This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
What's the winter's cold negative press
What's the spring with its air of rebirth
To those felled under wildest duress
Trading freedom for a false sense of worth
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
Let the costume distinguish the strong
Place riches in lowest esteem
It's for excess that people do wrong
And to liberty honesty's lean
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
Letting one minute go on
Without seeing yourself with an eye
That is watchful and kindly and strong
Is as letting the soul drop and die
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
What's the spring with its air of rebirth
To those felled under wildest duress
Trading freedom for a false sense of worth
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
Let the costume distinguish the strong
Place riches in lowest esteem
It's for excess that people do wrong
And to liberty honesty's lean
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
Letting one minute go on
Without seeing yourself with an eye
That is watchful and kindly and strong
Is as letting the soul drop and die
Let the love of our own sacred rites
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and future unite
And flourish in idea and deed
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
In an interview Will once said how boring the lives of normal Americans are, going to day jobs and doing things of little interest. Knowing that, the line "trading freedom for a false sense of worth" makes more sense.
This is a great song that sums up Oldham's attitude toward music, expression, and art. Idea coupled with action allow friendship and future to flourish.
I don't wanna trump the poetry here, but this is the central idea of the song - that wealth is unimportant (see Lessons from What's Poor), honesty begets liberty, and it's important for your soul's sake to "watch yourself" with great attention and care. The last idea here discussed in greater detail in something like the Lion Lair.