| Dave Matthews Band – Dancing Nancies Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| I think you misinterpreted what I was saying. I believe you are harping on one line of my response (which was a full out explanation of every lyric with a paradigm to view them through. It would be nice if you provided some text to your meaning and explained it, or gave a more substantiated response so I can understand your countering). I said someone is in their prime at 23 (think mentally and physically, and when it is easiest to change your life and decide what direction to take), not that a degree is the pinnacle of success, that's a big stretch. Success in the context above would be taking a path through life where you were able to walk happily down said path. Although success isn't the point of the perspective. The point is to find the happiness in whatever path you take. Whether or not you are successful is really based on your opinion. What success is can only be defined by you (at least if you want it to be, or you could just let society define it for you but then happiness is likely out of reach, are you starting to understand the perspective?). Seeing beauty in the world is only one way of finding happiness, each person can determine their own, but I think its a fairly general one people can connect to which is why Dave used it in his lyrics. I don't see success alluded to at all in the lyrics (or in my interpretation). This is about having a happy perspective. By thinking about your regrets and measuring your success against some larger societal ruler you only fall into the world of lies that Dave describes. You have regrets where you are in life, but that is due to your perspective. I'm sorry but you can't tell me that regret will play into me, although it may for you (each person has their own experience). I have a happy perspective and love life (including the ups and downs -- modest mouse the view comes to mind). This isn't about goals or success, its about finding happiness in whatever situation you are actually in and not regretting and asking questions which don't have any real effect (world of lies) (although again, I think its related to say that how you judge success for yourself is a part of your happiness and perspective and being happy will require the right approach here -- the one Dave is describing). | |
| John Butler Trio – I'd Do Anything (Soldier's Lament) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I believe the lyrics in the 4th verse are "man, I wish they'd pad these walls like an institution" not paint these walls. Anyway this song is pretty obvious... just to be with you He's definitely talking about the pressure being on the road puts on his life too. He just wants to be with his wife and kid |
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| Slightly Stoopid – 2 am Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I like the part where he says "I say somethin' wrong? wait, who the hell is you? Aw you coming through, holdin' up the innocent." he's just been busted but he's still arguing for his rights. and saying that weed is nothing to be arrested for. |
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| John Butler Trio – Nowhere Man Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The last verse is "be part of that we" and it should be "I belong nowhere" in the first verse Great song, I think this song is about finding your purpose in life. He begins not really having a place in life ("alien from somewhere else"). He does not have something or somewhere that stabilizes his life ("But from here and there, I belong nowhere") and nothing that gives him a reason to be somewhere. Then he finds something to hold on to and be part of ("seem so many know the name"), but it doesn't really please him like he thought it would "Now things don�t seem to be the same, But they are some how" and it ends up giving him the same feelings of not belonging anywhere that he had before. Then he says that he feels the same being part of this thing as he did without it "Cause all my life I lived on the outside, But now I'm in, but in nowhere" so its not really giving him the purpose he wants. "Strangely enough I'm more like lone trees I love those forests but alone better suits me but" This surprises him, but he realizes that he liked being without this new thing in his life more than with it. "I love to share just like the pollen loves to be free And flying in through the air nowhere better suits me" I think he's saying that continually moving and trying new things in his life and not having that something to belong to is what he likes best. "Somewhere down deep inside in me I guess I always wanted to be part of that we And now I found that in my family And now I'm happy just to be Nowhere Man " Then at the end he finally realizes that he doesn't just want to fly through the air, but actually have something to be a part of. He finds this through his family, and now he's happy because he can just be himself and still belong. Think about this song pertaining to John's life as a homeless man who made it into society through music, but only to find he didn't like society yet still wanted to belong to something and found it through his family. I think this is what he inspired him to write this. |
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| Phish – Guelah Papyrus Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| great song. what does is mean though? I think its definitely about relationships and the perils that girls will put you through. | |
| Phish – Character Zero Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Sweet song. I have to agree with you ilovetorun the point is that what he learns is always wrong. But there is more to it than just that. He is speaking about the conception of knowledge in general, and religion (which is a type of knowledge of how the universe works). "I was taught a month ago To bide my time and take it slow" He first he learns something that means he should live his life one way in order that he live the best life "But then I learned just yesterday To rush and never waste the day" But then he learns something that completely changes what the correct 'answer' is for his life, and his whole basis of knowledge has shifted or he finds contradiction in his religion and doesn't know what to believe "Now I'm convinced the whole day long That all I learn is always wrong" now he realizes that knowledge is such a tangible subject and is really problematic because our truths in the universe are only our guesses. He would rather have the outlook that we don't and can't gain the true knowledge about something, then learn something that ends up being wrong. or he is confused about his religion and doesn't really believe anything that they teach him because its so contradicted "And things are true that I forget But no one taught that to me yet" And now he comments on how difficult it is to gain truth, and raises the question how do we even know what is true when we have it? And then comments on how dumb we are to attempt at ascertaining truth while we still only listen to the things that have been pre-established as 'knowledge'. when often we have found the truth on our own but forgotten it because we are taught that it is not correct with our current 'knowledge' of the universe. or he has all these ideas running through his head (that contradict the current knowledge/religion) and some are true, but he can't know if they're right because he came up with them on his own instead of taught to him them so they just float on in his mind. "I ought to see the Man Mulcahey" I like the priest connection. So this person who has lost hope on knowledge and realizes the problems with our mentality regarding knowledge, ought to go see a priest because he can't deal with the reality of our knowledge constantly changing and adapting. He can't deal with the thoughts in his mind which disturb his reality. Instead he needs something firm that he can hold on to ease his mind and live in a safe, known, and tried way; so he should go to religion to get this protected version of life and the universe. or he ought to see the priest because all these ideas lead him away from his religion, and he should go talk to the priest so he can 'teach' him by giving him something that doesn't really convince him that the contradictions are not there, but reinstalls his faith and is comforting because it has 2000 years of being knowledge, even if he can see the problems with it. And all of this gives him zero character (because he never explores his own mind) and makes him a boring, normal person. Or maybe it makes him character zero as in he is the first and most basic type of people and is just a metaphoric "shell", which many people are. They hide in their religion or 'knowledge of the world' and follow the guidelines given to them, never to explore their own thoughts and values for life. |
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| Dave Matthews Band – Dancing Nancies Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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This is a great song! Always picks me up when I listen to it. I think it's about how people look back on their lives and always wonder and regret what they could have been if they're life turned out differently. But what we have to realize is they're is no point to this regret and just accept our lives for what they are and learn to see the beauty in them. In the beginning he is just wondering "could i have been anyone different?" In the next few lines: "He stands touch his hair his shoes untied Tongue gaping stare Could I have been a magnet for money? Could have been anyone other than me?" He is talking about someone who is not in acceptance of the reality of his life and just blankly looks at how it is now (he doesnt notice his shoes, he's just staring) and only thinks about all the other possibilities and not what has actually happened. Then he goes on to say: "Twenty three and so tired of life Such a shame to throw it all away The images grow darker still" Now he tells us this person has entered his full adulthood life (23, fresh out of college) , but he isn't happy with his life. Then Dave comments that its a shame that he only regrets what could have been instead of grabbing his life by the horns (overused analogy but it fits) and making the best of it because this should be a great time in his life when he is 'in his prime'. And so because of this the images of his life (in his mind and reality) grow darker and he puts himself farther away from being happy. Then his perspective changes: "Then I look up at the sky My mouth is open wide lick and taste What's the use in worrying, what's the use in hurrying Turn turn we almost become dizzy" But then he just looks around at the world that he is fully engrossed in and realizes the beauty and that he is lucky to be alive and his life is good at is it now. He just wants to experience this beauty (lick and taste), and doesn't want to worry about what might have been, or rush his life. Then he mentions the up and down cycles of how we think and feel. One day we regret our lives and think back on our choices, and the next we don't think about it and live happily in the present. "I am who I am who I am well who am I Requesting some enlightenment Could I have been anyone other than me" Then he talks about just how lost he is and how he would really like to figure out what his path through life will be, and what he will become. Then he looks back and wonders again. "And then I'll Sing and dance I'll play for you tonight The thrill of it all Dark clouds may hang on me sometimes But I'll work it out" But then he fully submerses himself in the moment and realizes just how great his life is and how much he loves it (in this part I believe Dave is talking directly about himself and how he found his way through this 'looking back mentality' through his music). And he lets us know that even if these things cross his mind and occasionally bother him he always finds a way through it and finds the happiness in his life. Then there is the chorus again (same interpretation but it also connects nicely in that he works through dark times by looking around and seeing the beauty and happiness in the present.) Then he ends it with: "Falling out of a world of lies Could I have been a dancing Nancy a dancing Nancy Could I have been anyone other than me?" He has come out of this mentality and realizes that it is all lies (or think of it like it is all false hopes and pointless thinking) and he could never know what might have been. He tells us that the lies are these questions by asking them again. |
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