play this "shell game" known as life, for it's seemingly just a con, a fraud. This fourth stanza leads me to believe that the chorus is referencing the story of Sisyphus; however, instead of Sisyphus - who represents mankind - having to push a boulder all his life, he's really pushing - get ready for it - a collective and universal love, over and over again. Mankind is constantly, collectively pushing a heavy load of love up a hill - and Conor is stating that HE can't do it alone - it requires everyone. "Here it comes, that heavy love, we're never going to move it alone, here it comes, that heavy love, I only want to share in the load". And mind you, this is a story written by Conor, about Conor, where he leaves us with the last line of the song, stating how he wants to live his life together with everyone, he wants to share it with everyone. I think this song goes from discussing how he viewed life as a cup half-empty, to how he now wants to live it as a cup half-full. And yes, I guess that sounds kinda corny, but the song is heavily masked in the poetry of the lyrics, and ultimately comes out sounding a lot better than simply singing about cups being empty and full and whatnot. It's well-written with its symbolism. And for what it's worth, the fifth stanza - Conor tells us he couldn't deal with 'distorted' facts (possibly exaggerated facts on subjects such as life and death?) He then draws into the theme of needing everyone to make up the whole, instead of just himself (his private life cannot be explained by anyone else). Six stanza - This seems to help justify my take on the chorus, and how it's about needing everyone together to push the heavy boulder of love up its hill (on the count of three! all together now!). |
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| Rise Against – Hero of War Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I haven't heard this song, but after reading the lyrics, I have to say that I enjoyed how they bring up shooting at the lady who's carrying a flag herself. Although the flag was white... which means surrender, I still think it's interesting how he praises his flag so much, just as much as the people he's shooting at praise their flag. The main difference here is that he has a rifle. The main comparison here is that they both share a loyalty to their flag that they trust so much... even though she winds up dead. | |
| Panic! at the Disco – Folkin' Around Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Also, I love the folk and bluegrass that was encompasses this song. It's very refreshing. | |
| Panic! at the Disco – Folkin' Around Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Alright, it's almost unbearable to read some of the comments on this song. As mentioned already in the first few comments, this song is very simple and straightforward. I'll disect most of every line (for what it's worth), despite the fact that there really aren't any deep metaphors or underlying motifs that don't already go without saying. Also, for the record, I'm pretty sure he's talking about some girl. "Allow me to exaggerate a memory or two" He's exaggerating a memory. Many of us do this when reminiscing. "Where summer's lasted longer than Longer than we do" An exaggeration. He's being dramatic. The summertime is roughly a few months long, and he's saying the summertime lasted long than they did. "Where nothing really mattered Except for me to be with you" As per most relationships (especially at the beginning), his main priority was to be with her. "But in time we all forgot And we all grew" And as per most relationships, that feeling of having 'nothing else matter' eventually dwindles, hence the "forgetment". He and this girl grew past that part, and in some ways, grew up as well. "Your melody sounds as sweet As the first time it was sung" As for this part, he's mentioning how she is still as beautiful (pick an adjective) as the first time they were together. "With a little bit more character for show" However now, because the two of them aren't together, and because the two of them have matured and moved on, she's now carrying what was left of their relationship. Whenever you split from someone, you always carry those memories with you. The important part in this line is "show", as he's saying how she's adding more character to her personality merely for... show. Perhaps it's not entirely sincere? "And by the time your father's heard Of all the wrong you've done" The girl may have potentially made many bad decisions after they split (my ex-girlfriend resorted to drugs and alcohol to cope with our break-up), and he's saying that her father would be ashamed of all the wrong she's done. By that time... "Then I'm putting out the lantern Find your own way back home" ...he's not playing around anymore. He may have been her light, or at least he believes he was her light that was guiding her, and she's been doing nothing but wrong. He's finally leaving her be, telling her that she has to find her own way- her own path- to get home. "If I've forgotten how to sing Before I sung this song I'll write it all across the wall Before my job is done" If he loses the motivation that once drove him to care enough to help her, he'll then write down everything that she needs to hear/know, so that even if he stops caring (singing), his original thoughts - ones trying to guide her, help her - still remain. "And I'll even have the courtesy Of admitting I was wrong As the final words before I'm dead and gone" To me, this part is admirable. He's admitting that he has made mistakes - that he was wrong - so that this struggle between the two of them isn't as one-sided as it appears. He's made mistakes too. And he's admitting that he's not perfect either. Those are his last words to her before he eventually puts out the lantern and leaves her on her own. Being "dead and gone" means the value, the power of his words, mean nothing to her now (as if he were "dead"). "You've never been so divine In accepting your defeat" He could either be mocking her for being so stubborn about her mistakes, or saluting her for being so admitting of her wrongdoings. When analyzing the song, my gut says he's mocking her, but every time I hear the actual music I get the feeling that he's honestly saluting her for accepting her mistakes. "And I've never been more scared to be alone" He's never been this scared of being alone. She and him were together all the time, but now he's alone on the path without her. Pretty straightforward. "If love is not enough to put my enemies to sleep" If his love for her is not enough to solve their problems... to fix what's broken... "Then I'm putting out the lantern Find your own way back home." Analysis already mentioned above. So it's not a very complicated or deep song. It's about a relationship that fell apart at the seams, and about how he's done with trying to be her guiding light. |
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