| Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I. The structure of the lyric has three effect on the listener: 1. It shows that this story is cyclical in the history of humanity ("all of this has happened before and will happen again"). This is strengthened by using archetypes that can be recognized throughout the history, thus they are eternal: joker, thief, businessman, plowman, prince, woman, servant. 2. It creates tension: even without an open conflict, you can feel the drama from the first word of the song. 3. It sends the message that all this is happening right now. II. The first verse The joker archetype has many layers. In relation to this song he's intelligent, uses his head rather than his hand, although he's not doing the actual work he coordinates the "plowmen" and the process of making goods, but most importantly he says the absolute truth when it seems he just fools around. (Traditionally only the jester had the right to tell the king the complete and harsh truth, even though he seemed only as a fool making jokes.) So when he says these things he says the absolute truth: businessmen who doesn't know the value of goods, though they trade with them, plowmen who also doesn't know the value, though they are the ones who do the "hard" work. This is confusion, but true: only the joker can see the whole system, the whole society, and know the real value of the goods. He's in the system, but wants out of it, he desires a world where everything is in its right place: everybody respects what everybody else does. In his speech he implicitly and seemingly insults the thief, because usually the thief is the one who doesn't know the value of things, because he just takes them from others. III. Second verse But what he says doesn't insult the thief ("he kindly spoke"). They are both partly outsiders and has the perspective to see things as they are. The thief says that there are many among them (those who has the perspective - clever, middle-class,partly outsiders), who think that life is but a joke, but confusingly he states that he and the joker are not among them. Instead of dislike each other, the joker and the thief teamed up, they acknowledge each other's true nature. Their allience is what starts the event in the story. Now let's talk about the thief archetype. Like the joker he has also two face. Normally a thief takes other people's values, but our myths are full of the opposite: Prometheus who "steals" the fire and gives it to humanity, the Good Thief in the Bible beside Christ on the cross who offers us true wisdom and of course Robin Hood. Altough teamed up, the thief warns the joker not to talk falsely. He approves the joker's assessment of the system, but that's not all there is. What can be worse than confusion in the value of goods, work, so material things? Confusion in inner, moral and spiritual values. So this thief offers us wisdom. And their dialogue stops abruptly with "the hour is gettin late". They don't have any more time to talk, things are changing. Maybe they are the ones who can't wait more with acting on their beliefs or knowledge. In any case the thief hopes that the joker understands what he told him. IV. Third verse And their dialogue gets a context. The princes, the leaders try to figure out what's happening, because something IS happening. The submissive, acceptive and caring women come and go, so those who are the cornerstones and protectors of a community feel that something is going on. They show their feelings not with brooding but making unnecessary moves as do the servants who serve the system's leaders and the system's providers. A creature of the wild nature, a part that lives in all people, a predator signs the beginning of the turbulence with his growl. And now we know that the cause of the turbulence is the two riders who are approaching from a distance... and the storm is coming. The lyric starts again: the two rider, not other than the thief and the joker arrived because at the end of their part they had, have or will have to stop talking... |
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| Citizen Cope – Son's Gonna Rise Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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That's what the song says. But beside the literal meaning it's also a metaphor. You live your life, if you're lucky, you get a "wifey", then you have a son, and then he also has the chance for living a good life. Enjoy life, beacuse no matter who you are, in the end that's all you get. I really like in the mv the gold fishes in their little aquarium on the rocks. |
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| The Used – Pretty Handsome Awkward Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I don't know the story between the two mentioned guys and I don't really care about it. (Altough I can relate to someone's idea that it might be a response to MCR's I'm not okay) "Bleed just like u puke running a mile" It's most def not about bulimia that would be really stupid. It means that the guy whom this song is about deals as bad with the situation as with running a mile. Most people wouldn't bleed so much, wouldn't complain and cry out this much... as they wouldn't puke after running a mile. It's a double insult. |
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| Finch – Worms Of The Earth Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I totally agree, I'd like to correct but one thing. "Another lonely pacifist lying in the sun" "Another lonely pacifist Dying in the sun" It means that wanting peace is noble, but still, saying we don't have to fight the worms is a lie. Those who say it, die alone in the sea of worms, so we have to unite and fight the worms. |
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| Fever Ray – If I Had a Heart Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Firstly I thought to drug abuse as well, but it doesn't apply a general, narrative view. Rather the song grips the moment of depression after you come down or you wake up next day. You miss the pleasure, yet you feel totally emptied. Now I think the song applies to every depressive moment after a great, extraordinary event/pleasure (like giving birth). |
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| Ashes Divide – Too Late Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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dkyle_06 had a point there. ashleyynicholex3 : not every song of them can mean everything, still FenderPrecision wasn't right, because every song of them can have a quite different interpretation, this one as well. I think it's more about desires, than deeds. The guy wants something, somebody else than he has. I think the melting sky, the mad parade, the bloody jaws or the fire fall aren't just dangers to her beloved one, but symbols of the subjects of his desires. The melting sky can be the symbol of his worthless ambitions, the mad parade can be the symbol of his false temptations from the outside, the bloody jaws can be the symbol of life which makes us used and hurt and the fire fall can be the symbol of the destroying and careless aspect of his thinking. He knows that these are the wrong things in the world, so he wants to protect her from these traps. Doesn't matter that the girl is part of this "evil" world as well, because he doesn't want to know it right now, he just wants the pure happiness. He pushes out other thoughts from his mind - "Don't pull away..." Finally he wants to create a true alliance with her against the outside. (Which is the basic reason of the idea of family.) In my opinion he wouldn't doubt himself if she had been the One. |
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| IAMX – The Alternative Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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hormones in key a slow whispered wet confession from our body heat there’s no return. we cant do nothing against our sexual desire, our is you and me, all of us |
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| IAMX – The Alternative Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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I agree with the masturbation theory. "the three of us in circus and in liberty" he, the girl in his fantasy and his sexual desire, his hormones. I admire the lyric becuse of this 4 lines "and all the nonsense of that vision that is failing every test it's the comedy and death of your senses" This is a very original view of masturbating, emotionally smart recognition in my opinion |
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| System of a Down – Chop Suey! Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Good thoughts, I have read a few comments and it helped me to put the pieces together. But I think nobody wrote these: Leaving the keys on the table could mean that somebody doesn't want to come home anymore. And the keys are the last drops in the cup (it's a hungarian sentence, i don't know if it's exist in english). |
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| The Rapture – Get Myself Into It Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think it's about that situation when you want to leave everything behind. As easy as the money for children. It's the chance of a lifetime, now or you'll regret it in your whole life (at least you feel this now). Don't you tell me that I'm fine... Cause I'll show you that you're blind Someone can prove how messed up he is only one way...so rather help him to leave. Or it's simply about the idea of committing suicide in an insane moment. |
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| The Knife – We Share Our Mother's Health Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Of course flyphoenixx, don't bother yourself with some little facts such as free stuffs is the ideology of communism, not socialism. Oh yeah, and there were never ever socialism in Sweden. I'm from Hungary, there actually were socialism, look a map, I know you don't know where it is. The base ideology is that socialism is the first step towards communism, wich is the real eden, where everything will be free according to the people's needs. The socialism destroys the previous system and slowly turns to communism. |
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| The Knife – We Share Our Mother's Health Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| sry, not there, their... | |
| The Knife – We Share Our Mother's Health Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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lol, usually americans can be so stupid, especially in understanding a text (now I'm referring here to cityondown78). of course there are always exceptions, north=darkness is a really good thought from anaisconce. It's about our origin, the songwriter imagines himself (or herself) into the abstract situation of the fresh-made first humans...and through there thoughts wants to grab the meaning of life. |
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| TV on the Radio – Hours Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I agree with BattleMage. The first verse is about childhood. At the beginning you just walked around and you were happy. Then the world broke your confidence, and planted in your mind that you have to be looked after, cause you're lame. "you listened for the truth just too bad they lied just too bad they lied" This can mean many things. For example think about the truths of sciences! This generation is so materialist and lack of faith, that it's terribly unnatural and frustrating. If you read this post and the post of battlemage, It's quite easy to define the rest of the lyric. But I have a problem. English isn't my first language and I can't find out the meaning of this expression: "shot your health" |
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