The Walkmen – If Only It Were True Lyrics | 4 years ago |
There's something calmly magnificent about this track (and much of this record to be honest). The distant and muddy guitars, Hamilton's heartbroken crooning, the lyrics... It all comes together for me on this song. I think it describes a too good to be true situation where everything seemed perfect for a time but then the main character realizes that it is not what he should do after all. I don't think it only works for a failed or platonic relationship, the song could be about any major life decision. And escapism of course with "baby, dreamin' is all a man can do". It's a painfully honest and beautiful song that I'll keep coming back to for a long-long time. |
Intergalactic Lovers – Someday Lyrics | 5 years ago |
Although it is clearly not the most ambitious song of the band it still has to be my favorite for its stunningly beatiful humanity and optimism in the time of deep-deep depression. After who knows how long, two lovers go their separate ways. It doesn't seem like a nasty breakup, our pop song heroes are intelligent people for a change. However, serious damage has been done, the narrator knows this and even accepts responsibility ("Someday you will forgive me for what I put you through"). Despite all the trendy pop songs of our age (I'm looking at you "Thank U, Next"), this one is not about wiping the slate clean and forgetting everything before moving on to the next guy/girl. This song is an ode to acceptance, to the fact that "those joyful years" will always be a part of you. You can't and you shouldn't erase them. You should cherish and process them because if you do, time might actually heal you enough to let your old lover back in your life someday. Maybe there's a chance you may be able to put it right sometime down the road? Who knows? You loved her/him for a reason - don't forget that. And also, I just love the seemingly random line "Bless the giant's golden heart"! I wish I knew where it came from, but to me it seems like a weird religious exclamation where there's a kind and benevolent giant planning out and guiding every single relationship. I love this image so much! |
Lorde – Writer in the Dark Lyrics | 5 years ago |
To me this song is the end of a long, at times insanely unhealthy but also potentially world changing relationship. One that simply doesn't come along every day, maybe twice or thrice in a lifetime. Anyways, one of them finally figures out the relationship has to end. Lorde is the passive one here since it's the guy that's walking out in the beginning, not her. She's left to deal with it somehow by herself. Then - after the cold facts of the first verse delivered very calmly - the wave of shattering emotions come rushing in. After the factual, almost stoic evaluation of the relationship in the first verse the bridge goes into full cynicism mode and bitter mockery. It's a retaliation reflex that often comes with unimaginable loss. The 'she' Lorde references here might be herself (the writer) or the new, future girl as well, either version works in my opinion. The ridiculous tone change and delivery sells this perfectly. She's mocking the guy but also herself and the entire situation at the same time. "Bet you regret the whole thing now, ha? Bet you wish it never even happened!" And then the chorus comes in, stripping away the cynicism of the bridge (an obvious coping mechanism) and exposing how she truly feels. She's gonna love this guy forever, even if they time together is now over. She only needs the secret power to keep going without him... The hardest and saddest thing of all. The second verse fast forwards a bit, she's now confidently over the relationship but it still hangs over her like a pale ghost, a feeling that comes and goes. She wonders how much she's changed compared to her old self and what the guy would think about it if he saw her. Is that a betrayal? She's finally given up on controlling the whole thing and just lets it all happen. There's a sense of uneasy but hopeful acceptance. She doesn't need the guy anymore to keep going. The bridge and chorus then return - at this point they don't really add much (if they had different lyrics they would!), the structure of a pop song simply demands that they come back at least once more. The sentiment of a lifelong love, however, is strengthened again. Altogether it's a brilliant, tragic breakup song for people with a loooooot of history and baggage together. It is neurotic, romantic, bitter and hopeful at the same time. Has to be my favorite off of Melodrama and the one I can relate to the most. Thanks for this, Lorde, you helped a lot! |
Moby – Jltf Lyrics | 5 years ago |
@[daisy10000:28789] Did he say anything else besides getting the idea at a bar? I'm quite curious about his answer but if he left it at that... That's just kind of rude. |
Radical Face – Letters Home Lyrics | 6 years ago |
This is probably my favorite song from the second record in the Family Tree trilogy. I often think about my granddad when Ben sings 'the doctor said it could go either way' - he was a doctor in WW1 so it was probably a situation he might have had to deal with regularly. It's the most beautiful song I've heard capturing the meaninglessness of war from the individual's point of view and what he's actually thinking of in the hospital. He doesn't want to be a hero - he can't be. He doesn't want to change the world - he can't be. He's just realized that no one is actually 'keeping score' and that human life is of no value here. As part of the war machinery he longs for little things and memories that made him who he is - playing with the dogs, helping his father chop wood... It's all so trivial and beautiful at the same time. And then in classic Ben Cooper style the protagonist makes peace with whatever's coming and embraces death even though he might live - I love how the song leaves the ending open. |
PJ Harvey – Silence Lyrics | 6 years ago |
This is a really special song to me. I remember becoming almost competely obsessed with White Chalk when it came out (ten year ago, Gosh!) as I had never heard anything like it before. It was very dark, very minimalistic but also very sensual and seductive in a morbid way. And of course hauntingly beautiful and personal. 'Silence' has always been my favorite as I was (and to a certain extent I still am) a person who often thinks like the narrator of the song. I like visiting places where something amazing (or terrible) had happened to me - and be sad about it. I also miss people with the paralyzing fear that they don't miss me back and left my life for good. My head is also very often buzzing with a myriad of doubts, fears, ambitions, thoughts and memories... At a certain point I can only do what PJ does in this song: shout 'SILENCE' at the top of my lungs (inside my head or otherwise) to finally find some rest. From myself. A brilliant record and a deeply beautiful song. |
Beach Fossils – Face It Lyrics | 7 years ago |
The more I listen to this song the more amazing I find it. It is hopeful, positive yet a bit melancholic at the same time capturing the essence of true human companionship brilliantly. It has to be one of the best and prettiest songs I've heard about trust and relationships in general. The instrumentation is stunning and the female vocals in the second half add an even deeper layer to the song. I also love the minimalism and the brevity of it - two verses, a playful bridge and two refrains... It is absolutely perfect with a fadeout ending indicating it COULD go on forever. One of my all time favorite songs. |
Junip – Line of Fire Lyrics | 7 years ago |
I'd have to agree with the song being about forgiving yourself for your weaknesses and for obvious mistakes you've made in your life. On the other hand it is also about reliving the best things that happened to you (the opening line has always evoked an extremely positive image in me for some reason, like if your best moment came back to you in an instant). All in all this is an amazingly cathartic song about accepting your weaknesses and trying to become a better person even if it is the most difficult thing in the world. Step back from the line of fire. |
Junip – Line of Fire Lyrics | 7 years ago |
I'd have to agree with the song being about forgiving yourself for your weaknesses and for obvious mistakes you've made in your life. On the other hand it is also about reliving the best things that happened to you (the opening line has always evoked an extremely positive image in me for some reason, like if your best moment came back to you in an instant). All in all this is an amazingly cathartic song about accepting your weaknesses and trying to become a better person even if it is the most difficult thing in the world. Step back from the line of fire. |
Thee Oh Sees – Minotaur Lyrics | 7 years ago |
@[PatMC:16993] It's so good to find comments like this from time to time, ones that give a little personal back story. Congratulations on your novel! I've had my fair share of terrible jobs as well and I can't help but smile every time I hear this song, it's just all too realistic and weirdly funny at the same time. It never fails to cheer me up and take the edge off at least a little bit. Just remember to go to the beach instead once in a while! |
CHVRCHES – We Sink Lyrics | 7 years ago |
It's interesting to see that many of you view the line "I'll be a thorn in your side till you die" as a positive statement. To me it has obvious negative connotations, something like "If we carry on like this, you'll regret your decision to stay with me for the rest of your life". To me this is clearly a breakup song and a brilliant one at that. |
Warpaint – Whiteout Lyrics | 7 years ago |
I feel like the singer has just discovered she has romantic feelings towards a really close and true friend. The guy has really low self-esteem and the singer is trying to comfort him in the beginning which gradually turns into something else, something more, almost a head-on confession by the end. The song has a clear conceptual arc both musically and lyrically and it gets from A to B by the end which I always appreciate. I find the song very intriguing, groovy and ultimately sexy, probably their best since the Exquisite Corpse days. Nice job, Warpaint! |
The Veils – Scarecrow Lyrics | 7 years ago |
Whenever I hear this I conclude that it basically is a lost Tom Waits song sang by Finn Andrews. And a beautiful one at that. I really love slow, somber music like this and Finn makes the feeling of loneliness and sadness seem so thought-provoking and self-reflective. I can never quite figure out whether he refers to himself as a scarecrow or is it an imaginary friend of sorts (or even a real one). Anyway, those who have a hard time fitting in will love this one. I for sure do. |
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Skeletons Lyrics | 9 years ago |
Not many songs can do that to me, but I almost always cry quietly when I hear this. It is just so comforting and beautiful. Personally I always thought that this song is the perfect representation of the duality of the human body and the human soul. I always pictured the soul singing it to its material counterpart, realizing that they are basically one (or at least can't really live without one another). In this respect the line "Skeleton me" to me is so fabulously revelational and deep, and also it uses the most "permanent" element of human material existence - the skeleton - to symbolize the jist of this duality... So this is how I see this marvelous song: a totally lonely and probably quite troubled and lost soul singing a lullaby to itself, to its most basic building blocks, to its most fundamental form, to its very bones. |
Say Hi – Sallie's Heart Is Stone Lyrics | 12 years ago |
I'm surprised that nobody has commented on this one... Although I'm not a die hard Say Hi fan yet (I'm just starting to discover this guy, and his style does take a while to get used to), but this one almost convinced me almost right away. And although many of his other songs don't really make much sense lyrically (perhaps intentionally so), this one paint a perhaps far too familiar and painful picture: you know you mustn't think of this girl (for whatever reason), and you create a strategy on how not to do that on a nightout in the town, when usually everything reminds you of your loss/love/pain/disappointment/girlfriend/friend. But trying as hard as you might, you know all along that "I've got nobody if she says no", and this feeling sound very-very much like this tune. Hauntingly beautiful, deep and upsetting, and although I truly hate that feeling, I think I need that to really get what this song is all about. Cheers for this, and may we all feel this kind of thing when listening to Say Hi, and not while actually doing the thing he depicts so accurately in this song. |
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