| The Circulatory System – Waves of Bark and Light Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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The theme is timelessness. Two timeless beings, who "never say hi or say good bye," meet at the bottom of a forested hill or mountain (a spiritual barrier to surmount) and proceed to the top. The "waves of bark and light" line describes the flickering of the sun as the hikers look up at it through the passing branches of the trees overhead on their way to the top. The lines regarding the "now dead eternal clock" are meant to be paradoxical, and allude again to timelessness. "I read between the lines," refers to the hash marks of the clock, "saw the faces," refers to the faces of time. Face perception requires holistic perceptual processing, which is what is being referenced in the earlier lines: "you'll need your frequencies of intuition." Just as we intuitively interpret the differences in every face so too do the hikers see differences in every contour of their spiritual vision of the faces of time. Their is no underlying pattern: "we now know everything is just beyond us, above us, below us..." This last line is the spatial analogy and complement to the earlier stated temporal paradox of the "now dead eternal clock." Taken together, or holistically synthesized, the lines are meant to recall the unity of space and time. |
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| Gnarls Barkley – Storm Coming Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| superted guessed my intention--to refer to the character that refers to himself singularly as "I" in the song--though admittedly it's a bit funny. Sorry if this is just a comment forum, I'm new and just assumed by the site name we were trying to get at as much meaning as possible in as clear and comprehensive a manner as possible. I'm sure we didn't exhaust the interpretations, anyone else out there care to comment on the song? I'd say superted's comment is a safe bet. | |
| Gnarls Barkley – Storm Coming Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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“Storm Coming” uses predominantly meteorological metaphors to describe a nascent musical/artistic/social movement that Gnarls sees himself as being a non-integral part of (It could also be interpreted as an explanation and forewarning of his behavior in intimate relationships, however that’s less interesting). “I could paint a picture with a pen/ But a song will only scratch the skin/And there are still places I haven’t been/Because I know what’s in there is already on the way” Despite Gnarls’ formidable eloquence and powers of expression, he is unable to give full-voice to the depths and diversity of the developing musical revolution/revitalization he presages alone. [I propose “revitalization” because in “Necromancer” he states, with I assume double meaning, “the production is progressive, but the reason is retro”.] “There’s truth in the thunder/ Love in the lightning/The feeling is frightening/And isn’t it exciting?/I’m something like stormy weather/If I weren’t we’d never/Huddle together” Truth and love are the inspiration and drive of a tempestuously passionate philosophy of musical expression that does and will continue to unite its practitioners and partisans. “Do I have to tell you/That I’m also the sunlight/That shines shortly after/I just rain cause I have to/On to a another chapter” Sunlight is an ambiguous metaphor, however in this context my best guess is that Gnarls is saying he is capable of a more placid sound; however, to move "On to another chapter” Gnarls must iconoclastically shakeup the old modes of expression and inspire others to join him. As he will proclaim in a few lines, “seals will be broken open”. “I wish you lots of laughter/Till the next time you see me/Just remember you need me/ I’m the storm coming” These lines I deem as fitting more strongly with the “relationship interpretation” parenthetically described above (particularly the “just remember you need me” line), though certainly it is also a send off to his fans that eagerly await his next release. “Run towards the hills to avoid the high flood/I can do a dance that will make the sky cry blood/Skills provoking/Seals will be broken open/All that’s left to do is try my love” These lines are a further reinforcement of Gnarl’s notion that he is using his artistic talents to inspire an immense progressive (“seals will be broken open”) musical movement based on truth and love as well as a petition to his listeners to be open to it. “I’m singing the cyclone/I’m writing the raging sea/Searching for the sign of the times/Is it safe to say it’s me? (posted lyrics are wrong)/Listen to our lives/The wind will whisper the way it is/I’m going to happen what a lovely day it is” Here Gnarl’s describes his clear discernment of the zeitgeist, or the flavor of the times. He insists that if we are alert we too will feel the cultural pulse and conclude his coming ascendancy is both inevitable and beautiful. This also applies to the musical movement independent of him as he himself maintains it is “comin no matter what I say”. “Don’t ask why, just live, and, die” The attitude reflected in this conclusion is perhaps an almost fatalistic generalization of the themes of inevitability he establishes above along with an insistence that we live with a full awareness of our mortality and vitality; an old bromide given new urgency with Gnarl’s poignantly a-melodic pronunciation of “die”. I only wish I could experience his vision rather than my own: continued musical drudgery with a few lotus flowers sporadically blooming from the swamp. |
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