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Queen – You're My Best Friend Lyrics 18 years ago
I always listened to this song thinking it was about Mary Austin, who someone mentioned earlier.

Quoted from Wikipedia: Although he had a very close girlfriend named Mary Austin for many years, Freddie Mercury had always been fairly open about his bisexuality. Beginning in the mid 1970s, Mercury began a series of affairs with men, which ultimately resulted in the end of his relationship with Austin. However, the two remained close friends through the years, and Mercury often referred to Austin as his only true friend.[6] In a 1985 interview, Mercury said of Austin, "All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary (Austin), but it's simply impossible. The only friend I've got is Mary, and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that's enough for me. I couldn't fall in love with a man the same way as I have with Mary."

P.S. Whoever said this song is trite and unoriginal is a fool. I've never heard a (better) song about having a best friend. The lyrics are direct and simple. That's how they're supposed to be. Sometimes less is more.

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Bright Eyes – Bowl of Oranges Lyrics 19 years ago
i haven't read every interpretation, but to the people that say stuff like "the song is happy but the lyrics aren't" - i think you're absolutely wrong. the lyrics are probably the most optimistic i've read in quite some time.

the "loves uneven reminders, our lives are fractions of a whole" and "problem we'll never solve" bit is him saying that sometimes things don't work out perfectly. but his earlier mention of him helping a doctor, that ties into what he said about seeing ourselves as if a painting in the wall. shit will always happen, but good things will always happen as well. we just have a tendency to see the shit that life dishes out. but life is actually pretty fucking great. and that ties into what he was saying in the first stanza. that whole bit was a metaphor for depression (which i've been diagnosed with). i also have bipolar, and when i went manic at college, the first stanza of this song correllated exactly to how i was thinking feeling.

TO SUM IT UP: OUR PERSPECTIVE CAN BE MISLEADING. LIFE IS BETTER THAN WE THINK. VERY OPTIMISTIC SONG.

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Minus the Bear – Lemurs, Man, Lemurs Lyrics 19 years ago
who's to say that mtb's song names don't have obscure relevance to the song?

i think this song is just trying to capture a moment of brief/instant infatuation.

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Atmosphere – Trying To Find A Balance Lyrics 19 years ago
This song is probably about the lack of respect Slug received for his artistry when he first started on the Minneapolis hip-hop scene, and trying to find a state of mind where he felt most comfortable with the audience, and in turn, where the audience felt most comfortable with him. Amazing aggressive delivery. I'm pretty rap illiterate, but Slug is one of my favorite MC's for his personality and talent.

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Modest Mouse – The View Lyrics 19 years ago
I haven't read every meaning, so I may be repeating someone else. But this song is actually very philosophical. Isaac Brock is essentially saying that good cannot exist without bad. That's because of a balance of opposites within the universe. Essentially, someone's fortune is another's misfortune, and vice versa. Yin-yang, to put it simply and easily. "For every invention made how much time did we save?
We're not much farther than we were in the cave." To me, that's saying there are basic human principles that unite man. "For every good deed done there is a crime committed.
We are fixed.
For every step ahead we could have just been seated.
We are fixed." - Balances, like I was talking about before. And the bit about the land and the view - the land is what happens to you; the view is how you choose to deal with it.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Death of an Interior Decorator Lyrics 19 years ago
I've never seen 'Interiors,' (though I really want to). But I always thought that it was about a woman, a mother and a wife, who deep down senses that she had been missing something all her life. Ben Gibbard tells it so beautifully, though, in such a bittersweet way.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Brand New Love (Sebadoh cover) Lyrics 19 years ago
Yeah, this is a Sebadoh song, originally. The original sounds much different. Death Cab's interpretation is pretty wonderful, though. Anyway, without really sitting and analyzing the lyrics, I've always thought this song was about a person who wants to love the person they are singing about, but the person they are singing about is so innocent and naive and vulnerable when it comes to love. And that person can't understand why they always hurt. Something like that.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Prove My Hypotheses Lyrics 19 years ago
by ericleipzig on 02-11-2006 @ 05:25:18 AM
oh my god, like deathcab is so fucking bad.
its like getting fucked in the ears by a big black cock.
jordankan@aol.com



We don't care that you're deliberately trying to piss everyone off. Nice try, douche. In the meantime, do you have any interpretations of this song?

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Sufjan Stevens – Chicago Lyrics 20 years ago
by bobbob1313 on 01-31-2006 @ 08:42:49 PM
"You were high when you thought of that? SHOCKING!"

You should think of something half-intelligent to say before you try to speak. I haven't seen your interpretation anywhere on this, genius. You're the kind of person that shouldn't be allowed to use songmeanings. Stop saying stupid shit that doesn't remotely pertain to the song, chowderhead.

Sufjan has a strong stance on abortion, so it makes sense for him to sing about abortion.

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Sufjan Stevens – Chicago Lyrics 20 years ago
"by kaligula on 08-30-2005 @ 10:04:20 PM
every artistic work has a superior meaning amongst its multiple meanings. Whats the point of interpreting an artists work in shallow incorrect way just to make it resonate with ur own experiences. Wouldnt u rather fully understand in depth what the artist is trying to say, and from that, learn something etc
thats gotta be more important than talkin about pronunciation.
I gotta analyse this song as part of a group assignment. I wanted to know what he means when he's says that they sold their clothes to the state, I'm from Sydney, Australia so I dont know what he means ."

When I read that, I actually read: "I'M A SELF-PROCLAIMED INTELLECTUAL!" Stop trying to trick people into thinking you're smart. I don't give a shit about your two cents if it's not about the song.

When I listened to this when I was high, I believed it was about abortion. (Which isn't likely, but almost makes sense if you ignore common sense). He drove to Chicago and made love to a woman (or women) there, and they were impregnated, a one night stand (They sold their clothes to the state). But since he was only there temporarily, the woman had an abortion. The chorus is the aborted child(ren) singing to the woman who is having an abortion. You came to take us, to bring our souls into the phosphorescent light of a hospital room that we call earth. To recreate us, since we are aborted our souls take up residence somewhere else (all things grow, a million opportunities to become something else). We had our mind set, we're kind of pissed that our souls are being directed somewhere else at this point. Sufjan made a lot of mistakes in allowing these things to happen. Like I said, it makes sense if you ignore common sense.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Steadier Footing Lyrics 21 years ago
I think this song is just about capturing a small moment and enjoying it while it lasts. When Ben sings "but like this, it just will not last," I don't think he's talking about getting with the girl. I think he means that the perfectness of the moment won't last. I love how he says "You gave me a heart attack," instead of something like "you really frightened me." The way he words it is just so classic and elegant.

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The Gloria Record – Ambulance Lyrics 21 years ago
I don't toss around the word "emo" too much; for some reason people make a huge deal out of it. People love it, people hate it, people hate people who love it, etc. The Gloria Record and the Anniversary are two (emo) bands that I am a shameless fan of. This is a great song. Probably the singer regretting parts of his history. Feels unable to cope with existing situation.

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The Delgados – The Past That Suits You Best Lyrics 21 years ago
about trying to overcome drug addiction. stop listening to thrice and start listening to the delgados.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Champagne from a Paper Cup Lyrics 21 years ago
yeah, i just read nopoetic's post. champagne from a paper cup is an excellent analogy for trying to get that temporary satisfaction out of other women that you know are meaningless. wow, this is a huge revelation for me. kudos to nopoetic. i don't know why i didn't realize that before.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Champagne from a Paper Cup Lyrics 21 years ago
i think ben's at some sort of party. (most likely the reception of a wedding, judging by the clues we're given.) he's thinking about some other girl (maybe the bride) and it's depressing him, or it's something he doesn't really want to think about, so he's getting drunk. at this point he's a mess. he talks to other girls that he isn't remotely interested in. he thinks they can provide a temporary satisfaction but he knows it's only temporary. "a sad, sorry state, stuttered step to those slammin' grooves, as i'm waiting around for you." i just can't get over how great that line is.

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Death Cab for Cutie – A Lack of Color Lyrics 21 years ago
"i'm reaching for the phone
to call at 7:03
and on your machine i slur a plea for you to come home
but i know it's too late
and i should have given you a reason to stay"

those lines always get me. "i should have given you a reason to stay" really, really gets me. it's interesting how the albums ends with him singing those lines. it has a double meaning for me. the predominant meaning is that he's ending the record with feelings of regret. "i should have." and i like how he makes it detailed. the other meaning, (which might be comical, but i always think of it) is that he's telling the listeners that he should have done more to keep them listening to the record.

"to call at 7:03" is printed in the booklet but i'm sure it has double meaning. the time, and the area code.

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Death Cab for Cutie – Prove My Hypotheses Lyrics 21 years ago
this is my favorite, favorite, favorite death cab song. and it's not called "proving my hypothesis," it's called "prove my hypotheses." whenever i hear this song, it always strikes a chord.

i love this song because the lyrics are bitter, but the music is bittersweet.

ben's being stubborn about a not so friendly split (typical human nature). he has this pride thing going on and says he won't give back the other person's stuff until they admit that they're wrong. the narrator switches from a subjective point of view to an objective point a view. possibly to illustrate the distance that has been created over time between people involved in the conflict.

i think the song starts off sounding bittersweet on purpose. i like to think that they do that intentionally to parallel how humans hide or cover up or sugarcoat what they're really feeling to try to avoid extreme conflict. but the song eventually breaks into distortion and feedback (the words "car crash" always come to mind when i hear that part), and to me it's kind of like ben really showing how he really feels inside; extreme anger and bitterness. (although that doesn't coincide with what actually happened; it was "an amicable parting" according to the book sleeve). to me, the distortion is the part of the song where ben becomes honest.

i agree with the person before with what the lyrics mean. it's obviously about a parting. "you said 'wait here,' prove all my hypotheses."-to me, that always brings this image of someone saying something like, "oh don't worry, wait here, i'll be right back," but ben suspects that they aren't going to return, so he bitterly says or thinks "prove my hypothesis."

the beginning and end music, kind of like a bookend thing, always makes me think that he's looking back and the whole thing seems so distant. i think the echo and the notes in the guitar makes me think that. it's just kind of like observing the ruins or remains of something that no longer exists, or is barely existing.

so that's my analysis. i think this song is a hidden treasure and it's a shame that so many people obsess over transatlanticism and aren't aware of some of the other great stuff that death cab has done in the past.

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Teenage Fanclub – I Don't Want Control of You Lyrics 21 years ago
this song is pretty straightforward so i don't think it's necessary to comment on the lyrics. but i do think it's necessary to comment on how no one has commented on any teenage fanclub songs. that's outrageous. you all suck.

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Death Cab for Cutie – No Joy in Mudville Lyrics 21 years ago
this is one of my favorite death cab songs. since finding out that "to a brownstone, up three flights of stairs" is a velvet underground lyric, i'm pretty certain that this is just a love song to lou reed.

but, that kind of ruined it for me. i was never really sure what this song was about. i thought that in the first stanza ben was singing about a girl that he is sort of amazed by. he doesn't know much about her but he's interested in her. and she lives in new york or recently moved to new york or something like that. still a great song though.

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