| The Apples in Stereo – Please Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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Brilliant, genius even, pop vocal harmonies over pure rock guitars dripping with distortion. The Apples at their best. Robert is a master of this genre, perhaps even the preeminent pop songwriter of our generation. If he hasn't proven that with his last couple albums that dipped even heavier into the dance pop arena, you need only look back to THE VELOCITY OF SOUND or THE DISCOVERY OF A WORLD INSIDE THE MOON to comprehend his influence, intelligence, and uniqueness. Also, the songwriting credits for this are effed up. McFly (the band credited) did not write this song. Not at all. |
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| Fruit Bats – Magic Hour Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| The "magic hour" can mean a few different things. It can also be the hour just before sunlight, in a hunting sense -- the hour when things are waking up, but you still have the cover of darkness. It can also refer to the time of night when the lights are dimmest and the moon is either setting, or out of the way, when the stars are easiest to see. This last meaning is the one I like to think he's referring to. | |
| Tullycraft – Pink Lemonade Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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Not sure about the last line of the first verse, but this is what I hear / what makes sense. ‎"Taps on my shoes, cigarettes are new, A lo-fi suicide, don't curl up and die for me! I see what you say, I hear what you did, Hurried up and did you fool, so go hang out with Johnny, not with me!" |
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| Lifter Puller – Mission Viejo Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I'm not convinced it's *about* cocaine, although the major image of the song is clearly cocaine, or specifically crack. I'm pretty sure he's using drug use as a metaphor for a relationship he knows he'll have to quit, but is taking too much pleasure in it to call it off at the moment. | |
| Portastatic – San Andreas Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I have a slightly different take on it. At least on the surface, you're right, it's about a long-distance relationship with a person who lives in CA. But I think CA is just a metaphor for somewhere foreign to the singer. He's using the setting and the idea of an earthquake to say the subject is a world away and imagining they're in a situation they aren't prepared for -- some disastrous trouble -- and the singer feels helpless for his inability to save them. He sees things that remind him of where she is, imagines the surroundings (shaking freeways I can't name), even tries to contact her, but to no avail and is left wondering. Is she just unavailable? Has she fallen victim to the vicious new world she's in? Or is she just waiting for him to join her? |
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| The Clientele – Kelvin Parade Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I probably have about a dozen "favorite" Clientele songs, but this is the one I always come back to. I can't even really properly explain why. Perhaps the second verse, the spiraling guitar work, the balance of composition between pure pop and jangly psychedelia, the balance of concept between reality and dream. I don't know. Freaking great song though. If not their best, probably their most underrated. | |
| The Magnetic Fields – Take Ecstasy With Me Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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First off, great song from one of the greatest albums ever recorded. While Merritt's vocals on this track will be the memory that persists for the rest of my life, I also must say that the version featuring Susan Anway as lead singer (Oh, Merge! and Obscurities compilations) is equally haunting. Now, as for the topics that have been discussed here so far... It's far more than just an account of homophobic violence (and, while it almost certainly does tell the story of a homosexual relationship, there are ways to look at it from the perspective of a heterosexual relationship that is deemed by others as being wrong or unfounded; in this way I feel it's somewhat non-specific and lends itself to any lovers that are persecuted). The lines pertaining to the violence -- "A vodka bottle gave you those raccoon eyes. / We got beat up just for holding hands." -- make up only a part of the whole story told, not the focal point. Rather, the focus of the song is much broader, on their relationship in its entirety. As many of you have pointed out, that is one instance that made them stronger, both through enduring something so traumatic together, and through being singled out and set apart from the rest of the world in a place all their own. As to the image of "raccoon eyes" specifically, in its most literal form this phrase refers to periorbital ecchymosis. I don't want to bore you with the details, which you can gleam from a very simple google search, but basically it's a sign of head injury which in this situation implies that the subject was beaten violently with a vodka bottle. There are other interpretations, however, of "raccoon eyes" that could fit easily into this line and so I'm guessing the genius that is Stephin Merritt used this term intentionally. For instance, it could be the droopy, dark circles symptomatic of a hangover. It could be the outcome of a drunken fight that led to two black eyes of the usual kind (the medical "raccoon eyes" is a very different kind of black eye). It could be the visual effect of mascara smearing and running after a drunken argument between lovers. In all likelihood, this phrase was chosen by Merritt for its multiple inferrable meanings as well as its specific literal meaning. As a few others have mentioned, the use of tenses is very important in the song as a whole. The first verse is all spoken in terms of "used to", which is very different from the single-instance past tense of the second verse. This is a little bit of a grammar nut's trick that gives the two verses very different meanings. The first is comprised of things that the narrator remembers the subject for, images that form the most elementary memories of him. This is not the voice you would use to tell a story, but to give context to a character, and *implies* that things are not this way any more, but does not directly say they have changed. As someone who has studied Merritt's writing style for a long time, I personally take this as a detail vital to the understanding of the song. Likely, the literal sliding down the stairs and building of gingerbread houses does not take place any more but is still figuratively accurate. Instead of actually having taffy pulls, they now have the sticky, saccharine sweetness of love. They haven't lost their innocence, but found new innocence in adult romance rather than pre-adolescent companionship. The second verse is all written as a story. Where the first verse is a photo album, the second is a short film, a glimpse into a particular instance that brought the two closer together. The rest of the song is very abstract and tangled, and the second verse gives all the rest of it a core to wrap itself around. This is the part that gives the listener that moving, undeniable, gut-wrenching connection to the song. And the chorus... The chorus is absolutely perfectly written. It is the tissue that binds the muscle of the first verse to the bone of the second. Written in the imperative present sense, it reinforces that the love is current, not a thing of the past, and gives a little context to the dynamics of the relationship. Notice he doesn't ask, or say it nicely, or suggest it. He clearly, cleanly, and demandingly states "Take ecstasy with me, baby. Take ecstasy with me." This implies that the narrator is the more assertive and commanding of the two, and that he recognizes the subject still loves him but wants him to give verifiable life to that romance by dropping e. I wouldn't read too much into the use of "ecstasy" in its specific use here, saying it's a gay drug, although that does give some subtle lining to it. Rather, I think it's merely a symbol of the counterculture that the song is drenched in. It should also be noted that you could not really use any other drug in its place as a songwriter. "Smoke pot with me", "Shoot h with me", "Snort blow with me", and even the non-specific "Do drugs with me": none of these work at all here. Ecstasy is by far the most romantic drug for shared use among partners, no matter the sexes, and its very name gives light to that fact. It can be enjoyed between two people in bed, at a party, on a quiet night in, dancing at a club, and in a number of other situations. Therefore, I see it more as a command for the subject of the song to come share in all the euphoric joys of a counterculture life with the narrator. Last thought, the !!! cover of this song is terrible, abhorable, and does an incredible injustice to the Magnetic Fields and Stephin Merritt as a writer. How are you going to take some of the most iconic lines ever written by one of the two or three most prolific songwriters in decades, and completely change them? When I heard that cover, I immediately began my boycott of !!!. |
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| The Mountain Goats – Fall of the Star High School Running Back Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Oh, and @Durango: agreed. | |
| The Mountain Goats – Fall of the Star High School Running Back Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Having spoken to JD about this topic specifically, I will relate to you what he explained to me. This, like most of his songs, is not about a particular person, and especially not about anyone named "William Standeforth Donahue", as he's never known or observed anyone by that name. Part of the name, I think "William Standeforth...", was taken from a doctor's office he was at sometime during the writing of ALL HAIL. He just liked the name, and it fit the meter of the song well. And it is "William Standeforth Donahue" on the ALL HAIL recording, but has been sung differently at several live shows. He has acknowledged this, but I don't remember if he ever said it was intentionally changed or just sort of came out that way. Dunno. He was pretty open on the topic though, when asked. | |
| Passion Pit – Smile Upon Me Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Yes, 60 miles, we would be rolling our eyes at you if we had not already gouged them out, not ever wanting to have to see something that stupid ever again. Twilight? Come on. As for the meaning of this song, you have to understand the meaning of the entire recording from which it came. The whole EP was written as an apology to his girlfriend. That being said, this song is about having messed up in some way in their relationship and wanting to stick through the tough times together rather than be separated and dealing with the issues on their own. |
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| The Decemberists – Shankill Butchers Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| The Sarah Jarosz cover of this is terrific. | |
| Au Revoir Simone – Shadows Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Ditto, selujxx. | |
| Phoenix – Lisztomania Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| That sounds about like pitchfork. | |
| Anya Marina – All the Same to Me Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| heh | |
| Anya Marina – Move You Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| onetwofold is correct. It's particularly evident in the daytrotter version. | |
| The Mountain Goats – Attention All Pickpockets Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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you forgot the: "And, the new song, which has no title as of yet. 1, 2, 3, 4..." |
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| The Mountain Goats – Alabama Nova Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Love it. |
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| of Montreal – Death Dance of Omipapas and Sons for You Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I hear "limp lips are calling me to dance" | |
| of Montreal – Kid Without Claws Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| This song is the reason I'm an of Montreal fan, although I like to think that had I not heard it, I'd have found my way to them eventually. But yeah, this and "Sleeping in the Beetle Bug" are the ones that hooked me. | |
| of Montreal – Mimi Merlot Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Oh? You want me to suck? Like this...? | |
| of Montreal – An Introduction for Isabell Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| @LeSerpent so true | |
| of Montreal – Peacock Parasols Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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One of my all-time faves |
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| Animal Collective – Guys Eyes Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| yeah I'm pretty sure the part they repeat is "What I want to do..." (the "do" is hard to pick up sometimes but if you listen hard it's almost like a pick up note for the next repetition.) kind of nitpicky, yes, but whatever. | |
| The Mountain Goats – Transjordanian Blues Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Played an amazing version of this at ZOOP2. |
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| of Montreal – St. Exquisite's Confessions Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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So just a dream back to the surface, Clarify my empty elephant of some beautiful death. |
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| of Montreal – Wicked Wisdom Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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**hands down** **could even argue Satanic Panic** |
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| of Montreal – Wicked Wisdom Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| To say that this is their best records, hand down, is a little naive. Unless you've only been listening since the Sunlandic Twins, that is a pretty ridiculous statement -- Gay Parade? Coquelicot? Cherry Peel? You could even Satanic Panic is better. But I'll agree this is their best in years. | |
| of Montreal – Nonpareil of Favor Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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@mrpiddles - Nope... no freaking idea. Was coming here to find out the same thing. |
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| Passion Pit – Folds in Your Hands Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| "I will crush, I will maul, I will burn until I get to you..." | |
| Sparklehorse – Ghost In The Sky Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| One of my all-time sparklehorse faves. | |
| Sparklehorse – Eyepennies Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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The pennies in the eyes reference is (imho) not speaking to the fact that he sees only money. I accept your theory of the song being about leaving behind one's past (or childhood, if you will), but the pennies reference is definitely an allusion to the ancient tradition of placing coins in the eyes of the recently departed (side note: this tradition was shared among many of the ancient cultures with different variants on the specifics of the reasoning for doing so). Also, it's not about reincarnation, although I understand the logic behind that theory. The real key to understanding that point is knowing where he is speaking literally as opposed to figuratively. His "return" is not the symbolic or metaphorical part of the statement, but rather the "bones" (as a symbol for memories, which he goes on to clarify.) Plus, none of the rest of the song has a d--n thing to do with reincarnation. "I held my hand in the fire, burned me down to the wires" basically means he has knowingly put himself in an uncomfortable situation, but didn't realize it would reveal his true colors, expose his bare inner makings. Also, another note about the pennies in the eyes thing: the monkeys are not necessarily placing the pennies on his eyes. These lines simply say that the monkeys (which I contend are the connections to his old life -- friends, habits, things that we attach ourselves to) will "fly" (flee, scatter, run off), and leave him (or his old self) dead and ready to pass to the next completely different life (or stage of life). The second verse I've always had a little trouble deciphering, mainly because the images differ so much from those in the rest of the song. My best guess is that he's simply trying to convey a feeling or way of seeing things here. Blood suckers and black fumes sound scary, but the bleeding of the skin with a leech in non-western medicine is sometimes the only remedy (particularly for toxins transmitted in the bloodstream, i.e. a snake bite). The cat on his chest (and I can see the cat as a symbol for every-day pressure, possibly) while he's sleeping would seem uncomfortable and unbearable at first, but to me he seems to take comfort in it being there (or else he would be sleepless with a cat on his breast) and in the fact that it shortens his breath, calms his heart, keeps him grounded perhaps. |
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| The Mountain Goats – Going to Brazil Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Just trying to find a recording of this song. Please help? | |
| Au Revoir Simone – Only You Can Make You Happy Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I think this song is about individualism. | |
| Au Revoir Simone – All Or Nothing Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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"Won't be long that's just to gaze, And days will fall to dreams, something familiar." |
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| Bon Iver – Lump Sum Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| p.s. the daytrotter version is amazing. | |
| Bon Iver – Lump Sum Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Something key to the understanding of this song... the first line is "Sold my cold knot FOR a heavy stone". This is particularly more evident in the daytrotter.com sessions version. I know it's a small correction, but a rather important one. He's not selling the stone, but selling the knot that has tied him down to one place and in return taking a stone, something to keep him grounded but not in the same place. Clearly this is about getting away from everything that wears on his mind, and moving to Brackett, or just WI in general. | |
| Bon Iver – Flume Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| In my opinion, "gluey feathers" is more of a literal reference to the pale gray-white feathers of the leary loons on the water, which then gives way to one of the major metaphors of the song - water as his love, or ability to love. The flume, then, is probably a metaphor for these past relationships gone awry (romantic and band-related) - the extraction of that love in a way and to a place that is unnatural for it. | |
| Bon Iver – Babys Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I, too, disagree. | |
| of Montreal – Faberge Falls for Shuggie Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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@ciprianiii: This really is such a sad, sad song despite some of the very groovy and happy-sounding melodies. Example: "Now that the parachute has opened, well, don't it make you feel good?" It seems (at first) relatively harmless from a lyrical standpoint and has a really awesome melody, but it's really such a sappy line if you understand what he is talking about and who he's talking to. The evolution of Kevin's songwriting and wit and lyrical range is really a thing of beauty. Also, it should be noted that this song is not only a sad song, but also a somewhat empowering song. Because while he is being torn apart by Nina (and that is certainly nothing to be happy about), he also responds strongly and with conviction to her proddings with "Never, never, never!" |
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| of Montreal – Faberge Falls for Shuggie Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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@Evancesanek: Thank you for reminding us of that reference. It had completely slipped my mind until now, although really the meaning of the reference is something that was not entirely lost on me. The significance of this line plays right into the overall analysis ciprianiii gave. The bird in Siddhartha's dream is in this reference (although unspoken) probably alluding to the past love between Nina and himself. The bird in his chest (which is where Kevin picks up with the allusion) is his memory of this love, and is his guiding voice, the rope pulling him forward (although here in more of a romantic sense than spiritual). And although those with the golden axes (Nina) have tried to convince him that his soul, his ability to love, is dead, he exclaims that that will never happen. "Never, never, never!" |
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| mewithoutYou – The Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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The real meat of this song, both in meaning and lyricism, is in my opinion the last verse. Just from a lyrical standpoint - word choice, composition, rhythm, all of it - this is a masterpiece of a verse. "and we'll rest upon the Knee, where all divisions cease to be, and rootbeer float in our Banana Boat across the Tapioca sea." It's absolutely beautiful. In terms of the meaning of the song, this line leads right into the moral. "When letting all attachments go is the only prayer we know, may it be so, Amen" |
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| mewithoutYou – Timothy Hay Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I'm thinking that the Timothy hay is an allusion to the meaningless, mundane, bland and trivial nature of our time here and the feeling that there must be something better elsewhere. The part that intrigues me most is the part about the rats by the tracks. Oh and it's: "while the Holland Lops in the Karakung Glades..." |
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| Bon Iver – Sides Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Where can I find this song? | |
| Passion Pit – Eyes as Candles Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Yep, and thanks. I'll be finishing these lyrics and proposing the correct edits for other songs either tonight or tomorrow. | |
| Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Thanks for the update! | |
| Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| (check out the samples on amazon.com, other sites...) Also, thanks for helping me finish my lyrics for this track. | |
| Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| This song is actually titled "Eyes as Candles" ("Thrown back through the dark with your eyes as my candle.") | |
| Passion Pit – Eyes as Candles Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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(Also, in the last verse - which I can't make out much of - there is a line "your eyes as my candles", so hopefully that solves the title debate) |
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| Passion Pit – Eyes as Candles Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Help with the lyrics is welcome, by the way | |
| of Montreal – She's a Rejecter Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| ciprianiii is right | |
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