| Pearl Jam – Present Tense Lyrics | 8 years ago |
| Lots of commenters attribute this to Eddie, but it was written by Mike McCready. The more I read the more I think that this was one way he was saying farewell to the drugs: "You can spend your time alone redigesting past regrets or you can come to terms and realize you're the only one who can forgive yourself." The message is to emphasize compassion, and you do that by learning to live in the moment, the Present Tense. | |
| Fleet Foxes – Someone You'd Admire Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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This song speaks to the same point as Montezuma and Helplessness Blues. Robin is going through the whole deal of being able to care about others as much or more than himself, probably specifically his partner/ex in this case. He figured as he got older he would change, but has found that that isn't so much the case. He's also contemplating his own lack of significance in the universe - he's just like some random vagabond on some random shore, lost in time. He is so torn from the voices within him expressing themselves loudly yet simultaneously. Part of him is desperate for acceptance and admiration but the other part couldn't care less. Maybe this is a commentary on his relationship to fame? In the end, even he doesn't have a clue what comes next, just like everyone else. |
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| The Tallest Man on Earth – Love Is All Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| I really resonate with this interpretation. Thank you for putting this into words. | |
| The Shins – Bait and Switch Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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OK, not a terribly complex theme here. The narrator is yet again falling in love with someone he shouldn't. He knows better, but can't help it. The first verse is indicating that he'd finally gotten over the last relationship and then BAM, he finds himself in the same situation again, and can't believe it. The second verse tells us that she's not a "good girl" (nobody's daughter) but he's still drowning in his feelings for her. The brief chorus is a little more subtle - witches are not traditionally beautiful, nor do they have much of a moral compass. "Bait and switch" is when you lure someone in with the promise of something quality, and then swap it out with garbage once they're committed. Maybe he's wishing he could do this to himself? The bridge is him spelling out his avoidance tactics. The following verse is more of the same. He's back in the same old situation, trying the same things to get her to change, but he's not fooling anyone. In terms of my feeling for the song, it's one of my favorites on the album, mostly because of the fantastic guitar work by Dave Hernandez. I love how he kind of "stumbles" into the guitar solo, and the surf-rock feel of his guitar tone. Great track!! |
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| The Shins – Bait and Switch Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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OK, not a terribly complex theme here. The narrator is yet again falling in love with someone he shouldn't. He knows better, but can't help it. The first verse is indicating that he'd finally gotten over the last relationship and then BAM, he finds himself in the same situation again, and can't believe it. The second verse tells us that she's not a "good girl" (nobody's daughter) but he's still drowning in his feelings for her. The brief chorus is a little more subtle - witches are not traditionally beautiful, nor do they have much of a moral compass. "Bait and switch" is when you lure someone in with the promise of something quality, and then swap it out with garbage once they're committed. Maybe he's wishing he could do this to himself? The bridge is him spelling out his avoidance tactics. The following verse is more of the same. He's back in the same old situation, trying the same things to get her to change, but he's not fooling anyone. In terms of my feeling for the song, it's one of my favorites on the album, mostly because of the fantastic guitar work by Dave Hernandez. I love how he kind of "stumbles" into the guitar solo, and the surf-rock feel of his guitar tone. Great track!! |
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| Vampire Weekend – Everlasting Arms Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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Interesting that the first stanza is doubled. He really isn't happy that he took someone else's advice. If you approach this from a religious perspective, was he tempted by the devil? Or is this an existential/rhetorical question? Either way, it's brought him to ruin, which is pretty severe. There is also the possibility of a relationship that didn't work out, and maybe the first two stanzas are in reference to some advice someone gave him about a relationship problem - "Oh I was made to live without you, but I'm never going to understand" - it's not his decision to be without that other person, and it doesn't make any sense to him. The difference between being "made" to live without and "born" to live without is beyond me. I agree with others that the chandelier suggests a reference to their first album. It was such a huge success that it might have been hard for them to get out from under. I know for myself I had huge expectations for the second album and was disappointed. Maybe this whole song is in reference to an agent's/executive's suggestions? But further lyrics again suggest a relationship issue, as he feels like he's in prison: "leave me to my cell/leave me in my cell". The "serving a master" lines further muddle the lines when it comes to meaning, and to me revisit a potentially religious theme. If someone has been made to blindly serve someone then it would be hard if someone offered an open hand to help - it would be tough to get out of the mentality of servitude and not making decisions for oneself. Actually, the more I think about, the more it seems to me that this song is about a breakup - but not with a girlfriend - with God. |
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| The Shins – Australia Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Definitely agree that this is the most catchy of the tunes off the new album. Love the melody and rhythm to this one. To me it kind of speaks to the state of attention deficit modern society in the first verse. It speaks of forgetting our essential nature: "Born to multiply...", but he emphasizes trying to remember to be happy and vital. I think "All you want's one more Saturday" is evidence of this. We all want to put off responsibility, and just have fun. "They're gonna buy your nice time" is about selling yourself to the system, having a job. Mercer lends his advice on how to stay happy, and if you can "keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters" then you will eventually "come in doing cartwheels". At that point you will be so free that the sight of a gorgeous girl on the dancefloor will be overwhelming. By telling the girl she would be damned to join their ranks, he is advising against overthinking things, like him and his crew do. He wants his mind to be able to fly free and clear, and unfettered, but nothing happens whenever he tries to let go. The lyrics in the next verse are very interesting to me. I think they again reflect our situation in society as part of the masses. The selfless person thinks that they can fight the system and save the people. The "man" is holding you down so all you can do is keep your hands folded and wait to beg for scraps. "But you'll be pulled from the ocean, but just a little too late..." meaning even if you do break free it won't matter, life will never be as normal as you'd like it to be. Thus the teasing last line: "You’ll find a handsome young mate for you to love." Another set of great lyrics in the bridge. The "windowpanes you know" are your own limitations, and you will be damned to continue suffering by them. But at the same time he says you may just as easily "trade your life for any ordinary Joe", get married, settle down and forget all your idealistic behavior. I think he might be saying basically you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. In the last verse he is appealing to his partner, but this time he's daring her to jump into this world of doubt and constant questioning. His ultimate solution is for her to just "give me your hand and let's jump out the window". I'm not saying this is what Mercer meant by it, but rather my take on things. The Shins continue to amaze me. Some of the most amazing lyrics I've ever heard, up there with the likes of Morrissey and Belle & Sebastian. On Chutes Too Narrow every song has a unique feel to it, but the music on this album took a few listens to grow on me, especially because whatever effect they are using on his voice seems to be used on most of the songs, giving the songs more coherence as a whole piece than previous albums. Basically, it didn't sound very "Shinzy" to me on the first listen. But oh how it grows. Best band in America right now!!! |
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