Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Well, I wonder which song they're gonna play when we go.
I hope it's something quiet and minor and peaceful and slow.
When we float out into the ether, into the Everlasting Arms,
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains we forged in life.
'Cause the chains I been hearing now for most of my life,
The chains I been hearing now for most of my life.
Did you hear the fifty-nine Sound coming through on grandmother's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass?
See, I was playing a show down the road
When your spirit left your body.
And they told me on the front lawn.
I'm sorry I couldn't go,
But I still know the song and the words and her name and the reasons.
And I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang
I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang
Did you hear the fifty-nine sound coming through on grandmother's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Did you hear the fifty-nine sound coming through on grandfather's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls.
I hope it's something quiet and minor and peaceful and slow.
When we float out into the ether, into the Everlasting Arms,
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains we forged in life.
'Cause the chains I been hearing now for most of my life,
The chains I been hearing now for most of my life.
Did you hear the fifty-nine Sound coming through on grandmother's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass?
See, I was playing a show down the road
When your spirit left your body.
And they told me on the front lawn.
I'm sorry I couldn't go,
But I still know the song and the words and her name and the reasons.
And I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang
I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang
Did you hear the fifty-nine sound coming through on grandmother's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night,
Did you hear the fifty-nine sound coming through on grandfather's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls.
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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,
No Surprises
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CptAwesome:
"Marley's Chains," to be precise. The reference is to A Christmas Carol. Marley was Scrooge's partner, a ghost who was doomed to wander the Earth carrying behind him the heavy chains of his wickedness during life.
On February 3rd, 1959, three of the world's greatest musicians died in a plane crash. that day has gone down in history as "the day the music died". it has been written about in songs and books for 50 years. while some lines in the song relate to more personal issues, the song is titled after this even as buddy holly, ritchie valens and the big bopper were the 59 sound.
Nightclub Dwight is completly right about the Marleys chain reference, the song was written about a friend that died in a car accident on the way back from asbury lanes, hence the line:
I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body And they told me on the front lawn, I’m sorry I couldn’t go But I still know the song and the words and her name and the reasons.
this song tears me up i had a friend pass away this past august he was 22 and it was a saturday night he passed away and everytime it never fails
i feel like he's asking his friend, "what's it like to die?"- as most people have a lot of anxiety over the thought-
"did you hear the '59 sound" = was it like being a kid again? "did you hear the rattling chains" = were you burdened by and judged on everything you did wrong? "did you hear the old gospel choir" = was it a generic white light and 'hallelujah' moment? "did you hear your favorite song" = was it comfortable and everything you knew if would be?
for some reason the line "did you hear your favorite song one last time" always breaks my heart
These are the correct lyrics, off of the bands myspace:
Well I wonder which song they’re gonna play when we go I hope it’s something quiet and minor and peaceful and slow When we float out into the ether, into the everlasting arms I hope we don’t hear Marley’s chains we forged in life
‘Cause the chains I’ve been hearing now for most of my life The chains I’ve been hearing now for most of my life
Did you hear the ’59 sound coming through on Grandmama’s radio? Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass? See, I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body And they told me on the front lawn, I’m sorry I couldn’t go But I still know the song and the words and her name and the reasons
And I know ‘cause we were kids and we used to hang I know ‘cause we were kids and we used to hang
Did you hear the ’59 sound coming through on Grandmama’s radio? Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls Ain’t supposed to die on a Saturday night.
Did you hear the ’59 sound coming through on Grandmama’s radio? Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls.
the meaning is fairly self explanatory, great song.
young boys, young girls, aint supposed to die on a saturday night
posibly the most heart-wrenching lyric ever written
When he sings the line in the chorus 'did you hear your favourite song one last time', i get goosebumps.
I love when the distorted guitar kicks in on "The chains I've been hearing now for most of my life."
I always heard "crap office radio" instead of Grandmama's radio. And "hospital wards." Doesn't matter though, the message still gets across.
A kid I used to be friends with when we were 8 years old just died in a car crash. He was 17. This is such a perfect song for everything I feel for him, and I wish I knew him better before this. We grew apart and now he's gone. I feel so bad for the driver, she wasn't drunk or anything, just messing around on the road. Fucking pointless.