| Death Cab for Cutie – Someday You Will Be Loved Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Consider this. The regret he feels is not for having left the girl alone in bed, but for not having the empathy to want to stay. It's not a song for her--it's a song highlighting his own self-loathing. | |
| The Beatles – All Things Must Pass Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Actually, several of the Beatles' biggest hits were his: Something, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun, and Taxman. He also had what I would consider the second-best post-Beatle period of all four (John being first). | |
| The Beatles – All Things Must Pass Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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Yep, this is one of Georges. In fact, there's a scene in Let It Be the film where he's doing a demo cut. He even named his first solo album after this song. Probably his best, I think. |
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| Bright Eyes – Bowl of Oranges Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think this song is an "awakening" song. The song is both happy and sad. I am once again reminded of "As I Ebb'd With The Ocean of Life" by Walt Whitman. It is a realization that even though life is plagued with problems and pain and torture, that with the right perception, it can be beautiful. |
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| Bright Eyes – When the President Talks to God Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think that this song is, though not as complex and artistic as Dylan's "With God On Our Side," it is certainly in the same vein of his "Masters of War". This IS an effective protest song. But lest we forget, this song is making a single point. Bush claims that he is doing the work of God, and some of his actions don't seem quite as godly: 1.) His anti-abortion legislation: I admit, this is a bit of a cop-out for the left. I've never understood why the right to privacy outweighs the right to life of a conscious being (all religious issues aside). 2.) The Iraq War: Jesus doesn't like killing and war. I don't see where bombing the hell out of Baghdad fits in with God's plan. 3.) Extremism: Jesus loved moderation; The idea that we are always right and "they" are always wrong is absurd. 4.) Death Penalty: Once again, Jesus doesn't like killing. We have no right to take a life away, as it was given by God. Christ said to turn the other cheek, not inject it with poison. 5.) Prison: Instead of social programs, we build prisons. Why? Less expensive. When one sheep is astray, you go after him. 6.) Voter Fraud: Does "bear false witness" ring a bell? 7.) Racial/Socioeconomic Issues: How would Jesus feel about the blind eye turned on the ghetto in our cities? The final verse drives the point home by saying basically that Bush is not holy, just arrogant enough to think God's behind him. I'm reminded of a quote by Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was asked by Secretary Stanton at the commencement of the Civil War as to whether or not God was on the side of the Union, and Lincoln replied "Let us hope that we are on the side of God." Before you consider this song "juvenile" or "ineffective" consider exactly what is being said, and how well it is evidenced. And remember. He's new at this stuff. Give the guy a break. There's more to come, I'm sure. (Just listen to "Landlocked Blues" and "Road To Joy" and you'll get a sense of the evolving social conscience.) Peace Out, CW |
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| Iron & Wine – Passing Afternoon Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| This song, as well as many of his, remind me of Walt Whitman's "As I Ebb'd With the Ocean of Life". Give it a read and see what I mean. | |
| The Beatles – The Inner Light Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think there's a clear straight line from "Within You Without You" to "The Inner Light". Obviously Harrison has learned something in those couple of years, and it comes shining out here in his writing. Also consider his songs pre and post "Inner Light". Before, most were disenchanted, frustrated, or, at best, worrisome. (Consider Blue Jay Way, Piggies, Within You Without You, While My Guitar Gently Weeps) After, he seemed to achieve a sort of Zen-like calm. (All Things Must Pass, My Sweet Lord, Here Comes The Sun, Give Me Love, etc.) This appears to be the turning point in Harrison's life. The lyrics pretty much say one thing: "The answer is inside." This is a motif in about a billion other Indian songs, and Harrison Anglofies it here with great skill. The music is calm and celebratory all at once. I'm not sure of the instruments, I confess, but the thing that sounds like an organ provides continuity while the plucked instruments provide almost wild variation. Thusly, at the end ("Do all without doing, know all without knowing.), you can feel yourself being sort of swept up in a whirlpool of peace. Seems contradictory, eh? Too bad. It's Harrison. |
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| The Beatles – Till There Was You (Meredith Wilson cover) Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think alot of people are putting more into this song than it is. Having been a Beatles fanatic for a long time and having starred as Harold Hill in a few productions of The Music Man, I got a chance to learn both sides of the song. Here are a few facts: 1.) Meredith Wilson was not at all Brazilian--a myth as such might be propagated by people hearing the Latin vibe in the Beatles' version. However, if you listen to the original version, you know it comes from broadway. 2.) This song is not "deep" in any sense of the word. This is a tin pan alley love song that was created the be emotional and romantic--nothing more, nothing less. Though the idea is that someone can change your life, please don't suggest that there was a penultimate meaning in this song from a 1954 Broadway comedy. 3.) Paul heard the song and decided that he could Jazz it up a little and make it cool. He did. As far as artistry goes, this is merely Paul's first foray into style manipulation--turning Broadway into Buenos Aires. Coincidentally, I had a lot of trouble in rehearsals NOT singing the swung notes a la Macca. cheers, CW |
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| The Beatles – All Things Must Pass Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I'm sure that Harrison's lyrics here later applied to the breakup of the Beatles, but I don't think they were the intention. This song was yet another wonderful attempt of Harrisons to find spiritual Nirvana. See: My Sweet Lord, Here Comes The Sun, Give Me Love, etc. etc. If you're looking for a George Harrison song that IS about the Beatles breakup and was written explicitly about it, I suggest "Isn't It A Pity". |
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| The Beatles – Tell Me What You See Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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This song, to me seems to be young love in its greatest form. It has such incredible optimism that it almost makes me want to vomit, lol. The song is full of sunny pictures of eyes opening and bright days and changes from bad to better. Though I like the song, the writing ranges from well-crafted to sloppy. The rhyming is sort of begging the question, and there is a lot of shifting back and forth on topic. That being said, there are some great lines. For example, the title is full of optimism and confidence for the future, and the bit about clouds is quite a nice image. Musically, it utilizes the power of the Cadd9 chord, and makes sure there's a constance to the song by holding down that D note throughout all the chords--one of my favorite Beatle tricks, later perfected in the calmness of Julia. I also like the syncopation between chords, it gives you a bouncy feeling that feels right at home. I guess that means you live in a trailer or in an earthquake zone. CW |
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| Iron & Wine – Naked as We Came Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I think it's important to consider that a few of these words might just have double meanings. I agree that the song is about love and sex (this is the kind of song i picture written in the afterglow), and about the comfort with death, a feeling of wholeness. But just for academia's sake, consider the Victorian representation of sex as death. If we interpret the song as such, you a whole new layer of allegory between the death and love/sex motifs. |
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