| The White Stripes – You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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"But your back is so broken" I think perhaps the girl has just had her heart broken. "And this feeling's still gonna linger on until the year 2525 now" She's thinking the awful post-break-up feeling is going to last for a long time (until 2525). "Yeah you're pretty good looking For a girl. Your eyes are wide open." Now not only is the girl attractive, but her eyes have been open to the ways in which certain men treat women: buy her things she wants (general flattery), make her feel special but secretly be using her, and then dump her when you're bored (or be cheating on her). The speaker is perhaps thinking that she'll be perfect for him now because she's aware of the way her "usual type" treats her (making him more attractive), and she's still physically attractive. "But your thoughts have been stolen By the boys Who took you out and bought you everything You want now" Unfortunately, while the speaker thinks the girl's "eyes are wide open," he realizes that she still finds herself fantasizing about ("thoughts have been stolen") the same type of men (ie: not the speaker). "Lots of people in this world, But I want to be your boy. To me that thought is sounding so absurd, And I don't wanna be your toy." Despite the first verses the speaker still wants to be with the girl. However, he realizes how absurd the idea sounds because he is exactly unlike the other men she's been with and doesn't want to be the one to flatter her and buy her gifts. "My future's wide open, And this feeling's still gonna be around until I know everything I need to know now." The speaker obviously doesn't have as many relationship prospects as the girl he desires, but he makes the final statement that he'll want her until he knows for sure that he *doesn't* want her ("Until I know everything I need to know"). A different interpretation, but it's mine. |
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| Pixies – Hey Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I think the meaning of this song has been mostly fleshed-out over the course of the comments, but I wanted to add one thing. I've seen a lot of comments about the "Mary, ain't you tired of this?" line being in reference to the Virgin Mary (as someone here aptly wrote, "the most famous virgin in history"). However, let us not forget that there's another Mary (from the very same book, no less) who is perhaps the most famous *whore* in history! Mary Magdalene has been traditionally miscast a prostitute who, after meeting Jesus, reforms her ways and joins him as a disciple. Now, put that in the context of this song: "Mary, ain't you tired of this?" The speaker (could be Francis as Jesus at this point) is saying "Mary, aren't you tired of the casual meaningless sex? Aren't tired of being a whore? Change your ways and be with me." The speaker is comparing himself to Mary Magdalene because he has met the girl that he wants to be with (been tryin' to meet you), but knows that his lifestyle (his whores) are preventing him from being with her (a devil between us, or whores in my bed). Despite calling the girls he sleeps with "whores" throughout the song, it is actually the speaker that is the whore! Pretty amazing that Black Francis has the lyrical ability to write a song comparing a man's love for a particular woman to Mary Magdalene's love for Jesus, all while filling it with sexual imagery, grunts, and one of the best guitar riffs and solos in history. |
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| Vampire Weekend – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Love this analysis. One thing I'll add: The chorus ("Is your bed made?") is, in my opinion, the reggaeton boyfriend addressing the preppy, sheltered object of his affections by asking her (teasingly for sure) the same questions her overbearing mother would've asked her as a child. The very adult phrase "Do you wanna fuck?" is in deliberate juxtaposition with the innocent and childish nature of the questions that precede it demonstrating the psychological chaos that many college girls experience in their first two years of school ("as a sophomore"). Is the girl still the preppy, proper girl from Cape Cod that always makes her bed and brings a sweater, or is she an adult (sophomore) that's ready to try something that may seem "unnatural" but is definitely an adult activity? Great song. Incredibly witty. |
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| Belle & Sebastian – Asleep on a Sunbeam Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I created an account just to reply to your post. I, too, have always somehow thought this song was about a couple wanting to be with each other but not being able to. I've also always heard the last line of the 4th stanza as "With your job and with your wife," which (incorrectly, apparently) supported that notion. "I wonder if you realize you fascinate me so" is one of my favorite lines from any piece of music. Such a unique emotion, fascination, and it says so much about how one person feels about another. Lovely work! |
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