| Bruce Springsteen – Worlds Apart Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Its about the instant condemnation and stereotyping of Muslims being terrorists caused by 9/11. The whole album holds the event as a theme, and I think this song is incredible, not only in sound, but in the way he dared to empathize with a Muslim at a time when there were such strong anti-Islamic sentiments. In particular, I think its about an Asian Muslim in love with a westerner, "May the living let us in, before the dead tear us apart" is begging for them to be accepted as a couple and not let the terrible acts of a few Muslims be used to destroy their love. The "worlds apart" are those of the Asian and the American, each with different customs and ways of life, yet these two find love and unity despite these differences and, in particular, the tension in the time immediately following 9/11. Overall I think its saying to celebrate the love some people can find despite these differences, rather than condemn the minority of extremists who cause such destruction. |
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| Everclear – Amphetamine Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Just to clear things up for those a little in the dark: Amphetamine is the chemical name for what most of us call "speed" (a.k.a phet, amph, wizz, billy, sulph, etc etc). Amphetamine is famous for suppressing the appetite (it can make some people feel physically sick to eat while on amphetamines), thus, most addicts tend to suffer from malnutrition, to the point of serious anorexia in some users. Most of you have probably heard about/read about the glamourisation of cocaine and heroin, well, speed got similar treatment for a while with the "super pale skin," lack of weight and general visual symptoms of speed use being pretty "cool" and "hip" for a while. Not to mention the way speed's historically been the drug of choice for models looking to lose weight (it gives a massive energy boost, suppresses the appetite and activates fat stores quicker than usual). In fact, for a long time, it was the main ingredient in weight loss pills. The song, in my opinion, is basically about someone (Amy) addicted to speed, how screwed up the drug's made her and how its seen as "cool" to be this messed up (and if any of you, or people you know, have had problems with speed you'll know it most definitely is not cool). I never looked at the "I met her at a party and I took her home..." bit as the singer getting hooked on something after initially using at a party, but it seems to add up quite well, I still think the first part is specifically about a different person though. The "wakes me up in the middle of the night" could be referring to the insomnia commonly caused by speed, and the "everything will be alright" line referring to the anti-depressant effects of the drug. Also, I reckon the "Marriage from hell" is her addiction, and the "Yeah, you just take your pill" referring to the way few people take speed addiction as serious as, say, heroin addiction, even though it can be just as (if not more so) destructive. Incidentally, the fast tempo, snappiness and power of the lyrics all make this the perfect song to listen to you when on amphetamines... Odd... Coincidence? I think not... |
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| Pearl Jam – Garden Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| I dunno if this is correct, or if anyone agrees with me... But to me its about death and how we all die, regardless of what happens in our lives. Furthermore, all our loved ones and people we see on the street die, it must be accepted in life and faced, there is no use attempting to become 'immortal.' Plus, most importantly, that all the technology we develop, wealth we gain and exploitation involved is worthless, because we all end up dead ("I only question, our modern needs"). | |
| Paul Simon – The Boy in the Bubble Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| I think its basically asking "In a time of such technology, where we can perform such medical feats as those listed, why is there still war, poverty and famine?" And "Why are we using this technology to make the rich richer and fight our wars?" | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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I think it really does help set the scene for the album... I've always seen the album as a sort of concept album, but rather than one full story its a set of vignettes in the city, with a general theme of escape (every song besides the epic finale features a clear essence of trying to escape the cloutch of the city). While Thunder Road's the dramatic opener, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out sets the scene - here's the city, here's the people telling these stories and this is the kind of place it is. Its a wonderful, jazzy little song which I think helps really bring life to the album, which magically has a totally different tone to the rest of the songs, but still sets the mood beautifully. Also, its worth mentioning that even Springsteen himself admits that to this day he doesn't know just what a "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is, but it just sounded right (yes, I have the DVD from the box set, and yes I do see the set as one of the most important items in my room). |
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| Bruce Springsteen – Jungleland Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| I think its made to be open to interpretation. Its not just about the characters, its about the whole scene - gangs, driving, sex and violence. But there's also a youthful innocence in some of the characters. "Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a dodge, Drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain" always gets me. I love the comparisons of the city to a jungle and the romanticism involved ("They'll meet 'neath that giant Exxon sign that brings this fair city light"). The way it uses metaphors is beautiful, but not unclear in its meaning. Trully an epic, wonderful song. The sax solo seems to tell a story in itself, bridging the events. The beginning sets the players and situations up, then the ending is a conclusion, while the sax solo is what's happening - the rat being chased, the gangs fighting and more. Its as if the city comes alive with that sax solo, then the conclusions leave the song on a sombre note. The youthful romanticism of the opening section is gone, leaving a dark, bitter ending on the harsh realities the characters must face. Fantastic. | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Night Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| I agree with Comrade Liar muchly... It is about escapism, feeling trapped in a world of conformity and a basic job. However, I like the way he makes street racing seem so dramatic and romantic ("The circuit's lined and jammed with chrome invaders") but makes it universal, everyone can relate. He's just giving his experience (check out the much more melancholy "Racing In The Street" on Darkness...), but the idea spreads across to everyone, even those who aren't particularly interested in cars (such as myself). | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Backstreets Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| In my opinion this is one of the finest songs ever put on record. One of the ones I'll drop everything for when it comes up, I just turn the volume up and close my eyes. Even just the piano at the beginning gives this incredible feeling within me... It sorta reminds me of my best friend, Arry. We met last summer and, well, yea it sorta follows the song (assuming it is only about a friendship) what happens. Even how when somebody else became really close to her and it felt like this other person was tearing her away from me... Its a beautiful song. I love this album, it seems every song can be related to, but in particular for me, this one. | |
| Bruce Springsteen – She's the One Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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I'm sure it says "But if she wants to break you She's gonna find out that its easy to" Anyways, it seems to be about a beautiful but cold woman that you feel trapped to, and even though you know she'll probably chew you up and spit you out you can't escape her ("And tonight you'll try just one more time to leave it all behind"), and eventually resign yourself to just letting her use you ("That secret pact you made, Back when her love could save you, From the bitterness"). |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I personally think its about being haunted by your past, in particular I think they are reffering to Slovak, heroin addiction and an old partner. The person is asking when it will stop haunting him and he can be free, and almost comes to the conclusion of suicide, but instead continues in hope of being free. | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Savior Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I think its either about drugs or, more likely, Hillel Slovak, and how his death changed so much. Like, once Hillel died they realised they basically had to clean up and, although they wish he was still alive, they also understand his death helped them get themselves out of the drugs and problems they had. Well, that's my spin on it, probably wrong, but when its such a great song, who cares? | |
| Bruce Springsteen – I Fought the Law (The Crickets cover) Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Dead Kennedys did it too (but changed it around a bit to "I fought the law and I won". I haven't heard Bruce's, but I'm sure it rocks (like everything he does) | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Open All Night Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think this song is an odd one on Nebraska and one of the many stand out classics on the album. Out of context its a good ol' dark folk'n'roll drivinbg song, but in context of the album it seems to have much more to it. To me it gives a feeling of a song on the radio while driving down a long road on a dark night, rather than actually hearingit purely as a song from a CD. It seems displaced slightly. Also noteworthy that it is no doubt connected to State Trooper. There are various reasons for this, for a start both are clearly about driving to some goal, most likely both in night time. Another strong connection is the lyrical content. look at these similar lines: "Your eyes get itchy in the wee wee hours sun's just a red ball risin' over them refinery towers Radio's jammed up with gospel stations lost souls callin' long distance salvation Hey, mister deejay, woncha hear my last prayer hey, ho, rock'n'roll, deliver me from nowhere" (OAN) "In the wee wee hours your mind gets hazy, radio relay towers lead me to my baby Radio's jammed up with talk show stations It's just talk, talk, talk, talk, till you lose your patience Mister state trooper, please don't stop me Hey, somebody out there, listen to my last prayer Hiho silver-o, deliver me from nowhere" (ST) There are some clear similarities as you may see. However, whereas State Trooper is relatively slow and down-beat, Open All Night seems happy and up-beat witha fast pace. I think the idea was that State Trooper is about a depressed man, driving along to a dark end, maybe across the border avoiding the police, maybe to commit suicide, maybe to some other dark means, whereas in Open All Night the main character is moving towards a happy end, namely his girl friend. Springsteen now doubt planned this as the two "opposites" to driving down a road at night, and the possibilities of the world. Or maybe the characters in State Trooper and Open All Night met at some point, maybe just passing eachother by. I would love to see some more comments on this song to see other people's opinions. |
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| Woody Guthrie – This Land Is Your Land Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Indeed, its a communist anthem. I presume its written with "you" being a rich man, possibly making money from the poor, its pointing out how America is not just for the rich and fortunate, but also for the poor and un-lucky. | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A. Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| I'd say its about how Vietnam veterans came back and were refused jobs and spat upon (as has been said by most people here). However, I think the chorus is a bit of "look at what's happened to this country" kinda thing, or a plea saying "look, I was born here, I don't deserve this treatment" or something. | |
| Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I love this song, my favourite Springsteen song (admittedly I've only been listening to him a week and a half so it could change). I think its about escapism and teenage rebellion in general, it may be specific to an event or area, but it can be used in a lot of contexts. The feeling of angst within an area and the urge to break free and live "on the edge" with your loved one, I'm currently going through a phase where this song has a lot of meaning (the girl i like hates her parents and feels the need to escape and such). My favourite lines "In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream/At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines" I think are metaphorical. The first part ("In the day...American dream" I think represents how America was changing and the typical "American dream" was having to give way to a more modernised, grim America, and how the "teens of the time" (which this song seems to be aimed at) are feeling desolate and unwanted by their country's more traditional ideals. The next part "At night...Suicide machines" I think represents the "teen takeover" of America and how the youths of the era don't care about the traditional "mansions of glory" of America, and are living now by a more "live fast die young" ethos, e.g. "suicide machines" representing motorbikes, drugs and the like. All in all, I think its a classic song and I love it more than any of his other stuff (although Born In The USA, State Trooper, Mansion On The Hill, Atlantic City and Badlands all come close). |
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| Bruce Springsteen – State Trooper Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Personally this is one of my favourite songs on Nebraska, along with Atlantic City and Mansion On The Hill. I dunno why no one seems to post much on some of Springsteen's best songs...Anyways, I agree with mirrorsreflection, but to expand on it slightly I think its reffering to the murderer the whole album's about (Charlie Starkweather) as he's driving between states, probably on the "wanted list" and not wanting to be stopped because it could mean he gets caught, or as mirrorsreflection said, he doesn't want to have to kill the trooper. | |
| The Vaselines – Bitch Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| About a general nasty girl....enough of those in my school. | |
| The Vaselines – Son Of A Gun Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Aboout childhood love (which I'm curently experiencing to a much more morbid degree) and how the person who "fancies" the other person loves being with them and can't stand being away from them. | |
| The Vaselines – You Think Your A Man Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| this song rules. Its clearly justa bout some dude who can't please a lady in her happy area whereas another guy can. NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY! | |
| The Vaselines – Sex Sux (Amen) Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Such a piss take of the old christian idea of "no-sex". | |
| The Vaselines – Mollys Lips Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Apparently its about one of those people who always say "do this for me and I'll pay you back" butthey never do, and instead just keep saying it and getting the "victim" to do more stuff. | |
| Bob Dylan – Mr. Tambourine Man Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| It may not be about drugs per se, but it does have a lot of escapism themes like the singer wants to escape the world for a while into his own fantasies with no-one else around except the tambourine man. The tambourine man could be a LSD hallucination or just reffering to a musician who he likes because, while he can't play too well, still puts the emotion in to make a good song which bob enjoys simply because of how much effort was put into it. | |
| Pixies – Oh My Golly! Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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translation: Inside the pinions and the waves Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! Walked under the caribean moon Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! Kissing and "chichando" with the Surfa Rosa Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! Guest of her way Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! Rosa oh oh ooh Rosa! Rosa oh oh ooh Rosa! I'm a beach boy but there's no beach Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! You are welcome by surfa rosa Oh My Golly! Oh My Golly! That's at least the tarnslation up to " La Vida Total..." I had a friend translate it so it won't be too accurate...but yea |
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| The Breeders – Doe Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Yup. Guess whatthe salty stuff is? | |
| The Breeders – Lime House Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Well, it may sound stupid, but Kim might have been talking about Kelley's heroin addiction. Black Tar is a type of heroin and falling over and not getting up is like an OD. | |
| The Breeders – Metal Man Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Either the murder of a family "I was her parent, my three in a tree", being run over "but it was a '65 pick up, i was lying on the ground" or just plain death in general. | |
| The Breeders – Iris Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| First time I heard it I thought it meant Kim was killing Iris "All our last night" but now I think it is just about two total stoners, both keeping themselves awake on bong or maybe even some crank or LSD. | |
| The Breeders – Cannonball Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Sucking the snot out of people's noses does rule... | |
| Pixies – Cactus Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| I know I'm probably wrong, but it could be a guy in jail who left his girlfriend (like you would have to) while he was in jail, she then runs off and he's not sure if SHE'S writing to him, if she went off with someone else or she could even be dead. | |
| Pixies – Oh My Golly! Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Erm...This song is great! How can you not tell what it means after 18 years?...Somebody who speaks Spanish...anybody...help please? | |
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