Thao Nguyen – Beat (Health, Life and Fire)

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  General Comment:does this song remind anyone of the book To Kill A Mockingbird, or is it just me....

  Flag Polkadotifulon January 13, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Thao said this in an interview:
  
  "The song is about getting out before they do. “They” are important people in your life. There’s also a couple lines about my parents. Walking away and blaming your parents are both things that are pretty bad for adult interaction, I have come to find. I am new years resolving all over myself"

  Flag RaineBM1185on January 10, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:for some reason I think this is a song about an angry girl who is angry at herself and upset with her parents and bewailing her dysfunctional state. They raised her to believe she would have a prosperoous future but she grows up to find that she is in a world of shit and she aint happy.
  
  I think she is always leaving home when she gets pissed off or they get in a fight cause of "how can you stand it when I run when I run like a bandit."
  
  I also think she runs around with a guy they don't approve of and she doesnt love him but she likes that he keeps her "warm" from the part about wearing him in the lining of her jacket.
  
  I think she is also is trying to kick heroin which she uses in times of "emergency" cause gunpowder is also a slang for a type of heroin. and the battle she is reffering to is the battle without heroin.
  
  The last stanza I think might refer to her living in another city or something and neither side wanting to make the move to visit the other or symbolically reach out to the other. Its like a war and for this reason I really like the choice of the military drums. It seems really resonant to me also cause, I dont know if this is the case with the song writer, but many Vietnamese americans in America who are around 20's to 30's were either refugees or their parents were supporters of south vietnamese govt. and often involved in the military and probably affected by the vietnam war. I think this might have some influence on the song on some level. but who knows unless the song writer says something specific. This is just my guess.

  Flag tadamorion January 09, 2009   Link

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    Anyway so i think the main point of the song is how she feels her parents failed to love her the way she needed which I think lots of young people who are disfranchised can relate to.

    Flag tadamorion January 09, 2009  

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    Anyway so i think the main point of the song is how she feels her parents failed to love her the way she needed which I think lots of young people who are disfranchised can relate to.

    Flag tadamorion January 09, 2009  
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  General Comment:I agree. I think the first stanza, though, refers to her inability to be with someone who really loves and cares about her. The ones who are true to her she ignores or misuses (literally or figuratively) because all she can see is this person who abuses her (again, literally or figuratively) and that's what she continually follows. And I agree also that she's not listening to herself or her loved ones. But not only that, she's mistreating them by doing so. She knows it's not healthy to keep going with this person who can't give her what she needs, but she can't stop. And maybe doesn't want to.

  Flag mirahculouson September 09, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:i agree with felb re: narrator having an idea of what love is supposed to be and realizing someone she's been seeing, who she wears just like a habit, won't fulfill that dream... but think the first stanza is more about a kind of self reflection and realization that she deserves more but has settled for less. it's like she's saying "beat my brow, beat my chest, beat the ones who love me the best"/ she hasnt been listening to her head, her heart, or those that love her the best, maybe family friends etc...who have all assured her that she deserves health, life and passion. she's like how can they all be liars...for whatever reason she's doubted herself and not believed that she could get all that. but she believes in herself now and shes kinda saying fuck it now, i know. ???

  Flag monicasatxon August 06, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I think this song is about someone who realizes that they have mistreated people who love them, especially a signficant other. I think it's saying that he/she loves this person, and vice versa, but they can't be together because he/she has an idea of what love is supposed to be, and the other person will never fufill that dream.

  Flag felbon July 03, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I have no idea what this song is really about, but i love it none-the-less

  Flag Bluwon May 04, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:does anyone know what this song is about>?

  Flag Crzyon April 29, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:does anyone know what this song is about>?

  Flag Crzyon April 29, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:the first line is actually "beat my brow".
  and the fifth line is, "they assured me health, life and fire".
  and "the lining of my jacket"
  "oh, my gunpowder
  is an emergency"
  
  and lastly, "but I'm proud to say that I've got us beat"

  Flag ivorydollon February 16, 2008   Link

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