To me this song is the very definition of the word "existential". Yes, I know this is a term overused by pseudo-intellectuals, but I feel it's the best single word to encapsulate this song. "I'm not here, this isn't happening"... this song is so deeply based on the concept of 'me'. Who am I? What am I doing on this earth? Am I at all significant?.... No, I am not. I'm simply observing the events around me. Events created by a conglomeration of efforts by many others: fireworks, strobe lights, blown speakers. Any and every moment I've held dear (to myself) has passed like a blown firework.. but I find comfort in being small. Perhaps Thom wrote this song after singing for a stadium full of adoring Dubliners to find humility in being one human amongst billions.
The musical base of this song consists of simple open chords strummed on acoustic guitar with complex cascading orchestral melodies swirling around them.. kind of like each of us trying to live our own simple lives amongst the combined influences of all the people around us adding complexity (and confusion). I think the most beautiful moment of this song is towards the end (5:25) when Thom is holding out one of his reverb-laden falsetto notes in a brief moment of solidarity before the strings kick back in. This song is almost 6 minutes long, but somehow it seems to pass so much more quickly.
and by the way you're right with the assumption that Thom wrote the song after singing for a stadium full of people - even many many more than one. Thom said that he wrote it after years of touring the album "OK Computer". They really "overtoured" the Album so that they couldn't hear it and were performing badly - thom's words! So the thought of him wanting to be just small, unimportant, an observer, not an actor really makes sense.
and by the way you're right with the assumption that Thom wrote the song after singing for a stadium full of people - even many many more than one. Thom said that he wrote it after years of touring the album "OK Computer". They really "overtoured" the Album so that they couldn't hear it and were performing badly - thom's words! So the thought of him wanting to be just small, unimportant, an observer, not an actor really makes sense.
To me this song is the very definition of the word "existential". Yes, I know this is a term overused by pseudo-intellectuals, but I feel it's the best single word to encapsulate this song. "I'm not here, this isn't happening"... this song is so deeply based on the concept of 'me'. Who am I? What am I doing on this earth? Am I at all significant?.... No, I am not. I'm simply observing the events around me. Events created by a conglomeration of efforts by many others: fireworks, strobe lights, blown speakers. Any and every moment I've held dear (to myself) has passed like a blown firework.. but I find comfort in being small. Perhaps Thom wrote this song after singing for a stadium full of adoring Dubliners to find humility in being one human amongst billions.
The musical base of this song consists of simple open chords strummed on acoustic guitar with complex cascading orchestral melodies swirling around them.. kind of like each of us trying to live our own simple lives amongst the combined influences of all the people around us adding complexity (and confusion). I think the most beautiful moment of this song is towards the end (5:25) when Thom is holding out one of his reverb-laden falsetto notes in a brief moment of solidarity before the strings kick back in. This song is almost 6 minutes long, but somehow it seems to pass so much more quickly.
Completely agree, well put!
Completely agree, well put!
Excellent post.
Excellent post.
great point of view. I would sign it.
great point of view. I would sign it.
and by the way you're right with the assumption that Thom wrote the song after singing for a stadium full of people - even many many more than one. Thom said that he wrote it after years of touring the album "OK Computer". They really "overtoured" the Album so that they couldn't hear it and were performing badly - thom's words! So the thought of him wanting to be just small, unimportant, an observer, not an actor really makes sense.
and by the way you're right with the assumption that Thom wrote the song after singing for a stadium full of people - even many many more than one. Thom said that he wrote it after years of touring the album "OK Computer". They really "overtoured" the Album so that they couldn't hear it and were performing badly - thom's words! So the thought of him wanting to be just small, unimportant, an observer, not an actor really makes sense.
you nailed it.
you nailed it.