Despite all the interesting interpretations of this song, I am almost certain that the entire song revolves around existentialism. Alll its characters- Svetlana, Jaime, and Gabriel, have no intentions and no purpose- it is only stated what they are doing at the moment without any feedback on their actions (reading Camus' The Stranger is identical to this style). I also agree that the quote "see him fashion a cap from a page of Camus" represents the idea of living in a life of pointlessness. "This Side of the Blue" is a reference to the existentialist outlook on the world- regardless of how you look at it, it is meaningless. The echo of the boots- "re-loo re-loo" is the most clear identification of the existentialist theme, paralleling the pointless of Sysephus, who goes about rolling his rock up the hill in the face of certain defeat. Ms. Newsom clearly has a keen understanding and preoccupation with existentialism, which is apparent in her other song such as Only Skin, where she sings "But always up the mountainside you're scrambling... well what is this, scrap of sassafras, eh sysephus?- as well was in Ribbon Bows, where she begs of a dog to "Blink once if God, twice if no God." "The shape of their gonesss" is also another interesting existentialist reference, hinting at the pitiful existence of the human form. Anyways, I am seriously considering Ms. Newsom as the topic of my extended essay for International Bacclaureate.
Despite all the interesting interpretations of this song, I am almost certain that the entire song revolves around existentialism. Alll its characters- Svetlana, Jaime, and Gabriel, have no intentions and no purpose- it is only stated what they are doing at the moment without any feedback on their actions (reading Camus' The Stranger is identical to this style). I also agree that the quote "see him fashion a cap from a page of Camus" represents the idea of living in a life of pointlessness. "This Side of the Blue" is a reference to the existentialist outlook on the world- regardless of how you look at it, it is meaningless. The echo of the boots- "re-loo re-loo" is the most clear identification of the existentialist theme, paralleling the pointless of Sysephus, who goes about rolling his rock up the hill in the face of certain defeat. Ms. Newsom clearly has a keen understanding and preoccupation with existentialism, which is apparent in her other song such as Only Skin, where she sings "But always up the mountainside you're scrambling... well what is this, scrap of sassafras, eh sysephus?- as well was in Ribbon Bows, where she begs of a dog to "Blink once if God, twice if no God." "The shape of their gonesss" is also another interesting existentialist reference, hinting at the pitiful existence of the human form. Anyways, I am seriously considering Ms. Newsom as the topic of my extended essay for International Bacclaureate.
perfect explanation.
perfect explanation.