| Chris Isaak – Wicked Game Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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So both according to Chris Issac and the lyrics this song isn't about unrequited love. It's about hooking up with someone knowing it's not ever going to end well and probably a really really bad idea.. But not being able to help yourselves. As you are both deep in lust and know it's going to be crazy amour fou and the hottest sex ever. That if things were different you might be in it for a long-term romantic love based relationship - but that's a non starter and you both know that, as you rip the other's clothes off.... |
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| Snow Patrol – Run Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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This song is absolutely about drug addiction probably weed, heroin, crack, or something else that’s smoked. Basically it's a dialogue between the addict, their addiction/dependence, and the drug. > I'll sing it one last time for you > Then we really have to go > You've been the only thing that's right > In all I've done This is the point that the addict decides that this will be the last time. A decision made to try to quit but needing one last high. However regrets are already setting in, and withdrawal symptoms kicking in even before quitting, as nothing outside the dependence feels right this point. Because if kicking addiction were easy then people wouldn’t have such a monumental struggle with it. > And I can barely look at you > But every single time I do > I know we'll make it anywhere > Away from here The addict is aware of the hopelessness of the addiction, and wants to stop and get rid of it. But in facing up to the addiction, the knowledge and resolution that quitting is essential, that anything has to be better than the current mess. > Light up, light up > As if you have a choice > Even if you cannot hear my voice > I'll be right beside you, dear This is now the addiction talking to the addict who having quit, has to face up to the cold turkey symptoms starting, the overwhelming urge and yearning to 'light up' ie smoke the drug, begins to kick in. The addiction is also telling him that it will always be there in the background, in the subconscious ready to come back, even if a belief in being drug free has developed > Louder, louder, and we'll run for our lives This is the addiction urging more loudly promising the perfect high, the dragon that is chased. All the addict has to do is hit the pipe! > I can hardly speak This is the addict not being able to resist, and succumbing > I understand, why you can't raise your voice to say This is the addiction, empathising with his inability to resist the lure. > To think I might not see those eyes > It makes it so hard not to cry This is the addict finding something externally motivating to really quit this time - in this case someone's eyes - maybe a child's - Realising that there is a risk of suicide and never seeing the child again, but also mourning the loss of the crutch of the addiction. > And as we say our long goodbye This is the start of the next cold turkey where the focus is on the motivating factors > I nearly do And almost weeps for what might have been lost, and the loss of the addiction, > Light Up.... The addiction again, again urging, but this time the addict’s will is stronger and more able to resist: > Slower, slower we don't have time for that > All I want is to find an easier way to get out of our little heads The craving for the drug of choice is fought and replaced with another more benign ‘drug’; maybe AA meetings, therapy, exercise, or mindfulness, to get out of the need for being in the ‘real’ world for a while: But inevitably this leads to slips and relapses, until other more successful attempts to cure the need for self-medication, are found. > Have heart my dear we're bound to be afraid, Even if it's just for a few days, > making up for all this mess. This is the addict sympathising with the addiction, soothing , telling it that everything's going to be ok: knowing that this time it's going to work, and that a few days of pain will get rid of the effects of the addiction for ever. > Light up .... The addiction is still there in the background, much quieter, always present, but under control. |
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| Snow Patrol – Run Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I don't mean to sound cynical but just cos he said that - And I have read that too - it doesn't mean that's what the song is about. 1) the song was pretty collaborative between all the members of snow patrol, and written over a longish time, and 2) If you had just written the best song you would ever write? The song that would break you into stardom, and it was about drug addiction would you necessarily tell people? 3) If the song had a great many of your own personal daemons running through it, again would u tell people? 3) And if the once had a life of it's own was being covered by other artists, to a family audience on prime time tv, would you risk the royalties, by being explicit about it meaning? or would you dissimulate? |
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| Snow Patrol – Run Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song is absolutely about drug addiction probably heroin, crack, or something burnt and smoked- no question! Overall it's a dialogue between the addict, his addiction, and his drug. 'I'll sing it one last time for you, Then we really have to go.' This is the point at which the addict decides that this will be his last hit - he had decided to try to quit but needs one last high. 'You've been the only thing that's right In all I've done' However he is already starting to regret, and suffer withdrawal symptoms even before he has quit, as nothing outside his addiction feels right to him at this point. 'And I can barely look at you' He is aware of the hopelessness of himself as the addict, and wants rid. 'But every single time I do, I know we'll make it anywhere, Away from here' But in facing his addiction, he knows, and is resolved that he has to quit. 'Light up, light up, As if you have a choice, Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear' Having quit, the cold turkey symptoms start, The drug/addition is now talking - the yearning to 'light up' ie burn his drug, begins to kick in. The addiction is also telling him that it will always be there in the background, in his psyche ready to come back, even if he thinks he's drug free. Louder, louder, This song is absolutely about drug addiction probably heroin, crack, or something burnt and smoked- no question! Overall it's a dialogue between the addict, his addiction, and his drug. 'I'll sing it one last time for you, Then we really have to go.' This is the point at which the addict decides that this will be his last hit - he had decided to try to quit but needs one last high. 'You've been the only thing that's right In all I've done' However he is already starting to regret, and suffer withdrawal symptoms even before he has quit, as nothing outside his addiction feels right to him at this point. 'And I can barely look at you' He is aware of the hopelessness of himself as the addict, and wants rid. 'But every single time I do, I know we'll make it anywhere, Away from here' But in facing his addiction, he knows, and is resolved that he has to quit. 'Light up, light up, As if you have a choice, Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear' Having quit, the cold turkey symptoms start, The drug/addition is now talking - the yearning to 'light up' ie burn his drug, begins to kick in. The addiction is also telling him that it will always be there in the background, in his psyche ready to come back, even if he thinks he's drug free. 'Louder, louder, And we'll run for our lives' This is the drug promising the perfect high, the dragon that is chased. All he has to do is hit the pipe! 'I can hardly speak' This is the addict not being able to resist, and succumbing 'I understand, why you can't raise your voice to say'. This is the drug or addiction, empathising with his inability to resit the lure. 'To think I might not see those eyes, Makes it so hard not to cry' This is the addict finding something outside himself to motivate him to really quit - in this case someone's eyes - maybe his child's - Realising that unless he quits he will kill himself, and never see his child again 'And as we say our long goodbye' This is the start of the next cold turkey where he is focusing on his motivating factor. 'I nearly do' And almost weeps for what he might have lost 'Light Up....' The drug then talks to him again but this time he is stronger and more able to resist: 'Slower, slower we don't have time for that' He fights of the craving for his drug of choice, and replaces that with another more 'benign' drug, maybe alcohol, to get out of his world for a while: 'All I want is to find an easier way to get out of our little heads' But inevitably this leads to a relapse, and another much more succesful attemopt to cure his addictive personality 'Have heart my dear we're bound to be afraid, Even if it's just for a few days, making up for all this mess. This is the addict sympathising with the addiction, soothing her, telling her that it's going to be ok: knowing in himself that this time it's going to work, and that a few days of pain will rid him of the effects of the addiction for ever. 'Light up ....' The addiction is still there in the background, much quieter, always present, but under control. |
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| The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I think Buck Fastard is on the right lines that the song is a comment on the broken system of global capitalism and credit and the american dream. A world that depends on 2/3rd of the global population living on less than a dollar a day so a tiny minority can attain massive wealth, and where less than a quarter of the population live anything like comfortable lives. Where even in the richest country in the world the USA, millions of people are malnourished, and don't have adequate housing, nor healthcare. The song is about the false promise that working hard, and striving to achive the dream of success will somehow free you from your poverty or lift you from your station in life. But that the bright horizon, is just that, a false dawn. Hope that can never be fulfilled. That like the pilgrim fathers on the mayflower, half of whom died, the chances of success are slim to none; and that if you do succeed it will mainly be by standing on other people's failure. The song goes on to ask how it's possible to accept such a flawed system, that's built on Charles Darwin imperetive of 'survival of the fittest'. Where most members of a species that are born, die in order that the strongest, and fittest can succeed. A system that's bound to fail, (and bulit of the failure of the many) eventually as the population grows and resources become scarecer. The pyramid of credit created wealth become unsustainabale. It goes on to talk about the broken vessel, the ship that is sinking. Your own, as you struggle to make ends meet, or the world's as it sinks deepr into wars, and a scarcity of resource; and that spooning water out of a sinking ship is a futile excercise, and you, it, and the world are going to sink into the cold depths. The lords of war reffered to are the countries and rulers, the rich, and the corporations that exploit and destroy global resources, in the fight to retain their wealth - the oil wars (iraq) and (for example) resource wars being fought in africa, by the chinese, and so on. Expoliting the lives of countless children, in order to keep the cash flowing, and persuading everyone to spend their lives in the pursuit of (in most cases) fruitless sucesss, in return for low wages.' That in most cases, most people don't 'succeed' regardless of how hard they work. And end up sinking into the cold depths of wasted, brutal lives. Not the cheerist of songs really - but a pretty damming inditement of the American Dream! |
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| Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover) Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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This song was originally a 200 verse anthem to love, religion, emotion, relationships and marriage written by Laughing Len Cohen - he shortned it and release two versions - John Cale asked Cohen if he could cover and was sent various verses. He re-arranged it into a homaage to the great man (cohen) sex, love, religion and the power of the orgasm. Jeff covered Cale's version of the lyrics and produced the definitive imo! A further 100 or so artists includng dylan have covered it - normally opting for the cale/buckley arrangement. Simon (assh@@le) cowell commisioned a further arrangement for the x-factor - the only benefit of which being that it beought Jeff to the wider attention of the public. |
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| Elvis Costello – Oliver's Army Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Hmm, well the song was on 'armed forces' released in 1979, - And the song was a late entry on that album.. 'This years model' was released in 1978 - when most of the tracks for 'armed forces' were written. Thatcher was elected PM in 1979, but had been leader of the opposition since 1975 - Thatcher was by a long way the most dominant and influential UK polititian in the country from 1977 to 1997, and arguably the most radical of the century. Elvis Costello loathed her with a passion - hence the entire 1983 anti-thatcher diatribe - 'pills and soap' album; and even more in your face 'tramp the dirt down' (describing what he would do at her funeral - whether he lives up to this promise, remains to be seen) - "When England was the whore of the world, Margaret was her Madam. One point i missed above was that oliver cromwell's army invaded ireland in the 1600's - |
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| Elvis Costello – Oliver's Army Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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This song is about long term mass unemployment amongst the youth in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain in the late 1970’s Don't start that talking I could talk all night - The reversed sleeping patterns of unemployment meant people stayed up all night talking and slept during the day. My mind goes sleepwalking While I'm putting the world to right – endless discussions around foreign affairs, and Mr’s Thatcher’s foreign policy (The young in the UK were a great deal more radicalised and politically aware in those days) - lead to the protagonist imagining various scenarios to end their unemployment Call careers information Have you got yourself an occupation? – Standard practice in those days was to go to the careers office to decide your future. He’s imagining joining the army. There was a checkpoint Charlie He didn't crack a smile - Referring to a soldier in the army policing one of Northern Ireland crossing points between protestant and catholic areas. (as well as the crossing point in Berlin, again policed by the british) But it's no laughing party When you've been on the murder mile - Murder mile was in Belfast. Only takes one itchy trigger One more widow, one less white nigger – Imagining what it would be like to kill an Irish catholic , by mistake. This happened quite a lot Hong Kong is up for grabs - bank to current affairs - Negotiations with the Chinese government over the return of the new territories. London is full of Arabs - Current affairs Arabs in London were very rich at a time when the ordinary person was facing unemployment and money shortages We could be in Palestine - The British army supported the UN in Palestine Overrun by the Chinese line – Or again in the army - defending Hong Kong territories, against the Chinese With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne – The British army had recruits from all over the UK, these are the three most famous rivers in the UK But there's no danger It's a professional career - Back to the thought of joining up – The army was marketed as a way of getting professional qualifications. Though it could be arranged With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear – Mr Churchill is Mrs Thatcher – Joining up was easy, she encouraged it as a way of ending unemployment and Thatcher was a radical in Churchill’s mould. If you're out of luck you're out of work We could send you to Johannesburg – supporting the apartheid regime, And I would rather be anywhere else But here today – Rather risk his life in the problem areas of thee world than stay unemployed and on the dole Oliver's army is here to stay - Oliver's army are on their way. The comparison of the modern British army to Oliver Cromwell’s new model army made up of paid professional soldiers - and the unpaid army of the young unemployed |
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| Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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According to Kevin Rowland, and as stated above, this song is about a relationship he had as an adolescent, with a girl named Eileen at his school as they were both becoming adults. If you examine the lyrics they certainly can be applied to this version of the story. But read them again with the following in mind: Eileen was in fact a tall and somewhat mature 11 year old 6th grader. Mr Rowland was a gawky, and slightly weird 16 year old lad at the same school lusting from afar. She wore a red dress in the school playground, and knew she as being lusted after, but nothing ever happened between them How do I know this. Because a lady called Eileen who I met once, and knew well, did go to the same school as Kevin, did wear a red dress. and did know she was being lusted after, as Kevin was wont to stare. And nothing did ever happened between them. So there you have it... I agree the Johnny ray part puts the song in a time, and context. |
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| Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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The best versions of this song are by Gabriel, and the best studio vesrsion bar none is the long studio version on the b side of the 12" single of 'in your eyes' :Yousou N'dour's backing vocals are stunning. The best live version was during the Amnesty tour in 1986, - more from context, and cos Biko followed it. (again with Yousou...wow) The SO concert series when Yousou N'dour and Gabriel perfomed the song live was awesome : A live version with Yousou is available on the POV video, but has never been realesed on an album, or DVD . So you'll have to take my word for it. The 11 minuite version on Secret World live cd / dvd is pretty good, and will send shivers ups and down your back. I've been looking for the African lyrics that are always added to the live version but can't find them anaywhere. ee |
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