This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
I leave the house as soon as it gets light outside
Like a prisoner breaking out of jail
And I steal down to business fifteen-five-oh-one
Like I had a bounty hunter on my tail
And somebody stops to pick me up
But he drops me off just down the block
And along the highway where the empty spirits breathe
Wild sage growing in the weeds
Walked down the soft shoulder and I count my steps
Headed vaguely eastward sun in my eyes
And I lose my footing and I skin my hands breaking my fall
And I laugh to myself, and look up at the skies
And then I think I hear angels in my ears
Like marbles being thrown against a mirror
And along the highway where unlucky stray dogs bleed
Wild sage growing in the weeds
And some days I don't miss my family
And some days I do
Some days I think I'd feel better if I tried harder
Most days I know it's not true
I lay down right where I fell cold grass in my face
And I hear the traffic like the rhythm of the tides
And I stare at the scrape on the heel of my hand
'Til it doesn't sting so much and until the bloods dried
And when somebody asks if I'm ok
I don't know what to say
And along the highway
From cast-off innumerable seeds
Wild sage growing in the weeds.
Like a prisoner breaking out of jail
And I steal down to business fifteen-five-oh-one
Like I had a bounty hunter on my tail
And somebody stops to pick me up
But he drops me off just down the block
And along the highway where the empty spirits breathe
Wild sage growing in the weeds
Walked down the soft shoulder and I count my steps
Headed vaguely eastward sun in my eyes
And I lose my footing and I skin my hands breaking my fall
And I laugh to myself, and look up at the skies
And then I think I hear angels in my ears
Like marbles being thrown against a mirror
And along the highway where unlucky stray dogs bleed
Wild sage growing in the weeds
And some days I don't miss my family
And some days I do
Some days I think I'd feel better if I tried harder
Most days I know it's not true
I lay down right where I fell cold grass in my face
And I hear the traffic like the rhythm of the tides
And I stare at the scrape on the heel of my hand
'Til it doesn't sting so much and until the bloods dried
And when somebody asks if I'm ok
I don't know what to say
And along the highway
From cast-off innumerable seeds
Wild sage growing in the weeds.
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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
In an NPR Music performance this year, John Darnielle spoke briefly about how this song portrays the day-to-day struggles of mental illness (around the 51 minute mark: npr.org/event/music/148782993/the-mountain-goats-and-anonymous-4). "When you work every day in hospitals, you can become numb to the struggles of the people you're working with... [so] you try to keep that feeling with you, so that when you work, you never forget that you're trying to help people who have a hard time helping themselves."
Before playing this song, Darnielle prefaced it by saying it was about a person going insane. Not in the theatrical sense... but in the real way that he saw as a psychiatric nurse. Where someone just slowly loses touch with everything and can no longer handle daily life.
In this way, it's an introduction to the feeling on the album that follows losing someone.
In that concert mentioned below, he said that this song was his first real attempt at writing about mental illness, so that confirms that it is at least about something related to that field.
For me, this is all about someone who is struggling with the differences between reality and fiction. They are constantly wavering between the two worlds, and gain life experiences along the way...for better or worse.
fifteen-five-oh-one = highway between Durham and Chapel Hill, right?
Yupp
I heard him perform this back in June '06. When I heard it, it was just so powerful to me. Definitely one of my favorites off of "Get Lonely."
To me this song is cool because sage could mean just the plant sage growing in the weeds or, the alternative definition for sage is "having wisdom that comes with age" there is wisdom amoung the weeds. I like the concept, whether it was on purpose or not is another story.
person going insane. yes, definitely and clearly:
first verse...at the start, you think if you move or change surroundings everything will get better. after all, it's all situational, right? you're not really going crazy, you just need a change of scenery.
second verse...you think maybe if you find someone to be with (i'm reading it as a metaphorical romantic relationship or a close friendship) they will save you, right? i mean, getting away didn't work, but clearly the next relationship will "fix" you. but oops, no, wrong again.
third verse...the spiral really begins. fixation on the little things ("counting steps"), losing your balance both literally and metaphorically ("lose my footing"), you can't really see where you're going ("sun in my eyes"), and then the voices...
bridge...the moments of lucidity in the madness that only make the madness more overwhelming.
fourth verse...giving up/giving in.
"and when somebody asks if I'm ok, i don't know what to say..." the line between sanity and insanity is no longer clear to you, you are totally gone...
Correct. I live in Durham, as does John Darnielle. Business 15-501 is where you can find places like Target and Office Max, among other things.