| Jenny Lewis – It Wasn't Me Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| oops sorry roxy ;] | |
| Regina Spektor – Après Moi Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| To me this song sounds like it is about the Communist way of life, although it could be interpreted many ways, Just the overall sound of the song makes me think distinctly of Russia. | |
| Andrew Bird – Heretics Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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We're so adult about it! Not sew a doll about it. How could I miss that? God I wish I could edit my post :P |
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| Andrew Bird – Heretics Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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To me, this song is about an unplanned pregnancy and a subsequent miscarriage (or possibly an abortion). By definition, a heretic is "one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine -- nonconformist"; perhaps someone who is willing to have an abortion? That may explain the song title... As for the lyrics, the first verse conjures the image of youthful recklessness. "Bored holes through our tongues" refers to tongue piercings. "Held our breath for too long, till we're half sick about it" brings to mind the period in the late teens and early twenties where people are commonly at a stagnant crossroads in their life. "Tell us what we did wrong and you can blame us for it," getting pregnant through innocent sex. "Turn a clamp on our thumbs, we'll sew a doll about it," means that if the new parents are pressured, they will have the child and take care of it. The term 'sew a doll' is strange, but it really does sound like that's what Andrew's saying. Sewing a doll for the child-to-be implies that the parents would be willing to step up and be good parents. The second verse is asking for credit from the young parents' family and friends, for being responsible instead of being scorned for having an unplanned pregnancy. They've brought grief and problems to their relatives with a 'slow and vicious gun' (aka a 9 month pregnancy). Although pratfalls (small missteps along the course of the pregnancy) can be fun and even exciting for parents, the following 'acts' of the 'play' can be fatal. In other words, the child can be lost. Verse three, the parents are secretly relieved that the child has been lost due to natural causes. Thank God it's fatal, that is a gigantic burden lifted from our shoulders. Verse four describes the twist of emotions that occurs after losing a child, especially after truly not being prepared to care for it. I think there is a slight problem with the lyrics posted here. I've always heard "You're making mountains of handkerchiefs wet/and the mascara always runs." Whatever the lyrics are, the point is the same; it's emotionally difficult for any mother to lose their child, regardless of circumstances. However, the male (is the protagonist of the song Andrew himself??) reassures the woman that she is "bound to get post-natal", or that she will become pregnant again some day and have the child. But for now, what did I hear you say? Thank God it's fatal. Verse five has another lyrical discrepancy from what I hear with my ears, but once again, the point is still basically the same. I hear him say, in the first line, "You don't want to hear the sound of a drum," or the infant's heartbeat. In the repeat line, it's difficult to tell whether he repeats drum, or says door instead. Continuing on, "We don't want to read the signs that you bore," positive pregnancy tests? Physiological symptoms of pregnancy (hormones, missed period, etc.)? Finally, "We'll be back, what a crack," to me, translates roughly to 'it didn't work for us the first time, but we love each other and plan to try this again some day.' Now I might be way out to lunch on this one, but every line of the song, at the very least, can be construed to have a metaphorical relationship to a miscarriage. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who's has this interpretation so far, so give me your responses! I know there isn't very much traffic on this site. It would be interesting to hear Mr. Bird's explanation of this song ;). |
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| The Shins – Those To Come Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Thank you katie and lycanth. To me, this song is certainly talking about the life cycles of cicadas, and comparing them to the cyclic pattern of relationships and/or human lives. Almost every line of the song has a reference to the life of cicadas, but most notably the "molten eyes" that refer to the red eyes of many species. The overall metaphor that I draw from this is difficult for me to verbalize, but read the lyrics with this in mind and see if you don't agree with us. |
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| The Devil Makes Three – Shades Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I absolutely love this song. It's clearly about seeing and trying to avoid an ex-lover, watching her have success in her single life while you wallow in drunken misery. It's remarkably simple, yet the delivery of the lines along with the harmonies will well up tears every single time I listen. It reminds me of tough times past. I wish DMT would come back to their roots and perform in New England. What a great band. |
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| Jenny Lewis – It Wasn't Me Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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In response to roxyjl: The red wagon symbolizes each person's individual life, not a literal red wagon toy that we pestered our mom to play with as a child. Jenny's feelings of cynicism and helplessness about Hollywood and Washington's destruction of society are sources of despair for her. However, despite Washington and Hollywood's assault on the fabrics of our society, she insists that you have to keep pulling your little red wagon along and live your life. Unfortunately, it's difficult for me to decrypt a single, solid theme that this song is about, so maybe my interpretation of the wagon isn't entirely correct either. |
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| Jenny Lewis – It Wasn't Me Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I believe it is greed as well, especially in reference to the line "in Hollywood and Washington / they shake and smile through the harm they've done." I love the red-wagon metaphor, along with her delivery of the line. It's exemplary of her lyrical style. Its simplicity, yet profoundness, is reminiscent to some of the best songwriters of the rock era IMO (think mccartney, lennon, etc) |
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| Jenny Lewis – Melt Your Heart Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I've been trying to analyze this verse in context, "And we've lost the people we could've loved in you/What you know you have or what you think you want/ It's never perfect". Although I agree that many other peoples' interpretations of a failed relationship may be correct, that one verse makes the song seem like it's about a regretful one night stand. If you have true affections for one person, and then sleep with another person just for sexual gratification, it can damage your future with the person you truly love. "What's good for your soul will be bad on your nerves if you reverse it". "Are we killing time? / Are we killing each other?" To me, this means that since the one night stand, there has been a halt in the progress between the two 'true' lovers. Are their conflicting feelings causing them to kill time, and ultimately each other by not realizing their true love for each other? Anyway, perhaps I'm reading too deeply into this because of my personal exxperiences, but this song really gets to me. Shame on the person that says Jenny isn't a talented lyricist. I disagree completely ;]. |
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| Rilo Kiley – It Just Is Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Before I knew who or what this song was actually about, I heard the line "he wasn't our son" as "he was an arson". OOPS, haha great song |
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