In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I had entered into a marriage
In the summer of my twenty-first year
And the bells rang for our wedding
Only now do I remember it clear
Alright, alright, alright
No more a rake and no more a bachelor
I was wedded and it whetted my thirst
Until her womb start spilling out babies
Only then did I reckon my curse
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
First came Isaiah with his crinkled little fingers
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery
Mercifully taking her mother along
Alright, alright, alright
What can one do when one is widower
Shamefully saddled with three little pests
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
So my burden I began to divest
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
Charlotte I buried after feeding her foxglove
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bath
Isaiah fought but was easily bested
Burned his body for incurring my wrath
Alright, alright, alright
And that's how I came your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
Expect you think that I should be haunted
But it never really bothers me
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
In the summer of my twenty-first year
And the bells rang for our wedding
Only now do I remember it clear
Alright, alright, alright
No more a rake and no more a bachelor
I was wedded and it whetted my thirst
Until her womb start spilling out babies
Only then did I reckon my curse
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
First came Isaiah with his crinkled little fingers
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery
Mercifully taking her mother along
Alright, alright, alright
What can one do when one is widower
Shamefully saddled with three little pests
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
So my burden I began to divest
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
Charlotte I buried after feeding her foxglove
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bath
Isaiah fought but was easily bested
Burned his body for incurring my wrath
Alright, alright, alright
And that's how I came your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
Expect you think that I should be haunted
But it never really bothers me
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
No Surprises
Radiohead
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
[Light's flicker, intermission over]
On with the literal/shameful interpretations. I love this song. For shits and giggles I will take my most generous liberties in this interpretation.
[New character is introduced, a guy known only as the Rake]
I got hitched At 21 There were some wedding bells I can actually remember it now (lot of booze that day, sorta hazy) Alright, alright, alright
No longer a completely unhinged crazy bachelor dude I was married and really wanted to have sex... like, a lot Until she starts pumping out kids (wizard's sleeve) Then I finally realized what an idiot I was for getting married at 21 Alright, alright, alright Alright, alright, alright
First came Eziah with his crinkled little fingers Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn Ugly Myfanwy died while being popped out And, thankfully, did me the service of also killing his mother at the same time. (two birds, one stone) Alright! alright! alright!
What can you do when you don't have a wife anymore and are stuck with three friggin' kids All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life So I began to offing the brats Alright, now we are talking
Charlotte I buried after feeding her a poisonous flower Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bathtub Eziah fought but still had weakly small child-muscles Burned his body for pissing me off Alright, alright, alright
And that's how I came your humble narrator To be living so easy and free You might think this would scar me But that doesn't really happen when you are a sociopath like me Alright!
[now with that pleasant back-story out of the way, let's get back to this main shindig with Margaret. I hear she hasn't been raped by any insane men/creatures in awhile...]
[Also, from previous personal song comment - I deduced based on cultural and natural clues that the country of setting was most likely Scandinavian. Now, with this song and the Welsh name Myfanwy, the exact country becomes a bit more puzzling. The idea of castles, the Welsh name and the feel of the album for me personally, point pretty specifically to England or Wales (United Kingdom area), but according to maps of tagia climate zones, they are not really present lower than Scandinavia. At the very least, I can, with conviction, cross off any tagia location in North America or Asia.]
You have like a PHD in research. holy crikes. But the translation was jolly good, enjoyed it. Check out thecurrent.org live streaming member supported commercial free radio. The Decemberists and tons of other good music. Don't believe me, go check out the playlist. thecurrent.org THE BEST RADIO STATION IN THE NATION.
wait... what? Your translation makes no sense in its change of tone... and... Scandinavia? Just... what?