| Pulp – Dishes Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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I agree with all the comments here. The song also resonates with my experience of the tension involved with being in a relationship with someone who really believed in god while you are a complete atheist. You can't offer them the comfort of agreeing with them that when we die we will live on because you just don't believe it and that frightens them because a conception of death as nothing is scary to them. But the only comforts you can give them are earthly. You care about their fear of death but at the same time wish you could make them see it your way. Also, Jarvis treats the subject with humour and pathos whilst maintaining a sensitivity towards religion. Lovely, truly lovely. |
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| Pulp – Pink Glove Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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What is a 'pink glove', anyway? And so what does the fantastic line 'wear your pink glove babe, you've put it on the wrong way!' mean? The line makes the girl look foolish, like she's trying to do something or be something that she probably shouldn't be, and not even quite getting it right. Awesome. |
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| Tracy Chapman – Remember the Tin Man Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Yes, someone who has been traumatized by sexual assault could particulalry relate to this song. But I admire the way Tracy Chapman leaves it so open to anyone; anyone who has ever lost the 'essence' of themselves however it may have been; assault, personal trauma, emotional problems etc. "maybe no one can say". They've locked themselves up needlessly and need to regain trust in the world and themselves 'rebuild the neural pathways' I suppose. Very powerful song about a rare topic. | |
| The Clash – Safe European Home Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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either -they had a bad experience and the song is to be taken at face value - they are poking fun at brits tendency to be insular and 'whine' when they are on holiday in some sunny paradise - they are demonstrating the frustrating divide between blacks and whites or all of the above!! |
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| The Clash – Hateful Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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One of Strummer's big anti-drug expressions. It's a funny song about a serious thing. This year I've lost some friends Some friends? What friends? I dunno, I ain't even noticed Reminds me of people that I've stopped hanging out with because they get carried away with drugs and then think that you're the one being unreasonable. Sung in 1st person, from the perspective of a user; a very confused and naive individual. |
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| The Commodores – Nightshift Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| This song glows with 80's romanticism of motown music gone by. | |
| Nina Simone – Baltimore Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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pretty sure it's 'aint it hard just to live' this is one of the most increible recordings. the lyrics work on two levels, empathising with baltimore the city and expressing her own injury caused by the city's poverty problem. |
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| Frank Zappa – Uncle Remus Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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This is my favourite Zappa song. I love all the lyrics and dont really care what they mean but they just create satisfying mental images that seem to fit with the music. Civil rights movement howevere, is probably an accurate interpretation as far as I can tell. |
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| Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros – Silver And Gold (Before I Grow Too Old) Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| 'Thats a take' - I agree with the last poster. It's heartbreakingly beautiful and so characteristic of Joe (even though it isn't his song). Gives the same sense of closure as Marley's 'Redemption Song' which was the last song on his album which ironically is included as a cover on Streetcore. | |
| Marvin Gaye – What's Happening Brother Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Marvin's brother got back from the war a slightly changed man and this is about the trouble he had fitting back into society after experiencing trauma in the war. It's almost like 'Whats Going On part 2' | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Shallow Be Thy Game Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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A strong answer to the catholic churches tendency towards arrogance and sometimes even fear of other culture/ways of living. Christianity can be very oppressive. Clearly Anthony sees it as a way of controlling the masses, rather than enlightening them. |
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| Neil Young – Rockin' in the Free World Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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The line 'Keep on rockin in the free world' is half sarcastic and half anthemic as you'd expect it to be. It's half about America's external conflict and half about America's internal conflict. I think Higgs more or less correctly explained the reference to external conflict. It strongly questions America's social values. There's people 'shufflin there feet', when i hear this i always think of a lot of busy black shoes on their way to an office job, walking past the homeless man 'People sleepin in their shoes' The second verse raises prostitution and heroin addiction in a heart wrenching scenario. A girl putting her baby in the trash can so she can get another hit. The third verse raises environmental destruction. The song is about being free, but being free responsibly. |
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| Pennywise – It's What You Do With It Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| About making a change in your life by way of looking inside of yourself and figuring out whats wrong, and what you need to do to fix it. | |
| Unwritten Law – Close Your Eyes Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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Yer i always thought it was the army. But i think the song is more about street violence so it being about a skin makes sense. |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Savior Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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Anthony laughed it off when and interviewer asked him if the song was about christ. And seeing as the man wrote 'Shallow Be Thy Game' on the previous album I would sincerely doubt it! ('I will be your heretic') I always thought it was about John too until I read an interview with Anthony in which he says it's about coming to peace with his father. And not blaming his father for any of (anthonys) personal demons. Because it was his father who introduced him to sex, fame and the hollywood party life at an early age. (dare i say drugs too, yes i believe drugs have a slight relevance in this song but i dont want people jumping on me for saying that) Some of the lines must have been written with John in mind, John had just returned to the band after a seven year silent conflict with Anthony. Saving the band from a possible near breakup. |
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| Pearl Jam – Given to Fly Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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JESUS!? i REALLY hate to think so... it could just as easily be about Siddhartha. ANY godly figure. But to me it's about the feeling I get when I'm surfing, the semi-fantasy that nothing else matters but you and the wave out there, not society, religion, war, anything. I think there's a good chance Eddie was romantisizing surfing when he wrote it - even if to just a small degree. |
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| Michael Franti And Spearhead – Do Ya Love Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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Against homophobia and being cool with homosexuality! Pretty straightforward but lovely michael Franti jubbly. The only line I don't understand is "but your friends tryin' to kill a man, and I don't understand" |
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| Pearl Jam – Mankind Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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Like my response to hearing Avril Lavigne on the radio if I was more eloquent :) Great, catchy song about materialism and lack of realism all throughout our society but especially in popular media. I think the relevance of this song grows with each passing season and fad. |
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| Pearl Jam – Insignificance Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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In Adelaide on the 16th of February 2003 Eddie said something to the effect of; "this songs about a small town where we come from, there's a plant that a lot of people are employed by. They make planes and some of the planes are used for the military. It's Boeing, so it was written about what it is to work at Boeing but not to know or care that what you make is going to end up killing people" So I guess that's it, could look pretty insignificant/innocent to sweep up parts at a plane factory but is it right to contribute to a company that contributes towards war? |
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| Unwritten Law – CPK Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| Yer, being a beer drinking, skating, surfing kid with nothing to worry about ROCKS! | |
| Unwritten Law – California Sky Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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I reckon it's about being in a succesful band and how lucky they feel that everything's turned out ok. But it's also a message to kids that may aspire to be just like them that fame isn't everything - it's really about just playing good rock and roll. The lyrics really just blend in well with the music I think :) It's got a similar theme to CPK - I think they miss the old days of being a bunch of skate punks. |
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| Unwritten Law – Elva (It's Alright) Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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I think the song is about going through seperate, personal hard times while being in a relationship with someone you love. He's just saying 'I might be acting down but its not because of you' |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Venice Queen Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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Gloria Scott was a Hollywood drug counsellor who Anthony felt an affinity towards and became great friends with (along with the rest of the peppers). However she grew seriously ill with cancer. The Peppers played a benefit for her with Neil Young, Thelonius Monster and Perry Farrell on March 1st 2001 in LA dubbed 'A Night For Gloria'. She passed away sometime between that gig and the penning of 'Venice Queen'. The song is not about drugs at all, it's a positive, albeit slightly melancholy, way to deal with losing a dear friend. She obviously helped Anthony a lot through some very dark times 'You taught me most of what I know, Where would I be without you Glo?' and was more or less a mentor figure to him. As far as the Venice connection goes I'm not sure, perhaps at her behest her ashes were set free down the canals of Venice 'Paddle on just around the bend, find a place where you can see, all the mamas and the papas'. But thats just an assumption. Anyway, those are some facts but you could adapt this song to help you when your lover breaks up with you... it could mean anything you want it to mean. But that's the story behind the song. And it's the truth... Ruth. |
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