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.
All this stuff I whisper, I guess you've heard it all before
Pour me a whiskey and soda though and I'll whisper some more
There's an accordion player squeezing polkas in a bar up the street
But I'm staying here, gonna whisper my stuff in time with your heartbeat
And watch the last few stars dissolve as dawn breaks so suddenly
Like those stars, dissolve for me
You told me Rudolph Valentino ain't got nothing on me
You know how much I like it when you lie to me
Tomorrow we'll dream of places we'll never see, watching the vapor trails
Here where the days pile up like so many coffin nails
It's like the past is some paradise we somehow left behind
You don't even have to love me, I don't mind
I dreamed I was famous, my face was on TV, people shook my hand in clubs and bars
Oh wouldn't you like to be me?
Wouldn't you like to be me?
Wouldn't you like to be me?
Pour me a whiskey and soda though and I'll whisper some more
There's an accordion player squeezing polkas in a bar up the street
But I'm staying here, gonna whisper my stuff in time with your heartbeat
And watch the last few stars dissolve as dawn breaks so suddenly
Like those stars, dissolve for me
You told me Rudolph Valentino ain't got nothing on me
You know how much I like it when you lie to me
Tomorrow we'll dream of places we'll never see, watching the vapor trails
Here where the days pile up like so many coffin nails
It's like the past is some paradise we somehow left behind
You don't even have to love me, I don't mind
I dreamed I was famous, my face was on TV, people shook my hand in clubs and bars
Oh wouldn't you like to be me?
Wouldn't you like to be me?
Wouldn't you like to be me?
Lyrics submitted by BleedorBreathe
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Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.