| The Decemberists – Eli, the Barrow Boy Lyrics | 19 years ago |
|
meloy i think really likes to write ghost stories, and it stuck me strangely at first that he trivializes them as such at his concerts. every concert ive been to where they play leslie ann levigne he'll introduce it like, "and here's a ghost story!" haha, i had semi attempted to literally pick apart that song before and when i heard him say that i felt a little silly because he so well integrates unusual concepts, vocabulary, and both musical and lyrical tone you can its easy to think theres way more to the song than a simple ghost story and the decemberists facsination with sending chills up your spine. there's almost an element of caddy humor where eli pronounces " but i am dead and gone...." it seems to me unfitting that should be a serious statement. i think the melodic tone is hiding sarcasm if you could imagine these lyrics being repeated as if it were a real story. dont embarass yourself by over-inflating ghost stories. i kinda made that mistake. oh and for the record, i agree the romantic pairing of picaresque songs it total horseshit. |
|
| The Decemberists – I Don't Mind Lyrics | 19 years ago |
|
well at the very least, we know there is a son, taking his mother into the "woods", which is typically connotated as a dangerous, vulnerable place to be. she obviously trusts him, and seems to be oblivious to the fact that someone she adores so completely is taking her into such a disparaging place. actually she might know , but doesnt even care i think its irrelevant why he leaves her there, thats not the point of the song. its not attempting to tell a story, but typically colin uses pieces of images to display emotions that wouldnt be satisfied if he spoonfed specific words to you. take this pathetic situation. how it makes you feel.... thats all it means. most of the time people dont write music for people to pick it apart and find right and wrong answers as to what it means. its supposed to make you feeeeel a certain way and the decemberists manipulate this amazingly well because we all feel a little bit the same way listening to each song and we can relate, but its hard to put it into words. he just gives us the senario its up to you to filter that into useable emotion. and if this particular section of a song is unsettling to you, i think its intentional, partly because the charactor is unsettled. it doesnt matter why he planned on metaphorically abandoning his own mother in a place he knew she would be unsafe, what is important is that he didnt plan on feeling guilty about it. except he does feel guilty and cant shake the thought of her helplessly crying out to him for relief of the iching plants. although these three separte stories seem to have not much to do with eachother, they all tie to a running theme of pathetic self-absorbed people catching a glimpse of outside perspective. one does it through glorified fantasy, one displays it in frustration, and out last is guilt-ridden. However, the chorus serves to further trivialize their self absorbancy by forgiving it and melodically soothing it away. like drowing for julie, like defeat for king george, and like guilt for the son (who actually is intimated as you). you could take this a step further in saying colin is trying to bring you out of your arrogance and realize the things in life you are doing like this. but its okay :) |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.