submissions
| The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil Lyrics
| 20 years ago
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Hmm, everyone must be sick of the christian debate by now, but portrayal of the devil is a centries old accepted practice BY THE CHURCH (not that i think Jagger is a christian - the song is clearly inspired by Bulgakov's brilliant book). The old medieval morality and mystery plays, performed in every village, always had the devil portrayed vividly, sometimes amusingly, along the simple principle that you have to know your enemy to defeat him (and laugh at him). Puritan christianity blocked out any pictoral/dramatic/sculptural reproductions of religious matter (including that of the saints or god) and these two instincts still do battle today as we are seeing in this thread!
What i find most interesting is that U2, the biggest rock band today and also comitted christians (let that debate lie - they have at least stated it often enough) actually created a devil character - Mcphisto - in the Zoo TV tour. He was an embodyment of modern greed and weakness but, just like the mystery plays, was an amusing character which we laughed at after he was bought out into the open.
The devilish aspect of the stones was only present in the depressive self-destruction of paint it black etc. when the evil was not acknowledged. As soon as it is in the open it is cathartisised and seen for what it is. I sang this with my band last week and channelled a whole lot of bad stuff out. Felt really good afterwards. |
submissions
| Blur – Battle Lyrics
| 20 years ago
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This whole album is a paeon to the relationship Albarn and Eleastica singer Justine Frischmann had. The opening and closing songs are obviously about the pain of breakup and ultimate acceptance of it. However the dense, often incomprehensible lyrics in the songs between are as much about this struggle. Rather than being meaningless they are evocative of emotions, pain and ddelirium beyond language. The keynote of 'sense' in the song is the opening and closing line - 'Battle SOMEONE'. This is not the press or another band etc. as suggested above, it is your lover. The madness and disorientation of a destructive urge ('can turn your sights/kill until sub-zero). |
submissions
| The Stone Roses – Breaking Into Heaven Lyrics
| 20 years ago
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Sorry, know this post is a year too late but just writing to agree with mattp, citid's explanation is way too simple minded. Personally believe most of Stone Roses's HEAVY use of religious imagery was just for effect, certainly on John's part but Ian has always declared himself (in his own way) a believer. There is an interview in NME where the journo asks him why there is so much religion in there and he just holds up the crucifix he is wearing and says 'why do you think i wear this? i'm a believer man'. Just not true to say roses rejected any religion but hard drugs. |
submissions
| Radiohead – A Punchup at a Wedding (No No No No No No No No) Lyrics
| 20 years ago
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I love Radiohead; musically my favourite band today but it makes me so sad that thom's lyrics are basically pointless. Sometimes they suggest interesting images of apocalypse or loneliness but there is never any real attempt to build on these images. I'm not saying there has to be any 'meaning' - Eliot's Wasteland was nothing but framents of images shored against his ruin, but Thom simply does not have this poetic gift. A drunken punchup at a wedding only echoes its title in having the lyrics drunkenly and sloppily patched together from notebooks full of random, uninspired phrases. A shame from such a great band. I'd love to believe there was any point reading anything into the words or even appreciating attempts at imagery or evocation but i can't. Their music feels so real and emotionally interesting that i know many will want to disagree with me on this but it is the music, not the words which makes them so moving. |
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