submissions
| Nik Kershaw – The Riddle Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Yes - that's what I heard too, and from Nik's mouth on some 80s documentary a while ago. Much like Paul McCartney had "Scrambled Eggs" before "Yesterday", all Nik had was a tune, but the lyrics stayed (I don't think Yesterday would have survived as Scrambled Eggs somehow!)
It all turned rather embarrassing for Nik though. Pressured on live radio for a "meaning" for the Riddle, he was forced into giving a "clue". The clue was Dada - the anti-artists from the early 20th century. I think he was basically trying to say that it was utter rubbish and had no meaning at all, which shows how he felt about Dada! |
submissions
| The Beatles – Hey Bulldog Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Someone said to me years ago that it was about Talk Radio in the US. In a way, it actually fits, because those that phone Talk Radio stations in the US frequently have made up "handles" or names, think they know it all, but are basically very, very lonely. Or, alternatively, Citizens Band radio. Great to see some positive comments on this song though, I haven't met anyone else that likes this song :-) |
submissions
| Tears for Fears – Mothers Talk Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Surprised that there's no comments. Probably one of their best anti-nuclear songs, inspired by Raymond Briggs' 'When The Wind Blows'. |
submissions
| TLC – No Scrubs Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think some of you guys have missed the point of this song. "Scrub" is a dating game - you get a mate to drive you around town and you shout at the first girl that takes your fancy, to try and get her into the car for a date (or anything else). She isn't being vain or patronising at all - she's summed up the practice nicely as being cheap and trashy. Only for the desperate and can't be bothered to get of ass in the car. |
submissions
| Joe Cocker – With A Little Help From My Friends Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This is the best cover of a Beatles song. However - my gripe is the poster of this song has just simply copied the Beatles lyrics. Cocker's version has slight differences in the words which he hasn't taken care enough to highlight. It doesn't end that way either. |
submissions
| Joni Mitchell – Coyote Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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The "prisoner of the white lines on the freeway" is supposedly a reference to cocaine.
Don't know this for definite though! |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I'm amazed at how many songs people reckon have homosexual references. It seems that if it is PSB - ah MUST be about being gay. I think this one is the furthest away from singing about being gay than the rest of them. Its about going from boyhood to adulthood to erm..famoushood. Nothing about being gay in there at all. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – It's A Sin Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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it isn't just homosexuality. The catholic church were annoyed with this song, and that was before he came out of the closet. He was stating that no matter what he did, where he was, what he said, he was committing one of the 7 deadly sins, it was the way he had been made to think when he was at school and he is ironically stating about how impossible it is NOT to commit a 'sin'. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Yesterday, When I Was Mad Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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You know, I very much suspect that this song was having a serious pop at Bobby O - their original manager who (allegedly) shafted them for a shedload of money after the (original) release of Opportunities and the release(s) of West End Girls. They apparently didn't see a penny of the royalties for months...if ever.
It is definitely about Tennant and Lowe and their huge success (both made such a little go a very long way) and there seems to be someone, from their past, who slagged them off or left them high and dry in the past NOW saying how wonderful they are...yeah that would make me seeth. Maybe he's saying, well, if it were yesterday, then I would have killed you. Today I will grit my teeth in the knowledge that I have to take all compliments, particularly from you, with a proverbial pinch of salt. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Later Tonight Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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First notable song that Tennant wrote on his own (music and all) without much help from Lowe. They did this one live on Whistle Test once, its a terrific little ballad. |
submissions
| Neneh Cherry – 7 Seconds Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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OK - it doesn't quite fit, but I believe that it's based on the fact that a child dies, somewhere in the world, every 7 seconds. (a child in Africa dies every 3 seconds)
It could be the song is bemoaning the fact that a lot of people don't care because the majority of these people will be black, or maybe there is prejudice both ways as they can be white or black. Maybe it is shouting about some of the reasons behind why these children die, sure some would be to do with hunger or malnutrition, some to do with terminal disease, wherever they live. Some children still die as 'human sacrifices' or abuse. Maybe it is shouting about all of the reasons that they die and we should 'sober up' and do something about it. |
submissions
| The Stranglers – Hanging Around Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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The majority of the Google search disagrees with you bearhunter. The ones written by Boss Man make more sense as well I'm afraid! Every Google hit seems to think that it's Christ has told his mother. |
submissions
| Madness – The Prince Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Madness were heavily influenced by ska and reggae. This is a tribute to their favourite Prince Buster (the band was named after a song by him, and they even covered it themselves) |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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The song is at least semi-biographical, in fact Tennant I believe admitted as such. Whether it was about him at the time, or when he was a much younger man (late teens/early twenties) I'm not sure. He wasn't sure about studying further, and he hadn't learnt to drive (I don't know whether he has now - he hadn't in his mid thirties) The roundhead general actually refers to the English Civil War, and Tennant loved History and used to play soldiers - but in fact he liked to play a cavalier (round head general sounding and rhyming a lot better I guess!) Neil also read somewhere, that Che Guevara was an extremely artistic man and loved music and acting. Neil later on realised he loved writing, and he also loved acting (he had been in a few school plays, including playing a woman in HMS Pinafore - all boys school!). However, deep down he wanted to write music.
Is he 'talking' to Lowe/old boyfriend/old girlfriend (ye never know) or a fling he had once? Or just something to give it that sense of mystery but ultimately not pertaining to him? Whatever, its still a great track. |
submissions
| Nick Kershaw – The Riddle Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I personally think Nik was telling the truth. It was total bollocks, pure and simple. It isn't surprising that poetry or prose at the time had a "war theme" at the time...we lived in uncertain times with Reagan, Thatcher itching to press the red button. I heard the R1 interview. You could tell he was desperately trying to think of something so that he didn't look like a conniving git that got millions outta people on a lie. So he gave the clue - DaDa, which was an art form in the late 19th/early 20th century. They called themselves 'Anti-Artists'. In other words...its all total b*shit. Own up. You were caught in the lie. So were lots of us. Swallow your pride and move on. |
submissions
| Duran Duran – Meet El Presidente Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This song is about Margaret Thatcher, although the boys would not admit it straight out in interview I seem to recall (tho could be wrong)....cowards. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Shopping Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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NO - This was actually written during the sell off of British Gas and Telecom into the private sector. The government were saying how it would be definitely for everyone's benefit, particularly as Joe P would be able to buy a slice. What they didn't tell us is that we would be buying into their troubles as well, and that the price of shares can go down as well as up.... |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Two releases of this and I'm not sure which I like best. The first, almost quietly spoken in a sinister way, the second, shouting from the rooftops. In the first video, Neil looked suspiciously Jewish, with a colourful 'production' line theme for the second. An 'opportunist' is an Arfur Daley or Delboy type - one who takes advantage of another's "talent" (the talent of being a mug) for money. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – It's Alright Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This is probably the worst of all the Pet Shop Boy songs. Not only is the sentiment totally wrong (The world is going to hell in a handcart and music will save it....rrriight), but it is a total mess of a song that Tennant/Lowe picked up from somewhere and put their own take on it, i.e. one of their very few cover versions. I wish they'd left it in the gutter where they'd found it. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – I'm Not Scared Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Although this was written for and recorded by Eighth Wonder (poncy version in my opinion) PSB did a 7 or 8 minute length version for the album. The result, with strings, soldiers shouting and laser blasts is one of the best things you can hear in stereo on the ol' Walkman. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – I Want A Dog Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Based on a conversation that Tennant had with a friend or colleague. They said "I want a dog, a small dog like a chihuahua, I've only got a small flat". The song was born, and the track is absolutely terrific. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – King's Cross Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Most favourite PSB song, though I think it is a doom laden account of urban decay.
It was NOT about the King's Cross disaster in any way - it was actually written sometime BEFORE the event. I understand that Tennant/Lowe were quite shaken up by the fact parts of the song seem to describe the horror though. |
submissions
| Pet Shop Boys – A Man Could Get Arrested Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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When I was a HUGE PSB fan, I read that Tennant/Lowe didn't have a song for the B side of West End Girls - so they wrote this in 5 minutes so they had something else to put on the other side of the vinyl....
...tho it has homosexual overtones harking back to the days when it was still illegal and seems to have a heavy FGTH's "Relax" influence |
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