submissions
| Neil Young – My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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I disagree with the comments. I don't think the lyrics are supposed to be taken completely seriously. They seem to be a series of deliberately obvious rhymes and cliches, which Young presumably intended to show how shallow rock 'n' roll is/can be. In particular, the 'my, my, hey, hey' can only have been a joke. |
submissions
| U2 – With or Without You Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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It's interesting to read the other comments, and I guess the song is open to a few interpretations - relationship breakdown, religion, perhaps even drugs. I've always thought the song is about yearning for someone who doesn't want you, and the song is basically about a fantasy.
'See the stone set in your eyes' suggests anger or coldness - this is the reality of the situation, he's been rebuffed.
'See the thorn twist in your side' - this seems to suggest the sexual act.
'Sleight of hand and twist of fate' - possibly a euphemism, as he lies on his 'bed of nails', thinking of her.
The next verse seems like a fantasy to me - 'through the storm we reach the shore, you give it all but I want more'. Not 'she wants more' but 'I want more' - he's imagining her giving all she has but of course it's only a fantasy so it's not enough.
'You give yourself away' - is back to the cold reality of her being with other men and not him.
In the last verse he seems resigned to never winning her - his hands are tied (ie he is powerless) and he has nothing left to lose.
Let's not forget the music either - the infinite guitar evokes vast distances, silence and loneliness, and builds from wistfulness to desperation. |
submissions
| Lou Reed – Perfect Day Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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Feeding animals at the zoo means taking drugs. The Simon and Garfunkel song At the Zoo is actually about drugs too. |
submissions
| Bruce Springsteen – Roulette Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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One of Bruce's best story songs, coupled with a brilliant, ferocious performance from him and the E Street Band. (However, The Jam ought to have been credited for a drum/bass riff that is almost exactly the same as The Eton Rifles and a vocal that is straight out of Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.) |
submissions
| John Lennon – How Do You Sleep? Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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There are too many references to McCartney for this song not to be about Paul. When John said it was about himself, I think he meant that he shared the flaws he attributed to Paul.
I don't think the reference to Sgt Pepper is to the album (why would the record have taken anyone by surprise?). It is probably a euphemism for a drug or a person they both knew as 'Sgt Pepper'.
It is a difficult song to listen to but you get the feeling it is written more in exasperation and sadness than real hatred. Listen closely to McCartney's (wonderful) Ram album and this response makes sense. I am sure Lennon wished he'd never recorded this song, though. |
submissions
| Paul McCartney – Monkberry Moon Delight Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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I always hear this as an attack on Lennon, especially in the context of the Ram album. Among other things, the howling vocals are surely a parody of John's singing on his first record; 'the piano at my nose' a pun on John's trademark piano and his drug-taking (and it does sound VERY like 'a kilo up my nose'); and the pajamas mentioned recall John's peace-and-love sleep-in. The wind is a strong image in the Beatles song Because, which was inspired by Yoko, who had classical training, hence the cantata perhaps. I also wonder whether 'hose' isn't actually 'hoes'.
I love the song and find it very funny - although it's easy to see why John wasn't amused. |
submissions
| Leonard Cohen – Story of Isaac Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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It's about exploitation of the young. His 'father' is a paedophile who comes into the room and abuses him. This symbolises the way young people are expendable in war. |
submissions
| Leonard Cohen – First We Take Manhattan Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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It's a song about conquest, possibly more sexual than actual. 'Manhattan' has phallic connotations - with its name, shape on the map and tall buildings. Berlin was, of course, divided down the middle, and is meant, I feel sure, to symbolise the female parts. |
submissions
| Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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I've always thought the song was supposed to be a joke. The first verse begins apparently very meaningfully with a Biblical line, and then dissolves first into a garbled musical reference and next a couplet that shouldn't even rhyme (do ya/Hallelujah). There is a shift from the sublime to the ridiculous throughout the song. I suspect it reflects the fact that Leonard was struggling with his record company at the time and this was his quiet revenge. It's ironic that the song has been adopted by some of the people he was mocking. |
submissions
| The Beatles – Get Back Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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This is a song about sex. When McCartney says 'Get back to where you belong' he means getting back to the womb, where, of course, he comes from. |
submissions
| Bruce Springsteen – The River Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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A wonderful song that has probably moved me to tears more than any song that has ever been written. 'The river' itself is fairly clearly a reference to sex and the desperation of the end of a relationship. But the song seems to be about the futility of life in general, and how we keep on doing things even when we know there is no point to them anymore. |
submissions
| The Beatles – Maxwell's Silver Hammer Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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It's possible this is about sex, and the 'bang, bang' suggests that. But the obvous conclusion from Joan experimenting with her test tube is that she is experimenting with drugs. Maxwell may be her drug dealer or just drugs themselves. My feeling is Paul is being disingenuous about the 'silver' hammer. 'Silver' clearly refers to cocaine or heroin. Perhaps he is saying that temptation can get to anyone and ruin anyone's life, whether judge or chemist. I don't believe this is literally about a serial killer. |
submissions
| Leonard Cohen – The Future Lyrics
| 11 years ago
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The chorus is the key. It's about sex. 'Things are going to slide' is clearly a reference to the male genitals after sex. Leonard is saying that in the future, after sex, it's back to the confusing world, without the certainties of love. 'Give me Stalin and St Paul' just means that during sex he doesn't care about politics or anything else. |
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