This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I'm a maker of ballads right pretty
I write 'em right here in the street
You can buy them all over the city
Yours for a penny a sheet
I'm a word pecker out of the printers
Out of the dens of Gin Lane
I'll write up a scene on a counter
Confessions and sins in the main
Boys, confession and sins in the main
Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keepin' the demons at bay
There's nothin' like gin for drownin' them in
But they'll always be back on a hangin' day
On a hangin' day
They come rattlin' over the cobbles
They sit on their coffins of black
Some are struck dumb, some gabble
Top-heavy on brandy or sack
The pews are all full of fine fellows
And the hawker has set up her shop
As they're turnin' 'em off at the gallows
She'll be sellin' right under the drop
Boys, sellin' right under the drop
Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keepin' the demons at bay
There's nothin' like gin for drownin' them in
But they'll always be back on a hangin' day
On a hangin' day
I write 'em right here in the street
You can buy them all over the city
Yours for a penny a sheet
I'm a word pecker out of the printers
Out of the dens of Gin Lane
I'll write up a scene on a counter
Confessions and sins in the main
Boys, confession and sins in the main
Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keepin' the demons at bay
There's nothin' like gin for drownin' them in
But they'll always be back on a hangin' day
On a hangin' day
They come rattlin' over the cobbles
They sit on their coffins of black
Some are struck dumb, some gabble
Top-heavy on brandy or sack
The pews are all full of fine fellows
And the hawker has set up her shop
As they're turnin' 'em off at the gallows
She'll be sellin' right under the drop
Boys, sellin' right under the drop
Then you'll find me in Madame Geneva's
Keepin' the demons at bay
There's nothin' like gin for drownin' them in
But they'll always be back on a hangin' day
On a hangin' day
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Anyone who is familiar with William Hogarth work and the history of capital punishment in England during the 17th and 18th Century will find Mark's sources to this beautiful song. The song criticizes the entertained way the executions were captured at that time and maybe the "the light hand on the trigger". People were hanged for petty theft and small forms of robbery!! The point of view is of one who writes those broadsides containing the last confessions of the condemned. The place of the execution was the infamous Tyburn (where Marble Arch is located today). The condemned were imprisoned some 3 miles away from the dreaded Tyburn gallows (Newgate Gaol), in a sense that they had to travel by cart 3 mile journey through narrow streets until they reached Tyburn. As they passed by, huge crowds were lined up in the streets, waiting for the big entertainment. The condemned were placed on a cart, which "rattled over the cobbles", with their black coffins. The crowd who lined up in the streets insulted them and hurled objects at them. On the way the condemned had few stops at the local pub where they were allowed alcoholic drinks until they were "top-heavy on Brandy or Sack" (Sherry). Once they left the pub the journey to the gallows was short. Adjacent to the gallows, spectators sat on grandstands (known as Mother Procter's Pews) to watch the "fun". Amongst the spectators you could find hawkers and people like the song hero who sell copies of the condemned speeches and confessions broadsides ("yours for a penny a sheet"). The execution started when the cart was backed under the gallows. The condemned were tied to the beam at the top of the gallows by the hangman. The horsed were then whipped away, pulling the condemned off the cart to leave them suspended, having only few inches of drop. I do know about Gin Lane's true existence, but it was mentioned in William Hogarth well known satirical painting. Gin lane on one hand and Beer Street, on the other were used to try fight the abuse of spirits (Gin) at that time, by offering Beer which though to be less abusive. This relates to William Hogarth other famous painting: the Tyburn.
@mishel Thank you so much!
@mishel Very good, thank you. There's another wee pun in there. The English word gin is a derivation of the Dutch word genever, similarly an alcoholic drink derived from juniper berries. English soldiers fighting on the Continent are thought to have brought the drink back home when war ended. (They drank it before battle, leading - possibly - to the phrase Dutch Courage.) Of course, when William of Orange became William III, he brought much of Dutch culture to England and cemented gin/genever into English drinking habits. Today, gin is enjoying a strong renaissance in the UK, with many different and exotic versions available.<br />
@mishel yes wonderfully explained<br /> <br /> <br />
Thank you Mishel for all that information and the wonderful details. Based on that, it seems like the song is trying to make a connection between the way criminals (and not only the worst ones) were treated back then, and alcohol abuse. The writer who is speaking might be drinking so much (like many at the time) because he is afraid and is trying not to think about what might happen to him some day (keeping the demons, that he is facing each day to make a living, at bay)...