For me this song is about the music industry - possibly, I'm very wrong but hear me out.
Sometimes the bad guys come out on top
Sometimes the good guys lose
We try not to lose our hearts, not to lose our minds
For me, this suggests musicians and rappers who are slight idiots get famous and get all the recognition whereas respectful artists (such as yo la tengo) are still deemed alternative and not famous enough to be mainstream, hence the fact YLT are known as the quintessential critics band. Even though they know this, they try not to lose their hearts and soldier on.
Sometimes the bad days maintain their grip
Sometimes the good days fade
Hurts the brain to think, hurts the hand to drink
This to me suggests if they smaller bands get a bad review or get criticised, this can have more of an impact and stay in their minds, rather than positive comments and their potential. Because of this, it may cause these artists to overthink (hurts the brain to think) or become disrupted and turn to drink and drugs (hurts the hand to drink)
But nothing ever stays the same
Nothing's explained
The higher we go, the longer we fly
Cause this is it for all we know
So say good night to me
And lose no more time, no time
Resisting the flow
I think this refers back to YLT'S status as 'critical darlings'. They refer to all they knowing as having this status - the resisting the flow part suggests to me their resistance to becoming overblown and just another good band who became shit.
This may be completely pretentious and me just overthinking, but it feels 'right' to me.
For me this song is about the music industry - possibly, I'm very wrong but hear me out.
Sometimes the bad guys come out on top Sometimes the good guys lose We try not to lose our hearts, not to lose our minds
For me, this suggests musicians and rappers who are slight idiots get famous and get all the recognition whereas respectful artists (such as yo la tengo) are still deemed alternative and not famous enough to be mainstream, hence the fact YLT are known as the quintessential critics band. Even though they know this, they try not to lose their hearts and soldier on.
Sometimes the bad days maintain their grip Sometimes the good days fade Hurts the brain to think, hurts the hand to drink
This to me suggests if they smaller bands get a bad review or get criticised, this can have more of an impact and stay in their minds, rather than positive comments and their potential. Because of this, it may cause these artists to overthink (hurts the brain to think) or become disrupted and turn to drink and drugs (hurts the hand to drink)
But nothing ever stays the same Nothing's explained The higher we go, the longer we fly Cause this is it for all we know So say good night to me And lose no more time, no time Resisting the flow
I think this refers back to YLT'S status as 'critical darlings'. They refer to all they knowing as having this status - the resisting the flow part suggests to me their resistance to becoming overblown and just another good band who became shit.
This may be completely pretentious and me just overthinking, but it feels 'right' to me.