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Joy Division – Isolation Lyrics 16 years ago
I think this song is split. I think is as much about his epilepsy as it is his affair. Let me see if I can break it down here....

In fear every day, every evening
He calls her aloud from above
Carefully watched for a reason
Painstaking devotion and love

I think this could very much be about his epilepsy, but also a comment on his marriage and friends. He's quite frightened of having another seizure, and his family and friends dote on him to ensure that he's alright.

Surrendered to self preservation
From others who care for themselves
A blindness that touches perfection
But hurts just like anything else

Then, I think this is almost a veiled admission of insecurity. He feels like his friends and family love him because they want something--i.e. his manager and bandmates want him to be okay so that they could play, record, and make money. I think that aura sort of moment before seizures is what he's referring to in that blindness--he's unaware of what's going on around him, but feels that sort of "zen" feeling, but, of course, this will lead to a seizure and just give him problems, be it an injury from falling, or what have you. Also, the blindness could be a reference to love. He's focused on his mistress, and feels "perfect" when with her, but in reality, he feels extremely guilty.

Isolation, isolation, isolation

Obvious really--his feelings of isolation from friends and family for the seizures and the affair.

Mother I tried please believe me
I'm doing the best that I can
I'm ashamed of the things I've been put through
I'm ashamed of the person I am

This verse is about his attempts to control his epilepsy through various means (curbing alcohol consumption, etc.) as well as his failed attempts to dissolve his affair. He feels awful for having committed adultery, and he feels guilty that he loves his mistress and can't feel the same for his wife.

Isolation, isolation, isolation

See Above

But if you could just see the beauty
These things I could never describe
These pleasures a wayward distraction
This is my wonderful prize

I think this is a reference to the sort of...almost romantic concept of being married and falling in love with someone else. It's a beauty that is, in some way, awful, hence it being something beyond description. Yet, when he's with his mistress, it's a pleasure, a "wayward distraction" from his internal agonies. It's his "prize". I think it's also interesting that it could possibly be misheard as "this is my wandering prize". For some reason, I think Ian was also interested in classic literature, and having this sort of romantic-tragic affair was almost like a fulfillment. In terms of seizures, the aura before one was his fulfillment.

Isolation, isolation, isolation, isolation, isolation

Finally, see above once again.

submissions
Neutral Milk Hotel – Holland, 1945 Lyrics 16 years ago
Very good analysis holdenn, I agree with you 100%, completely. It all fits, and all fits together nicely...and it holds up for the individual song, as well as for the entire album. Kudos my friend!

submissions
The Slip – Even Rats Lyrics 18 years ago
To me, this song is about being drafted, or going to war.

Even the rats know when trouble's gonna fall....is saying that even the poor, the lowest of the low know when war/unfortunate things are coming and wish to flee just like everyone else.

The Canada reference would be to escape the draft/war.

In my opinion, the Jack and Jill thing is not any specific pointer to being gay or anything of that sort. He's commenting that there's mostly men in government and there needs to more women. He's saying maybe then there wouldn't be so many wars.

"Even though the race may never be won"...although war may not be stopped, we can still work on trying.

"You can have my stereo"...someone heading to war speaking to a friend or family member...and "that's some good home cookin'"...the soldier won't have any more of that in war.

War is the "game"...whoever has the ball tossed to them has to play the game, in other words be drafted and fight. No matter who the ball gets tossed to, it's still to take part in war.

you can play, pay the piper all night long.....you can go to war, or you can go to prison.

And then back to the part about opposing the war.

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Elliott Smith – Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands Lyrics 18 years ago
Pencil full of poison lead= syringe filled with heroin possibly....makes sense.

I think this was like a song to the people who criticized Elliott for his habits. I think he felt like they were trying to get a piece of him, like "oh yeah, everybody cares about me, everybody understands"...meanwhile they were just putting up a false mask to gain his trust.

The brilliant sun and such most likely refers to the medical facility in Nevada or Arizona, I forget which, that Elliott went to.

And the last line

"Fucking ougtha stay away from things you know nothing about"...that's essentially a fuck you to all those who tried to butt into his life and try to force him to treatment.

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Nick Drake – All My Trials Lyrics 18 years ago
Is it just me or does it sound like "All my trials lord, will soon be over".

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Sum 41 – March of the Dogs Lyrics 18 years ago
The blink song uses the same chord. The difference is, the 7th fret in the cord is constantly bent up and down, whereas this song just picks the chord constantly.

It's a chord....you can't copyright a chord, and being it such a simple chord, you can't really call them a copy. It's like it's a complete riff. It's just a chord that a thousand people (nevermind 2) could use.

submissions
Elliott Smith – Pictures of Me Lyrics 18 years ago
Start, stop, and start
Stupid acting smart
Flirting with the flicks
You say it's just for kicks
You'll be the victim of your own dirty tricks
You got yourself to tease and displease
Doors swinging wide
You walked in to hide
Looking at your feet
Failure's complete
Saw you and me on the coin-op TV
Frozen in fear every time we appear

Basically documents getting into drugs...flirting with the flicks...trying the drugs, thinking you can't get addicted, but you slowly get on the slippery slope.
_________________________________________________

I'm not surprised, and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong
See nothing wrong
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me
Completely wrong
Totally wrong

Elliott doesn't see anything wrong with his drug use, but it's seen as horrible by the public.
"These pictures of me"....the false images the media provide of Elliott. They're "Completely wrong, totally wrong" because they don't show who he is.
_________________________________________________

Go walking by
Here comes another guy
Jailer who sells personal hells
Who'd like to see me down on my fucking knees
Everybody's dying just to get the disease
Hey, hey, hey, hey

The disease is the drug....they'll do anything for a hit. And, as previous stated, the dealer provides Elliott with the drugs, keeping him in the prison and acting as his "jailer". And since Elliott wants the drug, he's willing to get "down on his fucking knees" to beg for it.
_________________________________________________

I'm not surprised, and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong
See nothing wrong
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me
Completely wrong
Totally wrong
I'm not surprised, and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong
See nothing wrong
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me
Oh, everybody's dying just to get the disease
Everybody's dying just to get the disease
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

See Above.

submissions
Sum 41 – March of the Dogs Lyrics 18 years ago
Fixed. Thanks man.

I agree, I think it's a great song. To me though, it sounds a bit like a blink-182 song, not bad thing, I like blink, but very punk-pop.

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