| XTC – New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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It's about being drunk and bored and way too likely to return to drinking. It may also be wanting to self-reflect on life by watching a documentary of drunks. "There's nothing decent on the TV page, nothing like me." But since that's not broadcasting, he's got actor's rage. Related: XTC were formed as XTC after Andy, Colin, Terry, and Barry got drunk in 1976, and then Andy was vomiting into a sink while trying to say (like this) "I think we.. URRGH... got... BLRRGH... a ... BLGH... new Keyboard player." |
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| The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| @[LifeInBinary:43443] The likely scenario is that she was drunk and passed out, and pale enough to beg the question if she's alive or dead, but not pale enough for a person to be sure she's dead. | |
| XTC – Science Friction Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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This song's themed around Andy Partridge's former phobia of the stars (which he had as a kid,) and also his early infatuation of comic books. It's a kid's (Andy's) early worry of alien invaders, and attempts and wonders about how to defend himself. The first verse is just worry about the stars and alien invaders. The chorus is a bit of a realization that this fear is effecting him negatively, and him (probably) wondering how to communicate gently to the aliens, like to say "I'm not an enemy." The second verse is just a kid's idea of being ready to defend yourself because you've read comic books, so "you've read the best of the best" - or at least, as far as you can imagine. |
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| The New Pornographers – Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile Lyrics | 1 year ago |
| This could be a "I was rejected from stardom, so I became drug-dependent" song. At least it seems that way to me. | |
| Cardiacs – Tarred and Feathered Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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There are multiple ways to interpret the song, but in short, it's about feeling like you're in a terrible mental state, questioning if it's actually what life is all about, then you somehow find someone who knows better and is willing to help you out (or you find a book that does the same thing, even if it's incredibly old.) You then take the advice, even if you get persecuted to death for it, and it really doesn't matter even if you die; you're saved from the treacherous place you were once in. OK, now let's analyze the lyrics and music. The first 1:30 or so of the song seems to be as though it's supposed to sound like a representation of a life in which the writer feels like his existence is in a damn hateful and sardonic carnival that's using him as the whipping boy. Keep that part in mind. "I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons Do they include everything and they change for every season It's only a matter of... Time is of the essence, shall I put up some resistance? Cursed with the awareness of my own existence" Here, the writer expresses that he understands what to do, but not why. Given context later on, this also seems to be "Why should I do this? This doesn't feel like it's living, it feels wrong." The "rules" could be anything - stupidly made rules by unloving parents who don't care about their kid, or stupidly made rules by a society that doesn't understand how to live. The size really doesn't matter much; the writer feels "Cursed with the awareness of my own existence," so it only maters that he feels bad for going with what was taught him. It's like an uncaring parent played the "Blame the Baby" game, and the writer was the baby. "It's only a matter of... Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail That boxes me together forever it forms the seal Is the knowledge of my own existence real?" The writer's feeling like shit's gonna hit the fan, and life just goes by so quickly, and he has no control over a damn thing here. But he also wants to know, is his knowledge actually right? "I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons Do they include everything and they change for every season It's only a matter of... Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail That boxes me together forever it forms the seal Is the knowledge of my own existence real?" The writer repeats the idea, then after the last time he questions it, the music changes; things get calmer. "A slice of life a piece of mind Laid on a plate of my own kind I'll take a key from the gravy And unlock the cage that holds the ravens in" The "slice of life" is an idea, and a way of life; high quality living that is not a harmful way. The "piece of mind" is the same thing, but looked at from another way; it's actually sensible, instead of being maddeningly stupid and insensitive. The fact that it's "laid plate of my own kind" is comparing the knowledge to eating it (you can benefit from quality food, and you can benefit from actual wisdom that doesn't harm you.) Since the writer says that the plate is "of my own kind," he recognizes that this wisdom fits with ideas that he wanted for himself but didn't fully realize or go along with earlier. The music then changes slightly again: "What's it like, flying high? I've a cone for a beak, but the tar makes me cry That holds me together, tarred and feathered" He expresses what his new-found freedom is like. He can see things much better when flying high, but at the same time, others think he's a damn loon who needs to be crucified for "crimes." He, however, sees it quite differently. His new freedom actually gives him love and life and happiness, and he will NOT let it go. This is the "cone," the "tar," and "feathers" all over him. The music changes again, starting in the last line, where he says that it holds him together. Things are picking up, and people are noticing: "Breathing home, hoping for the day The radio and television's thrown the rest away..." The "breathing" is "living." It's his new found freedom that people think he's crazy for, and he feels quite at home in it. However, all society still sees him as a crackpot. "...Oh dear me, look who's come around Now all I have to do is hide my body in the ground..." He sees them coming, and he really doesn't care that they're going to persecute him and kill him. The music changes at "ground." "...It's all I have to do..." Really, nothing else can be done at this point if he chooses to continue (and he does continue.) All he really can do is die and be buried. This could be taken literally, if you're a Christian believing in Christ and the resurrection; but it can also be taken metaphorically and like a parable, like a man laving a bad relationship, when someone's painted as a spawn of satan because he refused to co-operate in evil. The latter interpretation can also be taken as a parable in relation to Christ. The music changes to its final part: "When they who to the sea go down And in the waters ply their toil Are lifted on the surges crown And plunged where seething eddies boil" This is lifted from an old Church Hymn, if I remember right, but I'm not sure which one. I'm not sure I understand all of it, but it seems to be about people who doom themselves by going against the writer's ideas and choices. They crucified him, and they wouldn't join him. They chose to go down to "the sea" - that is, a massive place that can become chaotic and swallow you up easily - and then when they're in the "waters," they do whatever they do that the writer (now crucified) was actually against. Like an alcoholic drinking himself to death. The people then are placed on the pinnacle of their king, their ruler and God... In doing this, they're plunged into the depths; in which seething hatred that goes against the flow of life shall boil. Nonsensical hatred (even if subtle,) that fire of hatred burned thousands of years ago, and it continues like a coal mine fire. By committing themselves to this, they obliterate their existence. ("Eddies" mean currents of water that run contrary to the flow of the main body of water.) Though... Even after all that, I have one question; will they perpetuate their eddie currents forever, or was the last verse all about them having gone too far? Or will they realize, like the writer, that they can leave and join the actual graceful flow of living? See, the writer himself was in their line of thinking until he questioned it, found another way, and left even though he was tarred and feathered, murdered, and buried over it. |
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| The New Pornographers – The Fake Headlines Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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@[enjoymywaffles:42210] I can see that, yeah. Though at the same time, I see other interpretations that are valid. Words don't need to just mean one thing in songs, they can mean numerous things. (I gotta speak for anyone else reading, too; not just you.) |
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| The New Pornographers – The Fake Headlines Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| @[little_stranger:42209] That line might be about "kicking the habit of taking pills (drugs,)" but I don't think it is. It's probably more like, he gets flack (bruised) for writing false stories just to sell newspapers. Why bruises on his legs? Because that's the path in life he took, so he's "walking" through it. | |
| The New Pornographers – The Fake Headlines Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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@[dougievile:42208] The part about his legs seems to be about going through paths in life. Other ways to say that would be "ways" and "roads." (Like "don't go down that road, it leads to trouble.") The line could also be about "kicking the habit" of drugs (pills,) and the bruises he gets (pain he goes through) while trying to kick the habit. Either that, or it's about selling the "drugs" (stories,) and the sacrifices he's making to sell such stories. He gets flack for it for walking/going through such a place, so his "legs" are bruised. And what are the "pills" in this context? They are the fake stories that are written specifically just for reactions, as explained here: "Want to be upside down Maybe thrown from side to side? Want to fall from the clouds Sailing like a ship at sea? Want to think out so loud That the fashion police break me?" |
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| The New Pornographers – Execution Day Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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Also, the "Two sips from your crown" line is very similarly repeated in a later New Pornographers song, "Use It" from their Twin Cinema album, released in 2005. In this first song released in 2000, it is this: "Oh blast, I drank the wrong draft down Two sips from your crown The drops you left for me Am I so easily appeased?" Taking the whole song in context, it's about the singer realizing, "I drank a measly amount of a not life-sustaining solution; mere drops, all from the 'crown' of 'royalty.' I need water, but this is not only not enough, it's poisoning, adding insults to injury." Now, back to the later song released in 2005. In "Use It," the line is "Two sips from the crown of human kindness, and I'm shit-faced." This one sounds like getting drunk off either kindness, or false kindness. Either way, it's drunk, so it's not the clearest thinking, and it can be over-confident and stupid. However, I'm only taking the one line out of the entire song, without context of that song. I'd like to analyze that song, too. Maybe I'll have thoughts posted about "Use It" by the time you see this. |
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| The New Pornographers – Execution Day Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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This is the only New Pornographers song I've heard with this uneasy tone in it, and I'm only missing their Whiteout Conditions album. To me, the song's about feeling quite uneasy, and a day (or period of time, or just "time") started; it began in terror, and it ended in terror. It might have advertised itself as salvation, but it ended as it truly was. The singer's involved; "Oh blast, I drank the wrong draft down." In other words, he got involved. It's an old way of speaking, like that Bible verse of Jesus' disciples asking to drink the cup Jesus drinks - not the same cup that the singer here drinks, mind you. I'm not sure why the names "Madrigal" and "Marigold" are used here. I refuse to blindly believe that they're irrelevant, though. But why don't they come out and play, or help, or whatever? Some of the words are about having faith in a false prophet, which causes anxiety and terror and uneasiness. The prophet's smiles are exaggerated, and they're all for show. They're painted on, and what's behind the mask? Nothing of loving, considerate, Christlike kindness. "When you claim to see for miles, you don't, but I believe that you do." |
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| The New Pornographers – Execution Day Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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@[micusficus:42207] Seems accurate to me. Then again, having gone through a closely related experience that was partly out of my own doing, I can relate. See, it can be about having confidence in someone who doesn't deserve it (or who you mis-interpreted,) and this road leads you down badly. It was promised as execution day, and though you try or tried to avoid it, maybe you actually CAUSED the "executon day" by fearing that it would happen, and having confidence (badly, badly placed confidence) in what you heard. |
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| The New Pornographers – Crash Years Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| @[LittleEyes:42206] Sounds accurate to me. There may be more layers and levels to it, but I think you've done well. | |
| The New Pornographers – Champions Of Red Wine Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| @[bravely:42205] Argh, double commenting. Sorry. | |
| The New Pornographers – Champions Of Red Wine Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| OK, the Bible Verse that I referenced is not necessarily about "being poured all over." I do, however, know that the verse was something like "My life is poured out like water" or "My health is poured out like water on a desert." So it does seem like it would be in the book of Job. | |
| The New Pornographers – Champions Of Red Wine Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| OK, the Bible Verse that I referenced is not necessarily about "being poured all over." I do, however, know that the verse was something like "My life is poured out like water" or "My health is poured out like water on a desert." So it does seem like it would be in the book of Job. | |
| The New Pornographers – Champions Of Red Wine Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| @[bravely:42204] I'm not yet sure, but "being poured all over" is a valid expression, but maybe not a common one. I'm so tired while typing this, but I think the idea is that you feel like too little butter, thinly applied to bread. I remember reading a Bible Verse about being poured all over, maybe from the book of Job? | |
| The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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@[Donny1:42203] Sounds accurate, being about people who think they're "cool" but aren't. The "Hollow Stars" are just pop stars without much interest in *you* specifically, and so their love is just a sweet pop song without much but what YOU take to the table to interpret it and relate it to your own life. It's about "this boy's life among the electrical lights." Like on the Las Vegas strip. "Bon appetit, you've eaten me alive; you realize, this is not the way." |
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| The New Pornographers – All for Swinging You Around Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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For a while, I've thought this is a sort of apocalyptic song; specifically because of one kind or another of (specifically) disease-riddled sex (rather than what would not cause any kind of disease at all, physical or relationship-ruining.) You could see the song as a metaphorical death of an AIDS patient, or a vivid dream that an AIDS patient has, or a metaphorical expression that someone's relationship with a loved one is ending because he/she cheated. The "swinging you around" lyric sounds like a sexual line referring to "swingers," you know, as opposed to monogamists. Most of the lyrics are either "Is this why?" or they're expressing the end of the world in one way or another, all because of sexual relations. Now, mind; I'm sure there can be other levels and layers to consider, and other implications. My interpretation here makes pretty easy sense to me, though. |
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| The New Pornographers – Chump Change Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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Does anyone else hear this part... "I hear your work is informed by queens" As this? "I hear your worship formed by queens" Also, perhaps the second to last part here is actually "I hear your worship FOR my queens." I can't tell, and I tried finding if there's a live version or other version of this song, but I've found absolutely nothing; no alternate versions, no live versions, no reference to a live version on SetList.Fm from the dates recorded from 2003 - 2006. |
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| XTC – Wake Up Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| This was inspired by a dream that Colid had, specifically of the dying and then dead man on the side of the road. Maybe there's more to it that he dreamed of, I'm not sure. | |
| XTC – This Is Pop? Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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Andy wrote this with some inspiration from "A Clockwork Orange," and some inspiration from having read an interview about The Sex Pistols; Andy said that the interviewer wasn't sure what to call the band's music. Andy thought something like "If it sells a lot, it's pop." And "pop" is just short for "popular," so he's right about that. The inspiration from "A Clockwork Orange" is the part where Alex talks to the two girls at the record shop. "Someone leans in my direction, quizzing on my music/station selection." |
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| XTC – Helicopter Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| @[CuteSparkina:42202] Andy used to introduce this song on stage as "Your girl's playing around, she's just a helicopter." Between that and the "landing on the town" lyric, you got it spot on. | |
| The New Pornographers – Graceland Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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Oh come on, THIS is the first comment? Well I might as well do it. I imagine at least part of this song is about giving up harmful tendencies in favor of non-harmful ones, Hence Grace-land which is a state of mind and habit. |
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| Nirvana – You Know You're Right Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| I was tired while typing this but I think if I interpret some of these lyrics to "You Know You're Right" Properly I think it's a good lyric. | |
| Nirvana – You Know You're Right Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| Why are the lyrics to "The Man Who Sold The World" On this page where I'm looking for the lyrics to "You Know You're Right"? | |
| XTC – The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| It sounds to me like a reflection of one's self regarding choices in life which led to sad ends, And Andy did say something to the ring of "I didn't realize it then, But those lyrics are about me" When talking about this song. | |
| XTC – Grass Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| On the last lyrics, One might imagine they're like "Those things I did were so far removed from who I am now, I might as well have been high on marijuana compared to who I am now." | |
| The New Pornographers – Valkyrie in the Roller Disco Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| Perhaps they also played this song for Thenewgay.net? I know they played The Spirit Of Giving for the site. | |
| The New Pornographers – Valkyrie in the Roller Disco Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I think you meant to post that on the last track of Challengers, "The Spirit Of Giving". That's the song they played for Thenewgay.net | |
| The New Pornographers – Up in the Dark Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I used to hear "Only when the lights were killed they sang like birds" But that's not what it is. | |
| The New Pornographers – Chump Change Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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I'd interpret it as being, Some people take for granted what isn't there or expect things that cannot or may not be. Every person is different and although a lot of things repeat, How can a person say what will happen in another two seconds? Did a bird hit your window just now? |
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| The New Pornographers – Go Places Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| Isn't the one part "Come head on, Full circle"? Or is it "Come hell or full circle"? | |
| Sebadoh – The Freed Pig Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| yoladu, That "This band could be your life" Thing sounds like it might be in reference to the Minutemen song "History Lesson, Pt. 2". J Mascis knows Mike Watt who was the bassist for the Minutemen and has played with him. | |
| XTC – The Rhythm Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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The first two lines refer to having sex with one's wife, The next two refer to "Singin' In The Rain". The chorus lines speak of thinking of sex with one's wife (I think) As for the rest of the lyrics; "It's chaotic at the bar" = I'll take that literally. "B & O Those sweaty drops" = Body Odor and sweating. "We are all mesmerized to the thing we have inside" = Sadly, This seems like a generalization of everyone listening and I imagine it's referring to an all too unhealthy addiction to sex. It seems compounded in the next lines: "Inside, outside, eastside, West We kill the beast Yourside, myside, worlds collide, yes We kill the beast " It would seem that it means "Everyone, Everywhere gets that druggie fix of sex." Not to say that sex is "bad" because it's not; But addictions aren't good. Or perhaps I misinterpreted it and he meant "We gain control over our bodies" But it doesn't seem like it to me given the context. |
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| XTC – Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me) Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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And I do interpret the song to just be this; The thoughts that some comic book character will help the one singing to get into a relationship all fine and dandy. Real life isn't quite like that, There are bumps but one doesn't need to use them to "Travel to the moon"; E.G. Blow up over them. |
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| Neko Case – People Got A Lotta Nerve Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I thought at least one of the songs from this album sounded similar to a Beach Boys song from the Pet Sounds album or it used a chord also used in a song from Pet Sounds. | |
| Morphine – Candy Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I used to think the song was about a girl wanting to be buried with her boyfriend, Then I wondered if it was a married couple's lament of having trouble conceiving a kid. I'm still not sure what it's about, The suicide pact interpretation sounds like it could be it but I'm slow to admit it if that's the case. | |
| XTC – Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| The guitar in this recording was played by Colin's dentist. | |
| XTC – Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| "Wait 'till your boat goes down and you're washed up" = Wait 'till you come to ruin, In the line of fire. Then, A lot of things will be shown as useless. | |
| XTC – The Somnambulist Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| Come to think of it, The recording does sound a lot like a Brian Eno recording. Speaking of Brian Eno, I once read that he briefly considered joining XTC. (See the section on the Chalkhills website about the Battery Brides song, If I recall correctly) | |
| XTC – The Rhythm Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I once heard a bootleg live version of this, Prior to the band starting the song Andy said "If there are any Catholics in here with sex on their mind, Here is The Rhythm." Or something similar to that. I don't recall which exact bootleg it was that I heard but it was recorded in early 1980. | |
| XTC – Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me) Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I don't know if Andy still feels this way about the lyrics but he used to feel embarrassed by them. | |
| XTC – Roads Girdle The Globe Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Andy Partridge (Who wrote the lyric) said it's an ambiguous hymn to cars and how people worship them. I don't recommend worshiping worldly things, It leads to destruction. Rather, Worship Jesus. |
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| Franz Ferdinand – This Fire Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| I interpret the song to be about a man realizing he's both submitting to lust and being destroyed by that idol; He realizes his lust is "Destroying So Sweetly" (Destroying him in a way he enjoys) And yet he's not seeking to replace it with virtue. I don't think the music video depicting the band spreading a "Mass Hypnosis Phenomena" which is followed by a "Global Sex Mania" speaks against this interpretation. Christians and anyone else interested, I suggest you view Luke 13:22-35 right now; Web search it if you must. | |
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