| Steely Dan – Dirty Work Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I think that's a little silly, even though - as I understand it - Steely Dan is indeed a reference to the dildo in Naked Lunch. You could take most any song with a reference to a woman's lover in it and say "it could be a dildo". | |
| Steely Dan – Dirty Work Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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Like the castle in its corner In a medieval game I foresee terrible trouble And I stay here just the same I like this part too, not sure exactly why. I rediscovered this song after seeing American Hustle. I wonder how many times I've looked up to see who does it, only to say "Oh yeah, Steely Dan, I knew I knew that!" lol I believe in chess the rook (or castle) is considered one of the more powerful pieces, so it's like he's saying "even though I have the power to change things, I just don't". |
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| Boz Scaggs – Lido Shuffle Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Ok, here's what I think it is saying. Like jpc said above, Lido is the classic sketchy guy. -- Lido missed the boat that day he left the shack -- But that was all he missed and he ain't comin' back One day he woke up and decided he wasn't going to work anymore, he was going to abandon his responsibilities and hit the road. -- A tombstone bar in a jukejoint car, he made a stop -- Just long enough to grab a handle off the top First stop, he robs a bar, the sort of bar that gets robbed frequently and is known as a place where violence often occurs, and bartenders have a habit of winding up dead if they work there. A "tombstone" bar (my interpretation). -- Next stop Chi town, Lido put the money down and let it roll He gambles with the money hoping to win big and finance at least the beginning of his new life. -- He said one more job ought to get it -- One last shot 'fore we quit it -- One more for the road Lido figures one more "job" (robbery) to set himself up then he'll have what he needs. We can surmise that Lido is probably the kind of person who has said "one more job . ." many times. -- Refrain: -- Lido, whoa-oh-oh-oh -- He's for the money, he's for the show Lido just wants money to spend and have fun, and no responsibilities. -- Lido's waitin' for the go He's waiting for his big break, which always seems to be right around the corner. -- Lido be runnin', havin' great big fun, until he got the note -- Sayin' toe the line or blow, and that was all she wrote His girl tells him she's tired of his irresponsible ways and if he doesn't change now she's done with him. He doesn't care. -- He be makin' like a beeline, headin' for the borderline -- Goin' for broke Probably won some money and is trying to get to Mexico expeditiously where he can live cheap and "retire". -- Sayin' one more hit ought to do it -- This joint ain't nothin to it -- One more for the road But, like before, he always seems to be one "job" away from having all he thinks he needs. |
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| Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven Lyrics | 21 years ago |
| I'm all in favor of everyone having their own interpretation, but this business about playing songs backwards is just plain silly. | |
| Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven Lyrics | 21 years ago |
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I think you dudes who think it is all about drugs are on generally the right track, but are being too specific. Same with the LOTR people. What the lyrics in this song have in common with LOTR and fairy tales, folklore, etc is general Celtic, pagan concepts and symbolism that those of us of anglo saxon descent are all familiar with - even though we may not know we are or think of it as such. As far as whether the writer of this was high when he wrote it or chose the words because they "fit" and "worked" with the music doesn't really matter to me. It is all the work of someone's mind, and has some sort of meaning, even if not a rational meaning or a meaning that was intended. The words were chosen just because they fit the tune? They do fit nicely as it is a good song that is obviously enjoyed by many people, but were these the ONLY words that could possibly fit to make a good song? No, the writer could have chosen any number of other words and phrases, but due to some underlying reason he may not have intended or realize himself he chose these words. This is what makes the meaning of the song worth discussing, so here's my two cents worth on the meaning of the lyrics in Stairway to Heaven. --There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold --And she's buying a stairway to heaven. --When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed --With a word she can get what she came for. --Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven. The Lady is an allegorical figure, but what exactly does she represent? I don't think she represents avarice, or materialism, not exactly. She represents our desire to pursue tantalizing but foolish pursuits. A person who thinks "all that glitters is gold" is a foolish person who would value anything glittery as much as they would value gold, but a wise person knows that everything glittery DOES NOT have the value of gold. The stairway to heaven is the ultimate glittery prize in her mind, but the idea of purchasing one is the ultimate foolish endeavor, since no such thing could possibly exist, no matter how nice it would be if one did and it could be purchased. This is where I also see a relation to drug use, since the high of using drugs is glittery, but ultimately has no real value or meaning. --There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure --'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. --In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings, --Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. This is saying that the Lady is not completely irrational or unobservant, she is aware of "signs" or indications that what she is doing will not pan out or what she is seeking will not materialize as expected, but continues with her foolishness anyway "cuz she wants to be SURE". --Ooh, it makes me wonder, --Ooh, it makes me wonder. This is saying that knowledge of her experience makes me wonder if I or others I know may be making the same mistake. --There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, --And my spirit is crying for leaving. --In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, --And the voices of those who standing looking. The sun sets in the west, thus "looking to the west" refers to contemplating later life, or comtemplating the end of life. "When my spirit is crying for leaving" seems to indicate that he is contemplating the end of life. The smoke in the trees and the people's voices are "the feeling" he gets and are similar to the sign on the wall and the songbird's singing, they are indications that something is wrong that perhaps shouldn't be ignored. The writer is comparing the folly of the Lady with his own folly. Then again, "my spirit is crying for leaving" taken more literally would mean that "my spirit has ALREADY left me and regrets having done so since there is still more of life to live." Another way of putting it could be "I have lost my spirit for, or lust for, life before my life has actually ended and I'm concerned about this." Wrapping it together more, perhaps it is saying "through my past pursuit of folly and the disappoints that surely follow I have grown tired of life before my life has ended." --And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune --Then the piper will lead us to reason. --And a new day will dawn for those who stand long --And the forests will echo with laughter. This is realizaion that there is hope, that we needn't despair when we find ourselves in this predicament, because happiness, a happy spirit, a lust for life, can be regained in spite of life's disappointments if we avail ourselves or our own power to understand what is really important and what is not. The "we" and the plural references just mean that this is a trait we all share, not a unique or special power. --If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, --It's just a spring clean for the May queen. --Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run --There's still time to change the road you're on. This is the writer reminding himself that problems of this sort can be overcome and a person can be reborn in a sense. The spirit of life and happiness can merge with the body once again. One path is the path of despair, folly, disappointment (the path of the Lady), and the other path is the path of hope, rebirth, and renewed happiness (the path of the piper). --Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know, --The piper's calling you to join him, --Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know --Your stairway lies on the whispering wind. The writer has chosen the path of hope, rebirth, and happiness, and is rejected the path of folly, despair, and disappointment represented by the Lady. Asking the Lady if she hears the wind blowing is like asking "don't you see the error of your ways?" Telling her that her stairway lies on the whispering wind is telling her she has chosen the wrong path. --And as we wind on down the road --Our shadows taller than our soul. --There walks a lady we all know --Who shines white light and wants to show --How everything still turns to gold. --And if you listen very hard --The tune will come to you at last. --When all are one and one is all --To be a rock and not to roll. This is saying that even though the current challenge has been overcome, it will not be the last time the right path must be chosen. We will continually be tempted by tantalizing but foolish desires by the Lady that will lead to disappiontment and despair, but we will ultimately overcome these challenges, and can be inspired by the possibility that at some point we will be as unmoved by the Lady as a rock that doesn't roll. --And she's buying a stairway to heaven. . . . but that doesn't mean she won't stop trying to lead us down the garden path, or rather, the Stairway to Heaven. The End. ;-) |
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