| Bloc Party – The Prayer Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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This song is quite a dark one I think, though this may be partly because I've seen the video, which is quite a negative one, but also the song has quite a 'murky' sound due to the backing vocals and the long flat notes in the melody. The title is ironic. On the surface, it's just some guy who wants to be at the centre of attention for once. Many of us have such a desire. But there's a very ominous tone to the way it's expressed. The protagonist has grown resentful and bitter, and wants power and success at the expense of others. For him it's not just about having fun at a party, it's become much more serious than that, and he may do bad things in order to get there. He can see this himself, hence the defence of his actions: 'is it so wrong?' But he has no real concern for others, just for his own glory. And he's not humbly pleading for assistance, he's demanding it, in a way that reminds me more of a pact with the devil than a pious prayer to God. |
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| Kasabian – Reason Is Treason Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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This could be about the war on terror and the war in Iraq: "See the stones coming at my window" Terrorism. Not that major a threat to the average Briton, but very conspicuous. "Ever since then I've not been conscious to all the chains of dirt passed onto me" ...which makes people not pay attention to what their own government is doing. "Rubicon it's almost over Rubicon has come so close to me Turn back or we'll start the fire" If we go to war in Iraq it'll stir up more conflict, and it's irreversible. "See they left me no protection Tell his family that he won't be ok K! I! L-L!" The government's policies aren't offering any protection against terrorism. The last two lines might refer to someone going off to fight (and maybe die) in Iraq. |
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| Rammstein – Amerika Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| I don't think this song is straightforward America-bashing. It's more a parody of those (both American and non-American) who blithely proclaim the American way in culture and politics as the natural way of things, and a warning not to be so uncritical. It's not necessarily saying 'down with the Great Satan', just that America isn't all it's cracked up to be, hence the fake moon landing in the video. The 'we' in the chorus are not Americans, but everyone in the world - the chorus is ironic of course, as is the whole song in a way. | |
| Cake – Comfort Eagle Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| This song is about the corruption of various aspects of society by shallow consumerism and brainwashing. Music is obviously there, but business, history, politics, religion... it's all there. One of Cake's most menacing songs, I feel - the Man is both 'he' and 'we', and you can't do anything to stop his big project to impose his brand on the world. Brilliant. | |
| Cake – Friend Is A Four Letter Word Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| The object of the song thinks she's friends with the subject. The subject thinks there is (or should be) more to the relationship, and sees friendship as the end of any romantic relationship, or any relationship for that matter. I'm not so keen on this song, musically or lyrically - Cake are usually more witty and less direct. | |
| Cake – The Distance Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| The song is about obsession and single-mindedness, that much is clear, and this has some connection to a failed relationship. But there are lots of ways that could come about, from office work to motorbike racing. I think it's simpler to see this as a general expression of the masculine urge to 'go the distance' in whatever context, and how it tends to alienate women (and in fact everyone, including the other 'drivers'). | |
| Lemon Demon – Word Disassociation Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Unlike most songs, it looks like Cicierega really has picked words at random, subject to scansion and rhyme. But who knows, maybe his subconscious is trying to tell us something. | |
| Weird Al Yankovic – Alternative Polka Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Genius. | |
| Weird Al Yankovic – Pretty Fly For A Rabbi Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Sounds funny... could anyone give a translation for all the Yiddish words? | |
| Eels – That's Not Really Funny Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| attractivecousin is of course right, the singer's partner is making fun of him, and of course it's 'not really funny' if you're being made fun of. But this isn't a song about the poor singer being pciked on: he takes his revenge by talking to/about his partner in a patronising and belittling manner, reducing him to the same level. So overall it's a song about pettiness and lack of respect for each other - and that's not really funny. | |
| System of a Down – Question! Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Hmm. I don't think the line 'Where do, where do we go, when we DIE?' is actually in the song, but it's certainly implied. I'm amazed by the number of people who think the meaning of this song is 'Answer!' This song to me is clearly about someone who is faced with questions about death and afterlife. Maybe there's some kind of out-of-body experience going on at the time. Is he already dead? If not, will he know when he's dead? What happens next? System don't give any real answers in this song - the 'sweet berries' and 'ghosts are no different from you' sound to me like either guesses or the vague promises of religion. Answer for yourself, rather than telling everyone else what to believe. As for what System think the answer is, maybe they don't know either. Even if they do, there's no reason to suppose they either fully accept or reject the Christian message. @viceking: last time I checked, System were an American band of ARMENIAN origin. Armenians are not Arabs, and almost all Armenians are Christian. Having said that, I agree with you that the members of System are spiritual and probably have faith in something (listen to eg Science), but not necessarily Christianity. |
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| System of a Down – Violent Pornography Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| I don't think System are necessarily 'against Christianity', but they might have a unusual take on it - I doubt they're practising members of the Armenian Church, anyway. In any case I don't think this song is about religion (except possibly televangelism), but rather about the degenerate nature of popular entertainment, as most people have said. I didn't like this song at first, but having listened more carefully I think it gets its message across rather eloquently. The 'everybody everbody' bit is the same each time, just with the lines rearranged a bit - that parodies the variety purportedly on offer, when really it's just the same rubbish over and over with a few trivial and pointless 'twists'. The 'betcha didn't know' bit parodies the way TV shows and adverts bombard you with masses of useless trivia, too quickly for you to actually think about it. Then the sung parts are the voice of System, telling us what they think directly. | |
| Nine Inch Nails – Getting Smaller Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| The drums and the guitar riff remind me of the Hives as well, but unlike a Hives song, this one develops from there. It does sound political, but the lyrics have some depth to them, and do leave room for interpretation (unlike the infamous HTF). It's catchy, anyway. | |
| Nine Inch Nails – The Hand That Feeds Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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The meaning of this song is fairly obvious. A bit unsubtle, you might say, but perhaps that's better than some assemblage of words that could mean anything to anyone. As for the quality of it, it's not too bad IMO but I can see why a lot of NIN fans would hate it. Same goes for much of the album, really - its sound is more mainstream and less industrial than some of Reznor's previous offerings, and the lyrics have a simpler message. But that doesn't necessarily make it bad. It's only 'selling out' if you do it against your artistic inclinations: I think Reznor is just mellowing as he gets older. |
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| Kasabian – Reason Is Treason Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| Is there another version of this song? I just heard one which doesn't have the first verse and has a couple of lines missing from the second verse, but has an interlude towards the end, with the words 'I hear the sirens all around'. I much prefer the version that has both verses, though - the one I heard recently sounded rather dull and repetitive. | |
| Radiohead – 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm) Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| The first part of the song isn't really addressed to the politicians, but to the listener, who's just an ordinary member of the public. 'It's the devil's way now', ie the nasty Orwellian people are running the country because 'you have not been paying attention' ie you've been too lazy and apathetic to notice what's been happening and stop it. In fact the last part could be as well: the voters etc will say it's not their fault, but it is! | |
| Radiohead – Karma Police Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| When I heard this song I thought it was ironic: Thom is criticising people who are overly judgemental by parodying them. It's something about the way he sings it, and the 'we have crashed her party' line suggests hypocrisy to me. Mind you I think this is a fairly light-hearted song, as people have said it's based on 'watch out or the Karma Police will get you'. | |
| Radiohead – Where I End and You Begin. (The Sky Is Falling In.) Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| Definitely of my fave Radiohead songs. I actually think it's fairly upbeat by Radiohead standards, because the singer has gained a new resolve to break off a relationship that isn't working, rediscover God or his former self, or whatever he needs to do. | |
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