Angus and Julia Stone – Yellow Brick Road

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  General Comment:I think the second verse is also some kind of tribute to Neil Young even though there's no obvious references like in the first verse.
  'I took a train to the river' and 'She shot me down with her revolver' could refer to the song 'Down by the River' while 'Made the bluebird sing' is probably inspired by 'Beautiful Bluebird'.

  Flag zorpheliaon July 03, 2012   Link

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  Song Meaning:Angus and Julia Stone grew up in Avalon in Sydney Australia, and the path that you take to walk to the local high school is known as the "Yellow Brick Road"...I figure that the drug allusions are meant to tie in with the fact this song is known to have been written about that Yellow Brick Road...referencing his early drug taking years in high school.

  Flag Guitarmageddonon August 11, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:The song is obviously a song about Nostalgia...
  
  I won't take the analysis of the other posts (Neil Young, Hotel California, drugs, ...), but you may seem to forget the main 'thing' : the title. Yellow brick road is an obvious reference to The Wizard Of Oz, and by the way, all its symbols...

  Flag geewareon March 27, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Okay so it's definately set in the 70s.
  "Then a heart of gold came on the stereo
  Mr Young made me cry" - That lyric is more than likely referring to "Heart of Gold", a song recorded by Neil Young in 1971.
  
  I've considered that maybe this song is a story of nostalgia and remorse, and perhaps the mention of drugs is explaining the kind of things he turned to once his heart was broken.
  Another point to this theory is the straight out descriptive grace in the second verse, which soon turns to disaster - "She shot me down with her revolver, she got me high". But I don't think he means she LITERALLY shot him with a revolver, just broke his heart or pretended to love him back- I don't know, something like that. But this ofcourse would send the average person into a depression, and people can and do turn to drugs when depressed.
  
  Nevertheless, this is an amazing and beautiful song. Definately my favourite on the entire album.
  
  

  Flag LivesForMusic94on December 08, 2010   Link

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    i agree completely, with the fact that the song is themed alot by nostalgia. he repeatedly says comments like "i lost my mind LONG AGO"

    Flag esbon1on March 15, 2011  
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  Song Meaning:I think this songs has a lot of meaning to it. For one it's about a person's journey about career and love. "I lost my mind long ago, Down that yellow brick road" could means he left the common road that most people travels. Then he meets a girl fell in love "That skinny dippin' girl, Made the blue bird sing" and was heart broken "She shot me down with her revolver"
  
  Thoughout the song he tells the story of her and his journey...the first verse is where is he is now, recovering from the lost love "A spoon full of sugar"...Love sick, he finally got through it and sees a rainbow.
  
  I love how this song talks about an obsessive love or one-way love. Anyone who have love someone but never been love back would totally relate. The guitar and melody reflect his heart beating but fill with sorrow...
  

  Flag MusicStirson November 09, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:personally, i can't believe no ones picked this up, i literally made an account just so i could say this ahha.
  
  i think its about drugs. the first verse ALONE has soo many referances.
  Just a spoon full of sugar
  Makes the medicine<-- what medicine?
  Sweet Mary-Jane <-- weed
  Lost my heart in California, lost my mind
  Shot me down with a revolver, got me high <-- obvious ha
  
  such an amazing song. but i think theres a few obvious hints haha :)

  Flag caitbronon August 23, 2010   Link

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    you didn't elaborate in the slightest. The only thing you analyzed was that of the sweet mary-jane line. don't act like things are obvious when you obviously don't know what your talking about

    Flag esbon1on October 24, 2010  

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    Although there is a bit of reference to drugs... its about more.
    maybe an experiance he had with a girl..
    or life..

    Flag LaurenTayloron December 01, 2010  

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    I totally agree with you caitbron, i was thinking the same thing. It seems the 'long ago' might've referred to being quite young in california when they maybe had it for the first time. Where they sat and listened to music and kinda fell in love with it all. 'All the colours of the rainbow fell into my mind' seals the deal.

    Flag SirRotaloton December 16, 2010  

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    I have to agree, if not only for the first verse. The references, in my mind are far too obvious to pass off as anything other than drugs. A spoonful of sugar is of course referring to the process of preparing heroin in a spoon over a flame and being the browny orange colour of unrefined sugar. Mary Jane is a no brainer, and all being topped off with all of the colours of the rainbow filling his eyes - tripping balls.
    
    To me this is by far the best A&J song ever, the way it evolves from a few simple acoustic chords to a solid beat and that gorgeous electric solo, it's just perfect. Watching these two play it live is gorgeous, so much heart behind it.

    Flag Hineeon January 24, 2011  

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    Oh and I completely forgot to mention the most important part - the name of the song. Simply him saying "I lost my mind down the yellow brick road" is again to me telling of the effects of the yellow coloured hell that is heroin.

    Flag Hineeon January 24, 2011  

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    the spoon full of sugar has no reference to heroin im sorry and the yellow brick road is a special type of marijuana that is grown solely in california.

    Flag esbon1on March 15, 2011  
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  General Comment:this is a massively underrated song on the new album. the guitar is amazing. at the end it is so crisp, reminds me of a dire straits solo in some respects.
  
  as to meanings, most likely about love and getting hurt... or as a metaphor, life is like a road and experiences change the path that road takes. even if he didn't sing at all i could listen to the guitar on this track by itself.

  Flag aidan1233on June 06, 2010   Link

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    there isn't such thing as underrated song.

    Flag stan_sdon July 12, 2010  
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  My Opinion:Angus does a homage to 70's west coast country rock, right down to the epic guitar solo outro that wouldn't feel out of place on Hotel California. I have a feeling that Angus was born 35 years too late, but makes up for it on this track alone.
  
  Gather the family around, put on your best corduroy flared jeans, and play spot the lyrical allusion. Angus has kindly filled in a few blanks to get you started.
  
  Better yet, climb into a dusty gold '75 Camaro, crank up the stereo, and drive towards the setting sun.
  
  Mr Stone, you've made me cry.
  
  

  Flag FieldofMarson March 22, 2010   Link

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    gay

    Flag esbon1on March 15, 2011  

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    gay

    Flag esbon1on March 15, 2011  

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