| MC Frontalot – Indier Than Thou Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I love how Front mercilessly ridicules the artists who play into the whole "indie" thing, and then the concept itself, but I'm surprised that he doesn't mention indie "fans." In my opinion, they are the worst offenders, and no one else promotes the stupid idea more than the fools who decide a band or musician sucks once they become successful. Indie is an idea that started as caring for the music itself more than the fame of an artist, and evolved into the unfortunate monster that condemns any artist who dares to write a hit. It actually becomes what it originally tried to fight against, and popularity supercedes quality again. Only now, the less popular the better. |
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| Gorillaz – Dirty Harry Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think it is very clear that this song is about the Iraq war. A lot of you have brought up several valid points, which I'll probably end up recycling a bit in my interpretation. "I need a gun to keep myself from harm" describes the sentiment of many Americans during the past few years, especially after 9/11. The idea that many innocent, ordinary Americans are threatened in their homes was hyped up (ex. homeland security's color-coded terrorist threat levels), and many people felt the need for a gun for protection on a small scale, and the need for military force for protection on a broader level. "The poor people are burning in the sun/They ain't got a chance." Convinced that the Iraqi people (poor, helpless souls in the desert that is Iraq) really do need help from the U.S. military. While not untrue, it needs to be put in perspective. While many Iraqis have seen bad times that no one should ever have to go through, many people there were not suffering as badly as one is made to believe. They had running water, electricity and prosperous cities- and while those don't exactly equal the standards of living we wish everyone could have, it is much better off than the people of many African countries, or even other countries in the Middle East. While conditions in Iraq were miles from ideal pre-invasion, when considering how much worse it is in many other places, the idea that the U.S. went to Iraq on a humanitarian mission falls through. "I'm a peace-loving decoy, ready for retaliation." The idea that soldiers are going into Iraq on a mission to bring peace and freedom to the country as well as to lure out and destroy terrorists, in response to the attack on America (9/11). It is sad how many people still believe there is a link between Saddam/Iraq and 9/11, and that Iraq posed a serious terrorist threat. "I change the whole location to a pine box, six-under/Impulsive, don't ask why or wonder" means that the narrator and other soldiers will be killing so many people and destroying so many buildings that the city itself will become a large coffin. Impulsive could be referring to the state of mind that soldiers probably have to put themselves in (I am not talking from experience here, though) to be able to go through with their job- don't think about it, just act. Don't ask why; don't wonder whether you are doing the right thing. Also could be referring to not being able to ask why we are in Iraq, because the administration won't give a straight answer. "Orders given to me is: Strike and I'm thunder with lightning fast reflexes on constant alert/From the constant hurt that seems limitless with no dropping pressure" Describes what it is like to be a soldier, always having to be on your guard and ready to act and follow orders, and then describes the emotional and physical pain and difficulties of being a soldier. "I'm the reason you can fill up your Isuzu." A popular theory why we went to war with Iraq is that the administration wants control over the abundant oil resources there. The armed forces allow people to fill up their big cars with cheap gas by gaining control over oil resources in other countries. "I've got a 90 days visit and I'm filled with guilt from the things that I've seen" The narrator is stationed in Iraq for 90 days, and feels bad about what has happened, such as killing people and torturing prisoners of war. "You water's from a bottle, mine's from a canteen" -reminding Americans of the luxury they have at home, and how raw it is on the front lines. "At night, I hear the shots ring, so I'm a light sleeper." The narrator is constantly in danger of being shot, and must be ready to defend himself all the time. "The cost of life, it seems to get cheaper." During wartime, the value of people's lives is lowered dramatically. (ex. Iraqi civilian deaths is "collateral damage".) "Out in the desert with my street sweeper" Possibly could mean he is "cleaning up" the streets of Iraq, or clearing them out. "The war is over, so said the speaker with the flight suit on/Maybe to him I'm just a pawn so he can advance" First it is referring to Bush wearing the flight suit, giving the speech declaring major combat operations in Iraq complete on the aircraft carrier in 2003 (under a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished.") Clearly, this is not the case. At this point, after being in the war, the narrator feels used by the administration so it can gain- a throwaway tool, a diversion to direct attention away from failing domestic policies and the failure to find Osama bin Laden. "Remember when I used to dance, all I want to do is dance" wishing he could return to all the things he loved before the war, in this case, dancing. This is one of my favorite anti-Iraq war songs. I know Santas_Secret_Elf is just flaming to try to stir up people's emotions, but they did say something that caught my eye: "they wont last!!!!!" The Gorillaz is one of the most creative, innovative and talented bands out there today. They are one of the true "experimental" bands. They're approach to art and music will make them last, because no one can have any preconceived notions of what they should or shouldn't play. They can do whatever they want for as long as they want. The Gorillaz tear down the idea of building an "image," which allows them to create new things without a lot of backlash from "fans." They truly care about music. To me, the song is clearly political, and I don't understand the semi-uproar over that. Music has been political since, well, the creation of music. "A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once, but a song is learned by the heart and repeated over and over." Excellent song. |
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| Andrew Bird – Fake Palindromes Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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“…I think they are a bit pretentious… the poet/author probably can’t solve the simplest differential equations or chemical titrations...” Awesome, I love someone with a strong sense of irony. I really couldn’t disagree with you more, on this song in particular, and what appears to be your view on art in general. You begin by saying the lyrics are “pretentious,” but I fail to see why. The tone certainly does not seem to be pretentious, so I am assuming you mean his choice of words alone are attempts to make him look smarter. I still don’t see that being the case. Not only are “formaldehyde” and “rheostat” not especially foreign words, but if they were really dropped in there to make Andrew appear more intelligent, they wouldn’t have such distinct and clear meanings in the song. “Swapping your blood with formaldehyde,” to me, has a very obvious idea behind it- formaldehyde is embalming fluid, what they replace people’s bodily fluids with at the morgue. I’d say the girl in the song is experimenting with death or is fascinated by the idea of it, and this seems even more to be the case considering the trephination at the end of the song. Regarding the rheostat, I also think it is mostly for flow, although I will make the case that it means that the singles-ads provoke feelings that vary in intensity as well as in nature. Other than being pretentious, you also imply that Andrew Bird doesn’t really understand what he is writing, which I find ridiculous partly because we don’t know anything about him personally and are in no place to judge, but mostly because there is no evidence in the song that suggests what you are saying. Also, I don’t see how a “profound” knowledge (at least your definition of profound) of a rheostat is needed in this case, maybe if the song was about a rheostat or continually drew parallels between rheostats and other things. But as just a passing reference for comparison, all that is needed is a general idea of what it does. What if he mentioned a car? Must all artists know how to build a car or know how the engine works? What about your example, a box? Do you really have a “profound” knowledge of a box? Does anyone? My brother and I used to do origami, and it was pretty hard and complicated to make a box, haha. My point is that you place way too much emphasis on “profound” knowledge of something. I think it is a common myth that artists and writers have more knowledge or understanding than anybody else about something- they just know how to phrase things in a way that makes sense, is easy to understand, and is beautiful. I would also point out that not only is science a recurring theme in a lot of Andrew Bird’s music, but also that I haven’t noticed this trend towards using science-related terms. I’m not totally sure that’s relevant, though. Music is unique and different from poetry in that a lot of the strength and beauty of the words can come from the sound and feel of saying or singing the words aloud, not just their meanings alone. That’s why even “nonsense” can still be a great song. All I am saying is that in the unlikely chance that everything I said previously turns out to be false, it hardly matters, because “Fake Palindromes” is amazing with or without any true meaning behind all of the words. |
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| The White Stripes – Passive Manipulation Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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At first, I thought the whole idea behind this song was to counteract feminism a bit. I had originally thought the lyrics were "you need to know the difference between a father and a mother," meaning that there are specific gender roles for a reason- there are subtle differences between men and women (other than obvious physical ones), making men more suitable for the father's job and women more suitable for the mother's job. Basically, men should go out and work, women stay home and care for the children, and exchanging roles would end poorly. "Listen to your mothers" would mean follow the path your mother most likely took- find a man, marry, become a housewife/homemaker. I interpretted the line "don't just succumb to the wishes of your brothers" to mean "avoid male influence, be a true 'girl.'" Really it just reminded me of when I was younger, having to choose between all the other girls my age asking me to come play Barbie with them and my brothers and boys my age asking me to come play Star Wars with them. (I chose the latter :P) However, I don't think that interpretation is all that valid anymore with "mother" changed to "lover." Now I think the song is much more about love and serious relationships than about gender roles or feminism. It is asking women to stop and think about the guy they might be planning to marry or stay with the rest of their lives- is he a person who will be a father, always there for me or my children? Or does he seem now more just like a passing fling? We might truely love each other right now, but is he someone I want to be with for the rest of my life? "take a look at one another" - look at other women around you who thought they found "the one" early, and many are probably very unhappy or unsatisfied with their lives. "Listen to your mothers," don't ignore their advice, because they have the benefit of experience. Basically, I think it's the song is just some cautionary advice to women about trapping themselves in a relationship that they might regret later. |
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| Andrew Bird – Don't Be Scared Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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On his website, the lyrics are credited to "Rennie Sparks," but having the song here at least provides an open forum for talking about it. I haven't really given a great deal of thought to the meaning of the song, but I will say that it makes you feel better when you're down... |
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| Andrew Bird – Darkmatter Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Also, though most of the lyrics to this song originally made up "Sweetbreads," the songs are really, really different. Sweetbreads is something of a disturbing song about eating animals, while I'd call Dark Matter a gentle philosophical questioning, maybe. I wouldn't say Sweetbreads is accusatory, but it definitely can make you feel dead guilty, even in its politeness. Dark Matter is sort of the opposite in that instead of trying to convince you to agree with one idea, it tries to open up your mind and explore lots of different ideas, and any idea or all ideas could possibly be "correct." -What defines "self?" Is it your identity, what you think? Is it what's in your heart, maybe your soul? Both? Are we mapped out in our DNA, and no matter what we do, that's who we are? Maybe we can't know the answers to these questions, and maybe we shouldn't, but it is worthwhile to ask them anyway. Beautiful song. |
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| John Prine – Kokomo Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I haven't actually heard this song, but just judging by the lyrics, I'd say that that is sort of the point- there isn't anything special about Kokomo, Indiana at all. But since it is Joe's home, it is the most important place in the world to him. He may not even realize how much he loves the place until he is away from it. He wants to be back and return to his life, maybe even get married, but instead he's a lifeless corpse floating down a river in Southeast Asia, and he probably doesn't even know why. (He might not be dead, but I interpret it that way. "Bodies" is too impersonal a word to describe a living person.) John Prine does a very good job of being "for the common man." Many of his songs show a deep respect for people in general, whether it be the little boy and his mother in Guam or the soldier (who is just a person like you or me) who has to be there. Even using words like "mom" instead of "mother" keep it from having a pretentious tone, and help you realize that they are just everyday people too- it's a song for people about people. And, of course, whether they are families in Guam or soldiers from America, their lives are probably going to be ravaged by war (specifically, Vietnam.) |
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| Andrew Bird – Sovay Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Like in pnestojko's comment, Andrew Bird has said many times that he doesn't know what the word "sovay" means. This, to me, says that the meaning of the word (which may not even exist anyway) is not really important. Instead of drawing power from the meaning of the words in the song, we should draw it from the feeling of the words. "Sovay" is something of a soft word, it sort of rolls off the tongue. Combined with the music, it sort of evokes feelings of peace and calm in me. That's what is important. I would agree that this is an anti-war song, except I don't think it's anti- anything at all. Instead, I'd call it pro-peace. This may or may not be what Andrew intended the song to mean, but I think it is contradicting the idea of "waging peace" that so many other anti-war songs exhibit. Fighting back, even if it's for good purposes, even if it's nonviolent, is still fighting back. Conflict is what leads to violence and war. After all, fighting fire with fire just causes more burning. If people just stepped back for a minute and looked in on the world we live in, they'd realize that fighting has never gotten us anywhere, and neither has fighting against fighting. Look at Iraq today. We brought violence and warfare to the country in an attempt to stop violence and warfare caused by a dictator. And what has happened? More violence and warfare have spawned in the form of an insurgency. Continuing this way of dealing with the world is only going make the cycle repeat more. If we all just took it easy and accepted that we can't and shouldn't always be in control, people would be at peace, and there would be no more reason to fight. I came up with an interesting interpretation for some of the more specific parts of the song: the narrator is at some sort of anti-war protest, perhaps preparing to do some sort of reenactment. All he can think about is how if he were in control, he'd fire all of those war-mongerers that have been in power. They are fighting against an enemy that they created in their minds, like Don Quixote and the windmills. Playing Ride of the Valkyries is an interesting reference. Hitler played Ride of the Valkyries to his troops to get their adrenaline pumping in WWII. When people's minds are in a state like that, they act rashly and are less likely to think about what they are doing. I think it is also worth it to mention Valkyries themselves. Valkyries were warrior-women demigods from Norse mythology, who took battle heroes up to Valhalla (where the gods lived.) A doomed soldier would see a Valkyrie just before he died. This brings the whole concept of righteousness and religion into play. We are no longer fighting for material things, we are fighting because of a divine purpose. I think this is relevant because one could easily make the case that the U.S. involvement in the middle east is basically a holy war... the clash of two cultures, one predominantly Muslim and the other predominantly Christian, both feeling that their religion has the moral superiority. Anyway, he wants to fight against and fire those who have been pushing the war. Because if he were in power, everything would change, right? Next, a thought strikes him... he feels like he's been doing this before. And he has. We've been protesting wars forever, and they still continue to happen. This is something of a revelation for him- we have been doing this forever, why would it change this time? So instead of going along with his original battle plan for peace (...ha...), he has a new idea: simply being at peace to promote peace. Maybe this works, and maybe it doesn't. I say: it's worth a shot! razajac: wow, nice post :) It's hard to sound intelligent in the wake of something like that, hehe |
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| Andrew Bird – Fatal Flower Garden Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Swimming Hour, I believe. | |
| Cake – Frank Sinatra Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Heh, I'm repeating myself, but I simply love how many different (and perfectly sensible and valid) interpretations you can get from these songs. Here's an interesting and unusual one I came up with: This song could be about the effect of the media and the "Hollywood syndrome" on people. A more subtle "Californication," perhaps? A dismembered constellation would be a bunch of stars that are split apart and are off by themselves. They should be grouped together, but instead they alone. There are more kinds of stars than literal gaseous fireballs in the cosmos, such as movie stars or music stars. The radiation, which has been going on for years, is the unintended(?) message that Hollywood has been sending out for years about the magic of the movies and the glamorous lifestyle of celebrities. It contaminates people's minds; they are left with dreams concocted by an industry that they can never achieve. The stars from the dismembered constellation are the lonesome people who grew up in a western culture, who spent all their life idolizing movie stars and believing that the Hollywood lifestyle is what they truly want. The message is still, and always will be, reaching them, and plaguing or haunting them. They still feel that they can be rich and famous someday. They think they *really* belong among the Hollywood elite (a "constellation" or group of movie stars.) The gloomy and rainy sounding music and imagery of cobwebs falling on what these people bsaed their dreams on just illustrate what a sorry state they're in. "Beyond your... etc." When you look past what the industry does (entertains, makes a point, spreads ideas, and most of all, sells) you see the people it effects. The sad line about flies and spiders getting along together (really- brilliant writing.) shows the impossibility of these dreams. Flies and spiders could never get along, because spiders feed off of flies. Does Hollywood feed off of these people? ... Eh, it's just an idea. |
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| Cake – Daria Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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This'll get pretty redundant, because I will end up saying it about all of their songs, but I love how Cake makes such clear lyrics yet keeps the idea behind them vague enough to allow for so many different interpretations. Personally, I think this song is simply about a stubborn person. I would say that the subject of the song was sort of in a bad way when he met Daria- pessimistic, and a bit of a mess. I thought the line was "I was cleaning up from beaches," meaning some sort of mandated public service, perhaps for doing a crime? She probably would be good for him in helping him get his life back on track, and she is more than eager to do it. However, since she treats him like a child, he turns to some sort of child-like ego state and stubbornly refuses help with whatever problems he has. The whole "I won't be soothed over like...etc" part seems to me to have a hint of pride to it. I'd say that this guy's life is a wreck at this point, and this girl won't treat him like an adult, so the only way to keep any pride or independence would be to be very stubborn- "You can't tame me, and I'm not giving up without a fight." That's my take on it. |
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| Andrew Bird – Armchairs Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I'm not sure, I saw him live last month (wow!!!) and he called it "Armchairs of the Apocalypse," but I've heard it referred to as your title and mine as well. Maybe he hasn't decided on a title yet, and uses all three? | |
| Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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No one (not in America, anyway) gets stoned for doing something wrong anymore, so stoned simply means 'criticized'- which I guess you could say is verbal stoning. What Dylan is saying is that no matter what you do, there will be someone who criticizes you, and that you shouldn't take it personally because it happens to everyone. The obvious double meaning and tone of the song sort of give it a "Who cares?! Let's go have fun" attitude. Irrelevant side note: my neighbor made an amusing parody of this song using leetspeak... it's good for when you win at video games :) "Eeeeverybody must get pwned!" |
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| John Prine – Angel From Montgomery Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I, for one, love flowery language in songs. I also love lyrics that are really rather vague, where you have to puzzle over the words to figure out what the song is about. I think they are true poetry. However, all of John Prine's songs are so straightforward, open and sincere. The words are "basic" but he manages to put a very deep meaning with a lot of feeling into them... I'm sure there is some term for this type of songwriting, but I think "layman's poetry" describe it pretty well. It is its own breed of beauty that is totally different from any other, and that is all I have to say about this song and many of his other works for the moment. |
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| The Offspring – Genocide Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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About the nature of man- his need for domination and the suppresion of competitors. The best lines are definitely: And if in time We can see the errors of our ways Would anyone change it anyhow Even though we acknowledge how wrong our past actions were (like past acts of genocide), people still commit them. It's something we all fight and supress, but it's still so ingrained into our nature that fierce dog-eat-dog competition is unavoidable. |
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| Andrew Bird – Tables and Chairs Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Hey cyanide- Pants e-mailed me and told me the title of the song: Armchair Apocrypha. I added it to songmeanings. I wish it were on an album so that I could listen to it away from the computer... And yeah, I do have a xanga: http://www.xanga.com/boatyboat It's about the least interesting thing you could ever imagine reading. |
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| Andrew Bird – Armchairs Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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K special thanks to Pants for tellin me the title of this song :) This is just about my favorite song ever. It's so epic and... dynamic, and I just love it. The 1st stanza and the 3rd are sheer brilliance... "these looms that weave apocrypha"... damn! That's good. I also love the oxymoron of dark and empty rooms being full of incandescent hands, heh. I don't even want to start thinking about the meaning right now; I just want to experience the song for the moment. If I didn't get the lyrics right feel free to post corrections. |
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| Andrew Bird – Darkmatter Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/16414 I found this song here^, among some other unreleased stuff (it's also linked to it on his website, but you have to navigate a bit to get to it). I you want to just here Bird's stuff, skip ahead to about 1 hr 10 minutes in... I know the lyrics aren't perfect, and I wasn't so sure about the "nausea-ausea-ausea-alation" part, heh, but that's what it sounds like to me (and I like it), but if anyone know the "real" lyrics please, fix them haha. Man this song is so good though. It's so haunting and beautiful. I can honestly say that I feel Andrew Bird is THE greatest musician ever. |
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| Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire – Core and Ring Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think the lyrics are about looking too deeply into things that are really rather shallow- looking for meanings in things which have no meaning. Like somebody thinking something you say is a really big deal (it's the core, the main part) when it turns out you really don't feel that way (it's the rind, just the outside shell). I hate it when people think they understand the way *I* think or feel but there's no way for them to know my mind- especially if they can't tell the difference between what I feel deep down and what is a thin outer casing. That's what I think this song is about. I love the lyrics, and it's got a really nice tune, but to be honest I like most of his other stuff a lot better. |
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| Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire – Why?? Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| It never occurred to me to look in Windows Media Player... 1134 results found for 'andrew bird' in the media guide?! LOL thanks a million cyanide! The rest of my life just got booked, heh. | |
| Andrew Bird – Tables and Chairs Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I don't have anything really to add about the song that people haven't already said (although to me I never really interpretted the song in a spiritual sort of way... more as just a sort of fantasy). But some of you seem familiar with that fabchannel concert, and I was wondering if any of you knew the title to the song that begins with, "I dreamt you were a cosmonaut of the space between or chairs/ and I was a cartographer of the tangles in your hair"? I am in love with that song. The chorus sounds a bit like "time is a crooked bow." This is the only lyrics site that I've found Andrew's lyrics posted on, and I don't see the song (looked under bowl of fire too). If anyone can tell me the title, I will be soooo grateful! If you could do that, I'd love you forever (and everybody wants to be loved by me :) hehe) Thanks. |
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| Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire – Why?? Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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That's "damn" you for being so easy-going. Dawn you? lol This song is strangely catchy. I've never heard anything like it before-- I like it. |
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| Andrew Bird – Banking on a Myth Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I really don't know anything about the music industry, but from what I've heard and the impression I get from it, I think this song is about record companies. I love the lines : "he's the one to know, doesn't matter if you blow no, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing he thinks we're needing it's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding when the words we use have lost their bite now they hit you like an imaginary pillow fight" |
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| Andrew Bird – Measuring Cups Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Ok, I just watched a interview-thing I got from a link on his website (here it is if you want to see it but don't want to look for it- http://www.vpro.nl/programma/ram/afleveringen/20701254/ The site's in dutch, but the interview is in English- the link to the video is on the right side of the screen, and I think Andrew comes in at around 18:00 minutes in) The video gives a lot of insight into what he put into this song. He described experiencing a sort of hierarchy and false labeling in school. He talked about the institution and that sort of thing as a sort of recurring theme in his music. I think that definitely is present in this song. The song really is beautiful. Having this sort of insight as to what it's about makes it a lot more meaningful to me, and also makes me respect the song (and the artist) a lot more. |
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| Andrew Bird – MX Missiles Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I think "MX missiles" are the things and events that life throws at you. This song seems to be about people who appear to be unfazed, unaffected or totally fine no matter what happens to them in their lives. They just keep on going, without being slowed down by life. It's like they're immune to life, or "mx missile proof," like a paper doll and not a person at all. They're just watching the rest of the world march by without being affected at all. The proof that you bleed is the proof that you aren't actually unaffected by life. I think the tooth/calcium thing is a somewhat elaborate analogy. Someone who really is MX missile-proof and can deal with life without being hurt is "made of calcium." Calcium is "tender to the tooth," and makes them stronger, so someone made of calcium would have really strong teeth. If the subject of the song broke their tooth, it can be inferred that they don't really have a lot of calcium. I think that means that those who SEEM like they are so strong and unfazed by life are really the ones who are affected the worst, but they just hold it inside. One day they're going to break down- fall and break their tooth. Also, I thought the last line in the 4th verse was "to learn that you _weren't_ really MX-missile-proof." When the subject breaks their tooth, it's clear that they weren't actually MX-missile proof and just as vulnerable, insecure and fallible as the rest of us. This song is brilliant. Oh, and I love how he says "revelation" too. In fact I just love Bird's voice in general. :) |
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| John Prine – Paradise Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Industry, especially coal mining and logging, have ruined so many good and beautiful things. This song is probably about nostalgia for an old small town, which a coal company decided was a prime location for a mining operation. | |
| John Prine – Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Any More Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| This song could have been written last week, because it's just so pertinent now. Excessive patriotism can just blind you. | |
| Andrew Bird – The Naming of Things Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| The repetition is brilliant in this song- the second verse is sooo goood. | |
| Andrew Bird – Skin Is, My Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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"cold as her toes on the bathroom floor run back to bed and slam the door" I think this is a really good simile. When a lot of other people use similes, they always try to compare the subject with something really extreme, like "hot as the sun," or "cold as the arctic," or something. But very few people have really experienced the cold of the arctic; we simply have the knowledge of how cold it is without actually _knowing_ the coldness of it or what it's like. But I have stepped on a cold bathroom floor barefoot before, and I know what it's like, and that makes the connection in the simile so much stronger for me. It creates its own weird, wonderful sort of imagery. It's not that I think it's better or more poetic than other more abstract similes or anything, (I *love* the line "yonder stands your orphan with his gun/crying like a fire in the sun" from Bob Dylan's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue) but I think it connects you to the song more. |
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| Andrew Bird – The Happy Birthday Song Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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This song reminds me of this quote I found somewhere... I think from a blurb about some of his music on NPR: "What's so wonderful about this music, and so rare now, is that those musicians would play each note like it was, you know, the last note they would ever get to play." -- Andrew Bird And, I dunno, it's just sort of like if you take something really simple and stupid, such as the "Happy Birthday" song and sing it with all your heart and soul- like it was your last day- it suddenly becomes extremely beautiful and meaningful. |
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| Phil Ochs – How Long Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| The lyrics don't look like much, but this song is one of his finest. I can't even explain it- the only version I have of this song is low quality, and that just gives it the sound of a sort of sad desperation even more. | |
| Andrew Bird – Masterfade Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I haven't decided on on what this song quite means yet, but part of it seems to be about peace, and summertime, and calmness (what is a masterfade? well, it doesn't matter) and part of it sort of seems like it's about how science and mathematics sort of miss out on a lot of beauty in the world. (I don't necessarily agree with that, but it does make a good case.) "well you sure didn't look like you were having any fun.../and when you look up at the sky/all you see are zeros/all you see are zeros and ones" In being so calculating you see the sky as numerals and miss out on everything wonderful about it. "if we're all matter/what's it matter does it matter/if we're all matter when we're done?" This could be a comment on how the idea that we're just lumps of walking, talking matter trivializes human existance, and even if there is no "meaning of life" and no god and we're just a blob of organized cells, who cares? "I saw you standing all alone in the electrostatic rain/I thought at last I'd found a situation you can't explain" A situation where logic fails and you have to abandon scientific reasoning. "your happiness won't find you underneath that canopy of trees" You won't be happy if you continue seeing things the way you do now. "if the green grass is 6 the soybeans are 7/the junebugs are 8 the weeds and thistles are 11" seeing things as numbers again I put way too much thought into that... something that is most definitely wrong, wrong, wrong. |
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| Andrew Bird – Measuring Cups Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I like themunkel's idea. I think what Andrew Bird means by measuring cups and measuring your brain is judging and comparing people, namely children, to each other. Saying that there's something wrong with anybody who is a little different. "come to the front of the class and we'll measure your brain" brings me back to middle school and the embarassment of being brought to the front and taken out of class by the guidance counselor. I also like mazetti's idea about limitations. You don't have to be the best, and just because you're not as good as someone else doesn't mean you should have to change to be more like them. |
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| R.E.M. – Belong. Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I love the vocals on this song, haha. I don't think it is about suicide either, and this is from the REM lyrics annotations FAQ: According to Stipe, the song is "not about defenestration"; that is, she is NOT about to jump out the window with her baby (apparent a common misinterpretation Stipe wanted to correct). [Ron Henry] |
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| Andrew Bird – Fake Palindromes Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| It's poetry. | |
| Andrew Bird – Action/Adventure Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| The song is so awesome... I love Bird's style. But I don't think these lyrics are right. I can't tell what the actual words are, but there are too many syllables in some of the lines posted here. He doesn't say "another" split it your seam, or cul-de-sac "back," or "goddamn" pen, and there is one or two words too many in "where all your little boys." | |
| R.E.M. – At My Most Beautiful Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| What's great about this song is that it's so... revealing in way . I mean, if you take the words out of context they don't seem like anything, but as part of the song as a whole they are so honest. | |
| Phil Ochs – The Harder They Fall Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Probably my favorite lines from this song are "So I'll say these words to you/ though you won't believe a word I say.../ Gotta say the words anyway." The reaction to a lot of protest or even debate these days is "What's the point?" or "It's not like you're going to make a difference." Well, even if the things I say don't change anything, I just *HAVE* to say them. Because I just gotta say them anyway. | |
| Phil Ochs – Tape From California Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| ...and this is why Mr. Ochs was the best (or at least my favorite) singer-songwriter ever. | |
| R.E.M. – Beat A Drum Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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This song always reminded me of when it's a beautiful summer evening and you just lay back and just think "this is all I need." I always thought the line "Don't forget, we're just halfway from coal" was "home" instead of "coal," and I sort of prefer it that way. 'Coal' makes it sound like something bad could happen, while 'home' always sounded like "Don't worry, if anything goes wrong, we're close to home." |
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