| Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[blondsong:31558] - Book = Journal. People who are going through PTSD are often encouraged to keep journals of their thoughts. Especially if the PTSD is accompnied by periods of dissociation, or breaks from reality. Most people who have Multiple Personality Disorder have been trauma survivors. Sunny's journal most likely includes the people she sees as responsible directly or indirectly for letting her abuse continue..."time for a few small repairs". In her mind, these are no longer people...they are problems to be fixed so no one else has to suffer what she suffered. She is dehumanizing the people responsible so that she will be able to clear her conscience of taking them out. | |
| Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[LoveLark:31557] - Okay, I know, it has been twelve years since you posted a comment about "Sunny came Home", but the list of names are people Sunny has decided were directly or indirectly responsible for her abuse. In childhood, there are many adults who can make a difference in our lives and are responsible for our well-being, including parents, babysitters, teachers, legal personnel, anyone who has the responsibility and/or authority to rescue us from abuse. Ittakes a village to raise a child and it takes a village to screw a person out of their childhood. So Sunny's list includes anyone who looked the other way instead of trying to stop the abuse. | |
| Yes – Turn of the Century Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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This is indeed a song about a master sculptor who loses the Love of his Life to illness. She was clearly an inspiration to him and his life feels empty without her. He sets about to create a statue that will capture her radiance and beauty and cares for nothing else ("He'll all but starve to see the stone be life"). The song underscores how short our lives can seem; "Like leaves, we touched, we danced, we once knew the story, but Autumn (Death) called"...and leaves fall from the trees in Autumn, some sooner than others. We often have difficulty letting go of a loved one, which is why Roan decides to Immortalize her in stone. Also, we rationalize that we will see our departed loved ones when we also die: "Did her eyes at the turn of the century Tell me plainly When we meet, how we'll love, oh let life so transform me" means there was a calmness in her eyes when she was on her deathbed that came from her belief that they would eventually both be reunited again in Death...the phrase "oh let Life so transform me" could also be that Roan is tempted to welcome his own Death to reunite them early, but instead decides to "bring her back to life" through his sculpture. Again, a very beautiful and moving song about how we can be in such refusal to accept losing a loved one that we will do anything in our power to keep their memory alive. This song is an interesting part of the album, since other Yes songs are mainly about spiritual views vs. religion and we are most in need of our Spirituality/Religious perspectives to help cope with Death. Like leaves we touch...because we are all mortal. |
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| Yes – Turn of the Century Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[triplesee:31548] Industrial revolution? What?! No....Jon Anderson was not political in songwriting. Yes transcends politics. Please review My Interpretation. This is a very beautiful and touching song about Love and Mortality and what we do to deny that Death is permanent. | |
| Yes – Parallels Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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Jon Anderson has consistently expressed his spirituality through songwriting. He has rejected the notion that any one religion has the Truth (please review My Interpretation of the song Going For The One, from the same album as Parallels). Parallel Lines go in the same direction and do not intersect. So, if we have "parallel" views, we do not get in each other's way by arguing which religion is best. We are then able to move in the same direction and have goals that we can accomplish together. "It's the beginning of a new love in sight". By accepting everyone else without challenging each other's views, we can love and accept our differences. "Display our Rights and Wrongs and keep it strong", none of us and none of our views are perfect, so we need not pick each other's religion apart, but together, we can strive toward perfection in harmony by "Making Love Toward Perfection", or embracing Love for others to make this a more perfect world. "Parallel our sights and we will see that we, we need to be where we belong". We enjoy being able to fit in with others who can be supportive of our goals. Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs cites we have a Universal need for Love and Belonging as a society. In summary, Parallels is simply about us *not* getting in each others' way of our desire to understand The Universe; to stop enforcing our views upon each other and accept that we can all move in the same direction...to say this song is about God is to say the Dictionary is about words that begin with the letter "A". Parallels is so much more. |
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| Yes – Parallels Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[rgfein:31547] No! Nonono! JonAnderson's views transcend Christianity. That is to say, he embraces a spirituality that cannot be described as simply Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. That is the point of the title of the song. Look at My Interpretation and let me know if you agree. | |
| Yes – Going for the One Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| Lastly: :Moments decide, Moments delight, Moments in Flight". Again,there are certain moments when we gain special insight through experience, conversation, reflection...moments that bring us closer to understanding the true nature of existence. Moments can decide how we believe, moments can delight us as they help crystallize our thinking or open us to new understanding, and these moments are gone quickly (in flight) and can be easily overlooked if we are not paying attention. | |
| Yes – Going for the One Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[Teratology:31546] - Jon Anderson tends to express his spiritual views and does not focus on the relatively lower pursuits such as a love relationship. Please review My Interpretation and let me know if you agree. Thanks. | |
| Yes – Going for the One Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[billytrip:31545] Nope. Nope. Nope. =) See my interpreation and let me know if you agree that it falls more in line with Jon Anderson. Thanks. Oh, and no song by Jon Anderson is simple. That is the genius of his lyrics. | |
| Yes – Going for the One Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| @[PsYcLONe:31544] Expanding my interpetation: "Should I really chase so hard": Jon Anderson has realized it is often just as futile to make others accept his enlightened views as it is for others to make him accept their views. Again, "the truth of sport plays rings around you": our goal may be to help others, but there is no way to convince everyone that any single view is right, so we are often just wasting our time. "Rocking, rolling" may refer to being the one who "rocks the boat" by questioning what we are told never to question in church. Jon is therefore saying "by all means, rock the boat and roll and shake up the complacency of religion. Or, he can be metaphorically saying to enjoy the thrilling spiritual journey of pursuing the truth, which does not include being complacent with what someone tells you. | |
| Yes – Going for the One Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| We must remember that Jon Anderson's lyrics are 99% metaphorical. That is his genius. To me, Going For The One isn't about competing to be #1 in sports, it is about striving to become One with the Universe, or possibly striving to be the #1 religion. Sometimes we are chasing around a track trying to decide which religion is best: Christianity vs. Buddhism vs. Taoism, etc. The truth is no one dog will win the race: "the truth of sport runs rings around you" means the truth is that none of these religions are the sole source of Wisdom. Jon Andersom rejected organized religion as his guide for life. So, you cannot be One with the Universe if you only choose one way of viewing the Universe. The references to shooting the rapids are that you sometimes must let go and follow the river current: life will take you where it takes you and it is important to embrace the journey "After seeing all your sense of fear diminished and you treat danger as pure collection and throw away misconception". Some people are afraid to listen to a source outside of their church. The person in pursuit of the truth needs to steer his own raft instead of being guided by others. "Travel Twilight", may mean explore Death, or the darker sides of Life. You cannot understand Life without understanding Death. "Travel Twilight" may also mean look at what they are *not* telling you. Some organized religions shy away from questions that challenge their philosophy. "Moments unite": we have moments in our lives when we can learn so much about existence if we are paying attention and open to receiving the lesson. "Love you so". The ultimate goal of spirituality is to be able to connect with others through Love and Acceptance. "Once at the start can you gamble that you really truly really mean to finish" to me means, once you start questioning, are you ready to accept the answers you find if those answers contradict what you have been raised to believe as the Truth? "Throw away Misconception" is throwing away the false view that was given most of us by our churches. By looking at the lyrics this way, it is easier to see the remaining lyrics of this song as Jon Anderson continuing his expression of understanding our existence outside from what is taught through organized religion. The ultimate goal, still, "Talk about sending Love", not condeminig non-believers. How many of us have had someone tell us that if we don't believe, and if we are not saved, our souls are in jeopardy? We are coaxed with a fear-based threat to join Christianity. We should be determining our spiritual viewpoints out of Love for others, not out of Fear for our own soul. Jon Anderson has consistently written songs that transcend the views of any one religion and Going For The One is no exception. And that is why I love Yes. | |
| Prince – 3 Chains O' Gold Lyrics | 5 years ago |
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A correction in the lyrics: The first line is "If I don't think about the fact that *you* left me", not "*she* left me"; the entire song is a dialogue and Prince talks to her in Second Person ("You will go before me" not "she will go before me"). "She" or "her" are examples of Third Person and Prince stays consistent. |
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| Duran Duran – Of Crime and Passion Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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One last equally disturbing thought is that he is not actually going to murder her, but is going to rape her because she spurned all his advances after their first meeting. When she tries to explain that she never meant to lead him on, he of course yells "Liar"...maybe they had sex when they first met, which is why he fell for the "gaping hole" (vagina) and thought it was love "where her heart should be". It may have just been casual sex for her, but it was love for him and he has stalked her since and now decides she is going to look him in the eyes as he takes to her by force. This could also explain the word "afterglow" being used several times...he expected that they shared something special in the "afterglow" of their first sexual contact, but she felt nothing. And one out-of-left-field interpretation is the choice of an orchid. "This orchid's turned to black"...Orchids are so named for their resemblance to the male genitalia...so did she give him an STD on top of spurning him after their first meeting? Only Simon LeBon will have the answer to that one. |
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| Duran Duran – Of Crime and Passion Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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Sorry, I left parts out: "Stranded together And the storm is about to blow" To me, this means the singer is telling her it's too late to stop what has been set in motion..."I have lost all rational thought, we are now locked together as murderer and victim, both of our futures are lost"... the storm is about to blow..."it's inevitable and going to happen right now". |
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| Duran Duran – Of Crime and Passion Lyrics | 7 years ago |
| One other reason for calling her a "bride of wire" is for him to feel okay killing her...if he sees her as a monster that harms men by breaking their hearts, he is actually doing the world a favor by making sure she doesn't harm anyone else...he has to justify why it is okay for him to destroy her just like Frankenstein's monster had to be destroyed. She has no heart; she is not really human. | |
| Duran Duran – Of Crime and Passion Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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To me, this song is about a very bad relationship where someone feel they were manipulated and lied to. The very first line sets the tone: "How could you let me run when you knew I'd fall in the gaping hole where your heart should be?". I mean, wow! "You let me think it was safe to love you and then you showed me that you had zero love or commitment to me." The next line "Liar! You couldn't cut me deeper with a knife if you tried; just take a look before you run off and hide at your victim arise." - very powerful: her response to his accusation in Line 1 was a complete lie, which causes him as much emotional pain as if she had cut him physically. And what is scary is that she wants to leave and have nothing to do with him, but he says, "I am not going to take this laying down and let you get away with it". You can probably see where the song is going, since vengeful murder can be a "Crime of Passion". The singer wants to punish the person who jilted him and he sees her as an unfeeling monster: "Bride of Wire" may be his way of calling her a female "Frankenstein"...pretty, but inhuman. I don't quite get the meanings of "Clouds on your shoulder/Graze on your shoulder", but "How quiet they gather when the storm's about to blow" indicates he is about to let loose on her like a lightning strike. "Summer of madness or an undertow" - he is wondering how he came to meet and fall in love with this lady that he now despises...was it a brief madness or some deep, hidden under-current that brought them together? - "Dragged me up an alley for the blossoming fire on a stranger's smile". Somehow these forces led him to a place he does not normally go...off his usual path to find this alluring woman. It was love at first sight for him as her smile captivated him. "Bride of wire-how disguise so easily cracked/Saw your heart turn spade This orchid's turned to black" - As I said, he now sees her as a monster, the pretty woman image is ripped away, her Queen of Hearts image is now the dreaded Queen of Spades. An orchid is an exotic flower, so his love for her quickly withered and died...because she withdrew all sunlight and affection. No don't look away/Caught in the crossfire And it ain't no wind of change/I'm talking of crime and passion's rage "Don't Look Away"...this angry jilted and belittled lover wants this woman to look him in the eyes as he does whatever harm to her he feels she deserves...she is now caught in the crossfire of his anger. "And it ain't no wind of change"..no, this is not the slow Winds of Change blowing in, but a sudden violent storm of a Crime of passion. This means he did not take time to slowly and methodically plan his vengeance, therefore his actions are not "premeditated"...it is truly a "Crime of Passion"...and that will be his self-defense. |
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| Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[amused2it:678] There is a therapeutic/Counseling technique known as Transcendental Meditation. Basically, using rational thoughts to stop reacting irrationally. But Sunny has no intention of coping with her abuse rationally. She is out for bloody Vengeance. After all, she is convinced no one seemed to care about her pain. She is out to punish the people she sees as directly or indirectly responsible, | |
| Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[PsYcLONe:677] - And "Hold On Tight" can also e a reference to the trend of reacting to stress by escaping into dissociation or even substance abuse. Sunny is determined to stay grounded in reality and see it through. | |
| Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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This is one of my favorite songs about the ugly effects of abuse, better than "Janie's Got A Gun". Yes, it is obviously about abuse, but some of the less obvious points were missed in others' interpretations: "Sunny came home" - she has been away, and that can be for many reasons, but the most likely is that she had been sent away for counseling. Most victims of abuse get out by attempting suicide or other Red Flags, like self-mutilation and "accidental" overdose. "Sunny came home to her favorite room; Sunny sat down in the kitchen" - not the bedroom that was the site of her [probable] sexual abuse, but the kitchen where the family sat at the table and pretended to be normal. "She opened a book and a box of tools; Sunny came home with a mission" - one of the therapeutic methods of treating the effects of abuse is Journaling and learning new coping skills, or "tools". But, rather than get on with her life, Sunny has different plans, she is on a mission. And her new set of "tools" includes deciding not to be a victim anymore. Yes, they could be literal tools, too...maybe she wants to nail the doors shut so her abusers can't escape. "She says days go by I'm hypnotized/ I'm walking on a wire/ I close my eyes and fly out of my mind/ Into the fire" - victims of abuse can have PTSD, which includes Dissociating, a feature of Multiple Personality Disorder where a person is away from reality and may lose days, weeks or years. They do not have all their memories and their world is chaos: often a firestorm of anxiety ad panic. "Sunny came home with a list of names/She didn't believe in transcendence" - It was not just one person responsible for her abuse. Either several people directly abused her, or Sunny also blames the people who knew and did nothing to protect her. To transcend is to "rise above". Sunny has NO plans to just "Get Over It" (Eagles reference). "It's time for a few small repairs she said/ Sunny came home with a vengeance" - "a few small repairs" in her mind can be monumental. A sex abuse victim is told to keep quiet: "No one will believe you anyway", so she may have gone a long time making the family's image more important than her pain. Now, she is making everyone else less important than the "repairs" she needs to do for herself- she is back for Vengeance, which can only be done if you minimize the suffering of your targets by dehumanizing them. "Get the kids and bring a sweater/ Dry is good and wind is better" - Her past abusers may have innocent children in their homes which Sunny does not want to see harmed by her actions. Abuse victims do tend to become vigilant in protecting other helpless people. It probably is cold outside. The air is dry and there is a favorable wind, both of which will help the direction of her planned arson. "Count the years, you always knew it/ Strike a match, go on and do it" - Even though her dissociating helped her lie to herself about what happened and who was to blame, she can no longer justify what was done to her. Even now she has to remind herself it's okay to strike the match and set things right. Many abuse victims ask themselves if somehow they caused the abuse and if they have a right to be avenged. "Oh light the sky and hold on tight/ The world is burning down" - Sunny is punishing her abusers and will burn the whole world down if she has to...it was only an illusion to her, anyway. This burning may also be a metaphor. She could be burning everyone down simply by making the truth known publicly about who did what to her, thereby burning down their images of goodness that have allowed her abusers to escape justice. "Hold on tight" can also mean she knows she has a long legal battle and people are going to be angry with her for exposing the sickness of the family. In dysfunctional families, many members blame each other and avoid taking responsibility. "Why are you causing all these problems over what as done ten years ago?" "She's out there on her own and she's alright" - Sunny no longer needs the family's approval, which helped keep her silent about the abuse. "Sunny came home/ Sunny came home" - She is no longer dissociating or living a lie. She came home to herself, faced her abusers and can start the long road of healing. |
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