submissions
| Brandi Carlile – The Story Lyrics
| 14 years ago
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This song makes me think of the person I've broken the rules for and who I have given myself to as completely as I know how. The feeling is universal once you've found a person (and if you're lucky maybe there is more than one) who you can trust to tell your story to; words don't do it justice, so you've just got to sing with all you have. I recently discovered Brandi's talent by sharing the stage with her (even though I'm absolutely unknown musically), and I'm amazed. This song is riveting. I love how she is able to use every possible tone of her voice to its greatest effect. Her versatility of vocal expression reminds me of Glen Hansard. |
submissions
| Sia – Numb Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Unlike the other writers and many of Sia's other songs, I don't find sadness in this song. I think it is about the start of a meaningful friendship that lets one person stop hurting themselves by letting down their defenses and trusting the other person. "Living in your head" has to end so that this profound friendship and all that it brings can begin. It inspires me. |
submissions
| M. Ward – Big Boat Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Sorry to bring down the party, but am I the only one who's thinking that this is a cheeky tribute to Charon? It seems to fit with the rest of Mr. Ward's songs - they can be kind of deathy. |
submissions
| Azure Ray – Beautiful Things Can Come from the Dark Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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MeowAllieCat... I was "someone else's boy" in the way that you describe and I find your compassion to be beautiful. This song, of course, if beatiful as well. As the song suggests, what he may need is someone to listen to his convoluted stories. |
submissions
| Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – There She Goes, My Beautiful World Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I agree that this song is about not losing his muse, but wanting her to come to him - almost praying to "her" for inspiration. But I also think that the chorus is about her arriving. I don't think that "there she goes" means departure... I think that he means she is doing it again - helping to see his beautiful world. He has been visited by the muse before and he would do anything to see her again. The litany of ailments may be intended to point out that even great artists, writers and philosophers were human and also had to struggle to reach their acheivements.
This has to be one of the most hopeful things that Mr. Cave has put on record:
"So if you got a trumpet, get on your feet,
brother, and blow it
If you've got a field, that don't yield,
well get up [now] and hoe it"
Sounds like a do-it-yourself / punk ethic to me. In other words, his art may not be perfect ("you weren't much of a muse") but he never promised that it would be ("I weren't much of a poet"). He tries, he knows that he may fail, but it doesn't matter if the muse will just visit one more time. Notice the last time around that he says "here she comes" before the chorus. |
submissions
| Damien Rice – 9 Crimes Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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To Jenezzy: it seems obvious to me (I don't recall why now but it may just be the context) that the "crimes" are sexual encounters, and the "9" is a graphic detail - the specific number of them. Others may have opinions about why the number 9 is significant... |
submissions
| Neko Case – Dirty Knife Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This is song is great because of the layers of meaning. At first, I focused on the violent imagery - wolves, blood, a dirty knife, being dragged through the underbrush. Then it suddenly dawned on me that the blood is running not in the obvious place (the ground) but in a more obvious place (the character's veins). The music is excellent too - I love the violence in the cello and the Ukranian singing. A great short story. |
submissions
| Damien Rice – Sleep Don't Weep Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This song is about forgiveness... like most of the songs on this album, the identities of the singer and his subject are not clear. Who needs to be forgiven? Maybe the affair ended and she came home (along with the animals?) and he forgives her. Maybe she decided to leave with the one who drives her wild and she needs to forgive herself. But it is time to them to put their "day" behind them and heal. True love is a place where you belong. |
submissions
| Damien Rice – 9 Crimes Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This song is a beautiful overture to "9". I see a lot of coherence in the songs on this album, especially "9 Crimes", "The Animals Were Gone", "Elephant", "Accidental Babies", and "Sleep Don't Weep". To me, they are all related - they represent differing perspectives on an affair (at the wrong time and place) between people who didn't expect to find love outside of their existing, loving relationships. It is extraordinarily compassionate in depicting the emotional state of everyone involved... the regret of not having met a partner's needs, the guilt of being pulled away, and the pain of knowing that it should end but not wanting to end it. It is bracingly honest (especially in "Accidentally Babies" but also in details such as the number of "crimes"), but gives the listener room to insert herself (as painful as it may be). The greatest mystery is why Starbuck's insists on playing this over and over... it is beautiful and I love to listen to this CD at the right time (usually when alone and ready for it), but I would like my coffee served without crippling saddness. |
submissions
| Damien Rice – Animals Were Gone Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Poetry is so wonderful because we all hear something different but very important to us. To me, this song may be the saddest on this (very poignant) album. It reflects the regret of not being there at the right time... not writing the song at the right time (although he felt it), not being there when she needed emotional support (although he loves her and wanted to be there). That regret is most intense when felt in retrospect - after the animals (and the domestic stability that they represent) have left. |
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