| Sleeping At Last – 101010 Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| According to the novel Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. I bet this is a funny little allusion on Ryan O'Neal's part. | |
| Andrew Bird – Oh No Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I love the beautiful assonance throughout this song. "Oh arm and arm we are the harmless sociopaths" and "calcium mine" sound so good. Before reading the lyrics I couldn't quite pick out the exact words, but they all bled into each other and flowed together so wonderfully. It's similar to how we think foreign languages sound beautiful because we're focusing primarily on the phonetics, rather than the literal meaning. Andrew Bird may be the most excellent lyricist I have ever known, and if anyone knows of any better, do tell because I'd like to know their work as well. |
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| Radiohead – Idioteque Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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This one speaks to me about the "idiotic" trivialities of human nature. And I definitely agree that a major theme is of nuclear war/global warming/world issues. "I'll laugh until my head comes off I'll swallow until I burst" I think this particular quote is about our tendency to joke about serious topics, to "make light of the situation". I specifically think of world hunger and am reminded of this horrible joke about starving Ethiopians. It's basically saying to me, "I'll joke until I'm the one dying. I'll consume wastefully until I die, knowing full well that it will be my downfall." Only an idiot would do such a thing, and we're all guilty of it. "Here I'm allowed Everything all of the time" People choose to ignore these world issues so they can continue living their carefree lives. Here, in their happy place, their allowed to continue doing everything they normally do. In the case of global warming, people continue driving their Hummers; they don't want to think what they're doing is wrong. "Take the money and run" Someone said in an earlier post that this is a reference to oil companies scamming people. I definitely agree with that. We have the technology to become less-dependent on gasoline, look up hydrogen fuel on Wikipedia. However, money is the primary focus of our society, and the bigwigs make more money doing what they're doing. This one can also relate to what we all do with our money. We spend it compulsively in trivial and selfish ways. We could donate it to charity or do something noble with it, but we wouldn't give that a second thought. Take the money, do what you will with it, and run. I'd also like to say, as a musician, I love the countermelodies in this song and how the line "Women and children first" transforms into "The first of the children" by the end of the song. |
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| Iron & Wine – Fever Dream Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I agree with becloves idea about faith in the chorus. It's also significant that both the man and woman sing the chorus. "I want your flowers like babies want God's love Or maybe as sure as tomorrow will come" The last line of the chorus has an ambiguous/double meaning. The speaker wants his loved one to be faithful to him and have faith in the lasting of their relationship, just as she would have faith in there being a tomorrow. And by reading it as "I want your flowers maybe as sure as tomorrow will come," represents their current feelings toward each other. The speaker's lover is hesitant about loving him, and he himself is beginning to doubt if their relationship will last until tomorrow. The chorus also alludes to a wedding vow. The groom gives his bride flowers, and they promise to love each other unconditionally, as God loves, until their last tomorrow comes. And we all know that from marriage comes babies. I think it's also important to take note of the song "Passing Afternoon", which comes not long after this one and is in the same key with a similar tempo. It seems like an afterthought of this song, dealing again with the themes of endless numbered days, children, and a lost loved. Noteworthy excerpts would be "Though she's lost her wedding ring," "And she's chosen to believe," and "A baby sleeps in all our bones, so scared to be alone." |
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