| The Mamas & the Papas – California Dreamin' Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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Beautiful song, chord progressions, harmonies -- melancholic, longing and haunting -- yet hopeful to return. But the lyrics are deceiving, even betraying hope in their cynicism at least towards religion as well as bad relationship decisions. On the religion side, the author has bad memories from growing up in a church school, so he mocks faith when he writes of stopping in a church and "pretending" to pray, but not really praying. The feigned enthusiasm he expresses in his voice, singing "Got down on my KNEES!" shows his contempt for devout worshippers as if they're just pretending too. His cynicism goes further, noting how the preachers "knows I'm gonna stay", ostensibly just to avoid the cold outside because it's warmer inside the church -- but not to get closer to God or absorb any wisdom the church or preacher might have to offer. Ah California! Where being fake is so common, one can come to miss being so in devout and melacholic ways. On the relationship side, the author laments "not telling her" as the reason he's no longer in L.A. He left no more clues in his story, however, so we're left wondering what the hell happened but appreciate he's just cold where he is now (New York) and wishes to be back in L.A. More angst in spirit with his irritation for the church. The lyrics contain classic Hippie condemnation of Establishment values and practices, almost in a call to come drop out too and dream away of warmer, safer times from the past. Despite the cynicism and rejection of the church and bad relationship decisions, the song is still beautiful but mostly because of the music (minor to major chords and back) and it's call to dreaming of things fond and better. As a musician, I play this song often as a favorite, and it is indeed a crowd pleaser. But the lyrics on closer inspection reveal a dark inner sadness and loss of faith except for the memory of warmer times of old or the physical in it's triumph over the spiritual. Mixed messages in this song which makes it complex and more intriguing to decipher, likely key to it's success and memorability. |
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| Crowded House – Don't Dream It's Over Lyrics | 5 years ago |
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@[MillerDodd:29328] Your interpretation of "You'll never see the end of the road while you're traveling with me" was insightful and brought me to see the meaning differently. Your interpretation adds another layer to the complexity of this relationship this singer honors, laments, and cherishes. Thank you for the deeper perspective. Helpful! |
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| Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know Lyrics | 5 years ago |
| The singer asks her Ex if his new girl would have his baby, ostensibly the way the singer was prepared to do because she loved him so much and believed he loved her too, even until death. She then hits him in the face with the cross she now has to bear because of him, his lies, and his duplicity in dumping her for another girl after promising unending love. She's pregnant and/or already had his baby and now has to raise the child alone -- her "cross to bear". If not a child, then the emotional devastation he has caused is her "cross to bear" that she can't get over, and she is REALLY, REALLY PISSED OFF about it. I think she'd shoot the Ex if she could, or run him over in her car, or some other nasty and deadly act of revenge. He should RUN REALLY FAST and get away from this woman. Word! | |
| The Rolling Stones – She's A Rainbow Lyrics | 5 years ago |
| This song is about the heaven-like state -- the nirvana that can be be achieved -- through better hygiene. You see, there were Hippies running around everywhere when this song was written. And what do Hippies love? Long hair! But did they want to comb it? HELL NO! "Let it all hang out, Man!" But then after a while, all this matted, knarled, unkept hair on people started to look rather common. It was everywhere. Everybody stopped combing their hair so much because that was just the look. Unkept hair meant -- you were COOL. You didn't CARE. So you didn't need to comb your HAIR. But then this girls comes along, and she has a different look. She has actually COMBED HER HAIR! And Mic Jagger was so amazed at how different, how good she looked, he got inspired and had to SING about her. "She combs her hair!" WOW! Now that is REALLY cool (or maybe just better looking) -- so much, that COLORS start spewing out of her head -- out of her BEING. She sprouts rainbows out of everything. Much like Yellow Submarine. Totally Psychodelic, Man! And all because she figured out that combing her hair looked better that letting it go unkept and ratted like all the other Hippies were doing. Why else would Jagger go into total ELATION in his singing the fantastic praises of a girl who dared to be different and actually COMBED HER HAIR! (???) | |
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