I think it is pretty clear that this song is about a song writer discussing his craft. The verse that goes "And every day I see the news/ All the problems, we could solve/ When a situation rises /Just write it into an album / Send it straight to gold /But I don't really like my flow, no / Se tell me what you want to hear..." captures the dynamic of the writing process and the ambivalence the writer feels about it. In this sense it reminds me very much of Blues Traveler's "Hook". In fact the parallels are pretty striking. Both songs discuss the song writer's need for confession in the song (and likely insincere one at that) and concern for the audience's reaction/reception: "I need another story...something that I can confess....Come by it honestly, I swear/Thought you saw me wink, no/ I've been on the brink so/ tell me what you want to hear...i'm gonna give all my secrets away" (OneRepublic) versus "There is something amiss/ I am being insincere / In fact I don't mean any of this/ Still my confession draws you near....the hook brings you back / on that you can rely" (Blues Traveler). Despite these feelings both narrators recognize that song writing is at least in part a business (e.g. "i've been the [financial] brink so/tell me what you want to hear" and "the hook brings you back" to buying records]. This of course creates a level of ambivalence that is expressed later in the song as the writer's discusses the need to please the critics ("don't care if the critics ever jump in line"), the fans ("tell me what you want to hear"), and himself ("sick of all the insincere"). Given the meta-quality of the song (a song writer, writing about song writing) one is left to wonder whether either of the lines "this time don't need another perfect lie" or "give all my secrets away" is a real confession or just another insincere confession ("another story...that I can confess"). I'm tempted to believe him, but I thought I saw him wink, though....
exactly what I get from the song, your reference to Blues Traveler made me smile because once I heard this song, that song (The Hook) came straight to mind.
exactly what I get from the song, your reference to Blues Traveler made me smile because once I heard this song, that song (The Hook) came straight to mind.
@bulldog05 You are Spot on - Everyone else who is digging for a hidden meaning or about a boring life reference is is way off... song is about him as Singer song writer sending a message to the Music company/fans...
@bulldog05 You are Spot on - Everyone else who is digging for a hidden meaning or about a boring life reference is is way off... song is about him as Singer song writer sending a message to the Music company/fans...
@bulldog05 I came to say pretty much what you said (but I doubt I could have said it as eloquently. Kudos). Audience respond to songs they can relate to. I'm not saying he's dead inside but what if he doesn't necessary share the feelings of the audience he's trying to reach but feels the pressure to appeal to them as a commercial songwriter. Even after vast success it must be tough to stay afloat in this business.
@bulldog05 I came to say pretty much what you said (but I doubt I could have said it as eloquently. Kudos). Audience respond to songs they can relate to. I'm not saying he's dead inside but what if he doesn't necessary share the feelings of the audience he's trying to reach but feels the pressure to appeal to them as a commercial songwriter. Even after vast success it must be tough to stay afloat in this business.
I think it is pretty clear that this song is about a song writer discussing his craft. The verse that goes "And every day I see the news/ All the problems, we could solve/ When a situation rises /Just write it into an album / Send it straight to gold /But I don't really like my flow, no / Se tell me what you want to hear..." captures the dynamic of the writing process and the ambivalence the writer feels about it. In this sense it reminds me very much of Blues Traveler's "Hook". In fact the parallels are pretty striking. Both songs discuss the song writer's need for confession in the song (and likely insincere one at that) and concern for the audience's reaction/reception: "I need another story...something that I can confess....Come by it honestly, I swear/Thought you saw me wink, no/ I've been on the brink so/ tell me what you want to hear...i'm gonna give all my secrets away" (OneRepublic) versus "There is something amiss/ I am being insincere / In fact I don't mean any of this/ Still my confession draws you near....the hook brings you back / on that you can rely" (Blues Traveler). Despite these feelings both narrators recognize that song writing is at least in part a business (e.g. "i've been the [financial] brink so/tell me what you want to hear" and "the hook brings you back" to buying records]. This of course creates a level of ambivalence that is expressed later in the song as the writer's discusses the need to please the critics ("don't care if the critics ever jump in line"), the fans ("tell me what you want to hear"), and himself ("sick of all the insincere"). Given the meta-quality of the song (a song writer, writing about song writing) one is left to wonder whether either of the lines "this time don't need another perfect lie" or "give all my secrets away" is a real confession or just another insincere confession ("another story...that I can confess"). I'm tempted to believe him, but I thought I saw him wink, though....
exactly what I get from the song, your reference to Blues Traveler made me smile because once I heard this song, that song (The Hook) came straight to mind.
exactly what I get from the song, your reference to Blues Traveler made me smile because once I heard this song, that song (The Hook) came straight to mind.
@bulldog05 You are Spot on - Everyone else who is digging for a hidden meaning or about a boring life reference is is way off... song is about him as Singer song writer sending a message to the Music company/fans...
@bulldog05 You are Spot on - Everyone else who is digging for a hidden meaning or about a boring life reference is is way off... song is about him as Singer song writer sending a message to the Music company/fans...
@bulldog05 I came to say pretty much what you said (but I doubt I could have said it as eloquently. Kudos). Audience respond to songs they can relate to. I'm not saying he's dead inside but what if he doesn't necessary share the feelings of the audience he's trying to reach but feels the pressure to appeal to them as a commercial songwriter. Even after vast success it must be tough to stay afloat in this business.
@bulldog05 I came to say pretty much what you said (but I doubt I could have said it as eloquently. Kudos). Audience respond to songs they can relate to. I'm not saying he's dead inside but what if he doesn't necessary share the feelings of the audience he's trying to reach but feels the pressure to appeal to them as a commercial songwriter. Even after vast success it must be tough to stay afloat in this business.