submissions
| The Mountain Goats – Animal Mask Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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That style of writing finds its most powerful expression in a song called “Animal Mask.” It’s a story song. One wrestler is in a battle royal, a chaotic brawl where there are 20 or more guys in the ring, all trying to throw each other out. He sees another wrestler in trouble. A bad guy is pulling at that wrestler’s mask, trying to reveal his face. Our hero goes to help, and a new tag team is born out of nothing: “I came to you, hands wrapped in adhesive tape. That was when we were young and green, in the dawning hours of our team. Some things you will remember. Some things stay sweet forever.”
It sounds like a love song, and so I ask Darnielle if that’s what it is. Darnielle confirms my suspicions, but it really goes deeper than that. “It’s about the labor and delivery room,” he tells me. “It’s about seeing your son for the first time. I mean, this is the sort of thing I would usually be coy about, but I’m proud of that song. I wrote it with my son on my lap. It’s about how they’re about to show you your son’s face and you feel this profound instinct to protect — to say, ‘Nobody gets to see you.’ It’s very intense. That’s the understatement of the year, to say it’s intense to be in the delivery room. But that’s what it’s about, that bond that you are forming a tag team, you are forming an alliance. And if you believe in a tag team when you’re watching wrestling, a good one, they feel like brothers. Even more than brothers. They feel like partners. And the word partner gains a depth that you might not have had from before.” Since Darnielle told me about what the song means, I haven’t been able to hear it without crying.
http://www.stereogum.com/1788418/we-took-the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-to-his-first-pro-wrestling-show-in-35-years/franchises/cover-story/ |
submissions
| Against Me! – Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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If you look at the title in comparison to the song, it is logical that these feelings are what are borne on the FM waves of the heart. Based on Tom's stance against radio rock (see: Piss and Vinegar), I feel that Tom is suggesting that this relationship he and Tegan's character have is really perfect. But radio rock has spurred a culture of dependency, who creates problems that don't exist. The FM waves of the heart are therefore the part that says "no, this can't be right, something needs to be wrong with me in order for me to be real" or some other contrived shit that radio bands sing about. It's hard to verbalize. But that's just what I get out of the title. |
submissions
| Against Me! – Piss and Vinegar Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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Just a little note for anyone not in the know: piss and vinegar (either/or) are the two most common things people use to neutralize jellyfish stings. |
submissions
| Against Me! – The Ocean Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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I wonder if anyone has told Tom that dolphins don't breathe water yet. Beautiful song either way. The lyrics kind of say it all. |
submissions
| They Might Be Giants – Cyclops Rock Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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Supporting NQArbuckle's theory, the female vocal breakdown says:
Pony, twist, monkey, and frug
These are the things that I taught to you
Hitchhike, boogie, hypocrite bop
I'm stuck in a van outside of New York
AAAAAAAAAHHH!
The pony, the twist, the monkey, the frug, the hitchhike, the boogie, and the bop are all dance steps/styles. And the singer allegedly taught "you" these steps, but is now stuck in a van outside of New York, i.e. out of the limelight they once knew. |
submissions
| Bouncing Souls – The New Thing Lyrics
| 19 years ago
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Maybe I listen to too much NOFX, but the "there was a time we had no control, and we lost our touch" lines make me think of No Control by Bad Religion and Don't Lose Touch by Against Me! out of instinct. |
submissions
| Ghost Mice – Boy Meets Girl Lyrics
| 19 years ago
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According to the Ghost Mice/Defiance, Ohio split booklet, this is about when Chris met Hannah and he just tried to be real and not impress her. |
submissions
| Against Me! – Americans Abroad Lyrics
| 19 years ago
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This is about about how Against Me!'s true intentions (a rock band looking for new audiences) aren't considered, because they're Americans abroad and hence commercializing imperialists. It is also a continuation of the idea presented in Former Clarity, with Gabel saying that he hopes he's not like them (McDonalds, Coca-Cola, etc.) but he's not so sure. |
submissions
| Dropkick Murphys – The Burden Lyrics
| 20 years ago
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I think Frankie is Frank Sinatra. I could be wrong, though. The "couldn't hold a tune" part sort of puts a wrench in my theory.. |
submissions
| Descendents – All Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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ALL is also the name of a Descendents side project. The Descendents formed it when Milo went to college, and it currently consists of everyone but Milo, and singer Chad Price. |
submissions
| The Matches – Eryn Smith Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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My second favorite Matches song and one of my favorite new-age love songs. Quite obvious what it's about.. |
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