| Thao Nguyen – Fear and Convenience Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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"Did he hurt you? in a new way... " ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gosh I love that. it's not the hurt part, it's the fact that he found a new way to do it that no one else could. relates well again to the end of a relationship, especially when one or both persons are vindictive and seem to forget that they ever cared about the other person they are now hurting. It seems with every relationship there is a hurt that is new and different and therefore impossible to get used to. How can anyone get used to it [hurt] or just brush it off when every time it changes? ....Petrified hearts, let 'em go if you got 'em. |
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| Thao Nguyen – Chivalry Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Yours is a common name and I hear it all the time Could belong to anyone it could never be mine... I love those lines, mainly because my ex's name is very common and it's so hard to get over and away from someone when you hear their name everywhere. Also, the lines "Is it that my heart beat too loud? Is it I did not bid it come down?" really hit me hard because I was recently in a relationship where I felt my heart was completely into it and the person knew how much I loved them, and when I thought they were on the same page they were actually so far off. Like all of you, this song has so much meaning to me because of my recent break-up, and it hits home, but as for the meaning I think the name explains it all... "Do what you want don't do it for me, what's the use in Chivalry?"--she's not actually condemning chivalry, just the act of doing something because you feel you "should" as opposed to actually WANTING to do it for the other person. Sort of like being in a relationship with someone and telling them you love them because you feel that's how you should be acting, when really you don't feel that way. Chivalry just perpetuates the confusion between men and women, and makes it easier for men to pretend. How many guys out there really are chivalrous because they want to be vs. how many do it because they think they have to? That's the difference between someone whose heart is really into it vs. someone who doesn't really know how to, or can't love as deeply. |
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| Cat Power – No Sense Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I think the entire song is about recalling a relationship, and its natural progression. The lines "the moon is so hollow, what's the use/ when I can see right through you, what's the use?" remind me of the point in a relationship where you can tell when the other person is bluffing so to speak. You know when they're pretending, or what their true intentions are at this point. My favorite lines in it: "All the hearts that touch your cheek- how they jump, they move, they embarrass" reminds me of the actual progression of a relationship that I mentioned before. In the beginning your heart "Jumps" with excitement, then as the relationship furthers you "Move" with it and with the other person, then finally, when you reach that stage when you feel like there's no point in being in the relationship anymore, you "Embarrass" because before you were so blind and naive. There are more parts to it, but I was mainly moving off of that last quote which inspired my interpretation. Also I like the fact that she calls lips "hearts" in that line. As if when you kiss someone you are touching them with your heart, I suppose that relates to the facade of it all. |
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| Pinback – Non Photo-Blue Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I always like the vibe I get from this song. I took it to be about these 2 people (guy and girl) who are separate, but are somehow connected. Either via a forum or something. The girl's posting all the time, the guy's lying there all the time. and they're just spending their lives thinking alone. and at the risk of over-interpreting... I've always thought the lines "crayon past line, stay after school" were very meaningful. I imagine a kid who colors outside the lines in school and is reprimanded for it, and forced to color inside the lines--and as a result he becomes like everyone else and is conformed to the rest of the kids who "color in the lines." But when we are older, those who "color outside the lines" are admired and become more significant because they are not like everyone else. I think it touches on that contradiction where we raise our kids to be the same, but then when they become adults we expect them to be different and better--we should have just let them color outside the lines and be themselves to begin with. I think that ties in to the guy and girl in the beginning still... as if they are the two kids who colored outside the lines and were forced to conform, and now because of that they don't really fit in with the rest of society and are similar in that they are different than everyone else but have never been allowed to be because it wasn't seen as the "right way" to do it. |
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| Pinback – Non Photo-Blue Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I always like the vibe I get from this song. I took it to be about these 2 people (guy and girl) who are separate, but are somehow connected. Either via a forum or something. The girl's posting all the time, the guy's lying there all the time. and they're just spending their lives thinking alone. and at the risk of over-interpreting... I've always thought the lines "crayon past line, stay after school" were very meaningful. I imagine a kid who colors outside the lines in school and is reprimanded for it, and forced to color inside the lines--and as a result he becomes like everyone else and is conformed to the rest of the kids who "color in the lines." But when we are older, those who "color outside the lines" are admired and become more significant because they are not like everyone else. I think it touches on that contradiction where we raise our kids to be the same, but then when they become adults we expect them to be different and better--we should have just let them color outside the lines and be themselves to begin with. I think that ties in to the guy and girl in the beginning still... as if they are the two kids who colored outside the lines and were forced to conform, and now because of that they don't really fit in with the rest of society and are similar in that they are different than everyone else but have never been allowed to be because it wasn't seen as the "right way" to do it. |
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| The Used – Greener With The Scenery Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I think the title "greener with the scenery" is actually more literal that most of you think. The word "greener" when referring to a person means "naive"--the title reveals that this person, in their current situation, is naive because of the things and people around them... which makes sense with the rest of the song. |
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| Portugal. The Man – Dawn Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| portugal. the man's lyrics seem completely random at times, but there's a method to their madness--and a lot of their songs are very meaningful if you take the time to listen. I love them. | |
| Portugal. The Man – And I Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I think it is somewhat about being free from material ties, but I think it's going further and talking about reincarnation and the interconnectedness of everything- how as humans we are related to everything, even the colors that wash down the streets. and the only way to live is to love everything and eachother as much as we love ourselves. | |
| Fiona Apple – Red Red Red Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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in poetry the color yellow often symbolizes someone who is sick (physically or mentally) or kind of defective in some way. and obviously blue is sadness. This song is about one of the damned if you do, damned if you don't situations of life and she's saying "well, I don't get it, but that's just how it is and that's that." I think they can't stand to be apart or together and she can't stand what's happened or what's going to happen but she's just trying get by. |
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| Karate – This, Plus Slow Song Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| this song to me is about the innocence of being young and how you do things not really thinking about them or really knowing why, it's more of an action-orientated time because you haven't learned to hesitate and you don't understand why you feel the way you do sometimes but you just do. | |
| Pinback – Tripoli Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| also it could be about terminal illness. | |
| Pinback – Tripoli Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| and someone already said it, but the final lines i agree seem to be about the shooting off of a deceased person's ashes by strapping them to a rocket. | |
| Pinback – Tripoli Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I think it's about someone with depression- the lines "he's gonna go down and he's gonna come back again" remind me of this and the problem that all people with depression face that is the cycling of moods up and down or happy to sad. the "did I forget that I said to you I would be there?" line makes me think of someone who contemplated, attempted, or commited suicide (it sounds more like they're repeating the thoughts or words of this depressed person here) and then the "sad I'm gonna die" are them singing because they don't have the depression problem and don't want to die until much later. I think it's showing both sides here, the depressed person and the people around him/her. |
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| The Sea and Cake – Lost In Autumn Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| geeze. love this song. | |
| Emily Wells – Mt. Washington Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| love this song. and her. | |
| Portishead – Threads Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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CovinS, Anarchitect, and Wallamanage: I like all of your inputs on the interpretation--each unique. As for my own... the lines that resonate with me most are when she says "I'm always so unsure" I feel her saying it with such despair as though she wishes she could be more decisive instead of always being unable to commit to one thing. I relate to this as I am myself a very indecisive person and avoid making any permanent decisions wherever possible. I'm going to go ahead and say she's afraid of being sure and having what she's sure about "turn away" and therefore reject her decision, but on the other hand she's also afraid of never making a decision and constantly being in the grey area. |
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| The Chicks – Let Him Fly Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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but you must always know how long to stay and when to go . . . . best lines in the whole song. |
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| Ne-Yo – Closer Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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the second lyrics are the correct ones, thanks lrkrmo15 this song is about infatuation-to me-and the initial feeling of someone who you are attracted to when they are stuck in your head and all you want is to be around them. |
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| Atmosphere – Shoulda Known Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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my favorite lines (are incorrect here and should be): goodtimes goddess my goodness goth finger nail polish autopilot footprints with a smile that's stitched to the fabric of bedtime tales that keep them kids outta the attic the mouth of madness loud and manic the motive of the bird holdin south on the atlas |
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| Atmosphere – Wild Wild Horses Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Wow. no one's commented? This song is amazing. Atmosphere is a master of words and expression. As far as the meaning I think it's pretty clear that it's about a relationship that keeps failing despite that he keeps wanting to try to make it work. The best line I think is: "And you're not so young that you believe me Just because I say its love" When we were young and love was still new it seemed so exciting and like such a big deal to say it and believe it. The older you get, the more relationships you go through, the less it feels like anything that special, especially if you've been with people who just throw around "love" like it's nothing while they're also in "love" with someone else on the side. |
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| Deftones – Cherry Waves Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| XcrusherX--artists signed on major labels who don't actually have control of every part of their music production don't actually sit there and write the lyrics in their booklets usually. so a lot of the time, it happens that the lyrics in the booklet can be incorrect. it is usually a good idea to listen to the song and hear what the singer is saying first and then compare them to the booklet and see if they match up or not. | |
| Sonic Youth – The Neutral Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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also- the lines "why would you tell me what's inside your head? why would you show me your sacred bed? secret head?" are the most powerful in this song. And I think she's saying that she may have never noticed him or given him a chance if it weren't for his mind (what is in his head that is really special but secret because he doesn't let it be obvious to everyone), and that their intellectual relationship makes him sexy to her, even though he seems like an average, neutral kind of guy at first glance. |
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| The Cardigans – You're The Storm Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I don't think this song is romanticizing war, but rather making the connection between love and war. Like the uncertainty of war, there is uncertainty in love and both require taking chances. It seems to be about her paralysis as an "angel" that prevents her from being able to take chances and therefore her inability to go out and find love. She believes in it, but she's incapable of allowing herself to go for it, she needs a "devil" who is somewhat dangerous in the sense that he will take the chance and take her high pretensions away and conquer her so to speak. She's asking for someone to see beyond her angelic nature and realize that what she needs is a good passionate relationship to bring her back down to earth. | |
| The Cardigans – Celia Inside Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| it's about a man who's infatuated with this girl Celia, perhaps they recently went separate ways, and her mere existence hurts him because they aren't together. | |
| Sonic Youth – The Neutral Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I like your interpretation Debased. the relation between maturing and seeing the positive or redeeming qualities in a neutral or normal relationship definitely seems to be in this song. | |
| Fiona Apple – O' Sailor Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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also, the ambivalence I mentioned is clearly introduced when she says: It's double-sided, cause I ruined it all but also saved myself, by never believing you, dear |
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| Fiona Apple – O' Sailor Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| fantastic song. I think the abandon with which she sings it alludes to the theme of habit. that this is some kind of habitual behavior or situation that she's used to--because of everything having a painful "before" she ends up in these relationships where she is the one inflicting the pain instead (being the other woman, as opposed to the woman being cheated on). The repetition of her asking the sailor why he did it seems as though she is both resentful that he hurt her in the end instead of the woman that he was supposed to be hurting, and also that she sort of expected it (at least her tone suggests that she's not really surprised in the end and instead is just going through the protocol of asking why, even though she expected it all along). i think the thing i like most about this song is that ambivalence between being really hurt and it being expected; really wondering why, and asking why in a sort of sarcastic/cliche way that everyone asks even when they already know the answer. | |
| The Shins – Split Needles Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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it's about growing up and after you've spent your entire childhood/adolescence being a kid and getting to be carefree and not have to worry about responsibility it seems like all of a sudden the world wants you to be an adult and to take your place in the mold. I think the pins line is referring to the title--think about being on pins and needles--that's the feeling of the child being forced to grow up. And I like the metaphor of the child like a pin cushion who all these people have placed their o(pin)ions in and then pull away expecting the child to be able to stand on his own but all he feels like is full of holes. |
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| Beirut – After the Curtain Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I think of it as a song about the inevitable, and our inevitable decisions. If you think about it this way, when the curtain falls, there are only two things you can do--you can either exit left or exit right. It's sort of like a "what path will you take?" question, or the fork in the road. You are faced with a timely decision and you have to decide right then and there. whichever you choose will bring you somewhere different for the moment, but ultimately the same--you will have exited and it will have been your choice which way to go. | |
| Blur – Caramel Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| also, caramel is sticky--i think (like phys2104 mentioned) the texture/stickiness of caramel is a metaphor for the situation. | |
| Blur – Caramel Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| it sounds like he's comparing his love for her to his love for caramel, it's less of an emotional thing as it is a craving. and like cravings, you often can't get rid of them without just giving in and satisfying it. perhaps he's admitting that because he can't have her that means he'll love her forever because, like a craving, the more you can't have something the more you want it. | |
| The Sea and Cake – I Missed the Glance Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I agree with Jumping's interpretation. you really have to go through TSAC's lyrics one line at a time because he writes basically in all metaphors and heavy symbolism so it has to sort of be translated as if reading poetry. (one of the mainly reasons why I love them) as far as the line "sunrise on my shoulder, tempted to summarize" I don't have much but it reminds me of john denver "sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy" and sunrises usually symbolize the beginning of something so maybe she touched his shoulder or something and he summarized or jumped to the conclusion that that meant she liked him? but he's not sure if it was a hint or he was just making an assumption? |
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| The Sea and Cake – For Minor Sky Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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this song makes me think of the little dipper (ursa minor) because of the the line "all of my minor sky's last july" since the little dipper is best seen in July/summer. as far as the meaning, the "hollowed out lift up nation/ all of my minor sky's last July" reminds me of 4th of July, but I think the entire song is just about the feeling of the summer in general and that's only a small part of it. He seems to be remembering the past summer(s) and something must have happened that in recalling its memory makes him somewhat restless and possibly unresolved. TSaC's lyrics have this tendency to say a lot, but hide exactly what the subject is--he never says it right out plainly and remains cryptic throughout so it's hard to pinpoint exactly what they refer to sometimes. |
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| Pinback – Off By 50 Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| it should also be mentioned that the title "off by 50" refers to the denouncing of the number 666 as the number of the beast (or devil) in the bible due to a new fragment found in the oldest copy of the new testament. so the actual number is said to be 616, not 666--making it off by 50. I think the trivialness of this is something that relates to the whole of the song and the trivialness of all we do in the name of something which we assert as true or false for our own reasons. | |
| Pinback – Grey Machine Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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"like cattle grazing your mind" ...think about that line and the whole song makes sense. |
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| Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions – On The Low Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| helplessness. and accepting that you will always have feelings for someone, despite that they have moved on and there's no point to keeping a light on for them anymore. it's like accepting a personal flaw, the way she sings it and the beat suggest that it's something she lives with and has come to terms that she will probably live with it forever and that makes her a fool but it's no different than any other habit or flaw that we form in the course of our lives--when we're used to something and things change sometimes we keep acting as if they never did. | |
| Underworld – Eight Ball Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I think of the movie The Beach (I admit it, I'm a fan) and this song is perfect in it. | |
| The Sea and Cake – Alone, For The Moment Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| also, these lyrics are incorrect. | |
| The Sea and Cake – Alone, For The Moment Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I love this song. I'm surprised no one's commented. It's just beautiful--perfect sunday afternoon song for the balcony. | |
| Pinback – HoHum Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I interpret it as someone who has some kind of insecurity maybe because of a past experience that they can't seem to forget or live down that keeps coming back up in the present. the lines: no one's gonna take the pair of scissors stuck in my arm from you no one's gonna try to repair the messages that you pushed me to makes me think this--it's something that the person has to deal with because no one's gonna fix it for them and no one can really, it's their own problem. Also, the part "you forget I'm awake/ I forget I'm awake" suggests too that this person who is having the conflict is walking around like he/she is dreaming or dead, and the person thinks they are too--again the whole thing about there being something wrong that the person has to fix within their self. sidenote: the "I wanna breathe in blue" lines are the best. I imagine the air from my breath literally being blue (though that's probably not what it's about) and that would be awesome! |
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| Pinback – Off By 50 Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I think there are a lot of issues they are addressing in this song, environmental, political (war), and the spread of democracy as a kind of solution to everything yet even democracy is an imperfect theory where we claim to give to the poor but there really is no such thing as a free lunch--and how all these things are done/related to religion and done in the name of God. it's a lot more intelligent than that, but that's my general interpretation. |
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| Mariee Sioux – Wizard Flurry Home Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I absolutely love this song and the album. I can't wait to hear more from her. | |
| Karate – Up Nights Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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and a Monday is still a Monday from this Sunday evening din you're in. sums it up for me. |
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| Karate – Water Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| i love this song | |
| Pinback – Your Sickness Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| yeah rob and zach, but I was referring to the voice of the song and someone it seems to be relating to other than the two artists. | |
| Pinback – The Yellow Ones Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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ha oh yeah, the yellow ones, so romantic. itunes is a joke more often than not with those things. as far as the song goes, I think "vein empty" just refers to feeling drained and weak/exhausted. which kind of it the vibe of the song that I get. |
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| PJ Harvey – Angelene Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I agree with tizbitz interpretation. the woman has allowed herself or be objectified or has objectified herself to numb herself to pain of dating men she doesn't care about because of money, and just for the sake of not being alone. She's showing us here, though, that she still has insight to her actions and that these are not really her, underneath she wants to get out of the cycle but it's a long way away because she's gotten used to it and it's become easier. still a little hope that she will pull out of it, though she feels trapped. | |
| Mazzy Star – She Hangs Brightly Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I think it's: she hangs brightly from the tree wonders what she's done to me |
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| Mazzy Star – Halah Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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surely don't stay long i'm missing you now it's like i told you i'm over you somehow before i close the door i need to hear you say goodbye baby won't you change your mind "baby won't you change your mind" is the best part. she's talking about the way being with someone you love, even when you know the relationship's dead you still have those feelings and a part of you wants things to be the way they were. your mind and your heart's duality. |
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| Deftones – Dai the Flu Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| not_overly_tough I think you're close, but interpreting a bit one-dimensionally or too literally. Chino often refers to love in his songs as a duality between love the emotion and physical love (sex); and relates both metaphorically to an illness or being sick. I think it's safe to say that this song is doing the same thing. | |
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