| Flake Music – The Shins Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
The Shins (the band) were named after the family the Shins, from the play The Music Man, which was a favorite of Mercers father and obviously had a great effect on him. I imagine this song is titled for the same reason, and some of the imagery is relevant to the musical. And I don't think Mercer writes too many songs about being heartbroken by a girl, because it's so trite. I firmly believe he was a great songwriter from the beginning, and any lyrics he writes about such cliche things like heartbreak wont be written from the same mold as every other pop song. The very first lyric, "Is it too hard when they're nice?" strikes me as an adaptation of the age old script where a thief deceives someone to get close enough to them to rob them of something, like the story of the Music Man works. After the thief gets close enough to his victim he then starts to feel empathy for them because they have been so nice, and it makes it hard to hurt them. Obviously this works on many more levels than that of money or valuables. I am not sure, however, how the rest of the lyrics fit into that mold. I imagine it evaluates the mindset of the wrong-doer. |
|
| The Russian Futurists – Paul Simon Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| i can only think that the artist was influenced by Paul Simon to write this song that is loosely in Simon's style, or that after the artist wrote the song he thought it sounded like Simon. Or one of those meaningless titles, like Zeppelin's "Black Dog" where a black dog wandered into the studio while recording. | |
| The Shins – Phantom Limb Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
if it is true that its about love and lesbians and whatnot this wouldnt make sense but... i have to imagine that the video adds some meaning to the song, and the video shows the story of joan of arc, and pilgrams or something, which made me draw a parallel between joan thinking she was killing for god, and the US adapting a manifest destiny reasoning... but maybe it was coincidence and i was in the right state of mind to be thinking that...the girl love lyrics really fall into place but paint a vague story |
|
| The Shins – Split Needles Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
because of a few key lines ive pictured this song as a war statement... ive pictured this as the govenrment drafting a young man and making kill for reasons that he doesnt necessarily agree with...and mercer focuses on the situation of someone expecting this person to accept opinions and reasons that they may or may not be comfortable with, or want to agree with, or dont agree with but it may not be a war or government situation at all, it could be a religious institution or anything at all..hah |
|
| The Shins – Australia Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
i have a feeling that this song, like most shins songs, works on many levels of love, society, war and politics, and life, as a critique, because mecer and his ideas are just that...deep! i dont think you need to be skeptical that mercer put time into these lyrics and hid many levels of thought in them...in these lyrics particularly i think the humor of the man either saying "eargoggles" or "earfocals" is reference to the music giving you a visual stimulation too, or you could say "letting you see" |
|
| The Beatles – When I'm Sixty-Four Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
i hear, and i think it makes more sense... "grandchildren on your knee, hear a joke and tale." said with an irish accent |
|
| The Shins – Weird Divide Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| A break up song, I think, but in a more happy manner than most. A very nonchalant, caring yet contented manner. Something that shows that he, the author, still suffers from the cliches of relationships of our time, but that he realizes it and deals with it in a...wise manner. The couple were two people that were not meant for each other, and the memory is a good one. | |
| The Shins – My Seventh Rib Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
In the same way this situation could be talking about politics, I think it may be more closely related to a friend or 'girlfriend' speaking slanderous things about the author. More specifically: The first line is about a person who thinks they are above other people so they talk down on them...laugh at them. And so describes the next few lines until the last of the first stanza where he admits he was the last to know of these hurtful words being said, probably about the author. The second stanza seems to be a mixture of saying there are more important things to talk of than negative criticisms, and also that the author has fallen victim to saying negative things too, although he is not proud of it. The third stanza seems to say that like the author and the other person, everyone falls victim to saying these kinds of negative remarks. And the last stanza seems to be blaming the trend to say these bad things on someone, and sugest that just saying these bad things is the tip of the iceberg, and we do bad things as well...there is a larger picture than a few dirty remarks. that may not have made any sense...if so, I hope it wasnt a waste. |
|
| The Shins – Know Your Onion! Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
Although it appears simplistic, I think it is a coming of age story. James describes the time when you realize that all you have been as a kid is really a worthless cancer of society. Not to be too harsh, because all of us are teenagers at some point, but this kid has realized that he/she has been a waste and that his or her friends are stuck in that routine. And it seems that peer pressure would continue to make you act like an idiot to fit in with your peers, but perhaps this person has realized it and escaped it. On a side note, I think a lot of Shins songs are commentaries on the nasty habits of society, and especially teenagers who dont realize what they are doing. Perhaps I am putting too much of my own discomfort into it though. |
|
| Our Lady Peace – Is It Safe? Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| because of the last two lines in particular, "she's on her knees ,please understand how obvious it is that this man must bend", i get the impression that this song is about a situation where someone is being 'broken' in spirit or actions to do something or believe something they didnt want to because so many others feel that way. And i think that fits in with many other songs they have written. | |
| The Shins – Your Algebra Lyrics | 19 years ago |
|
I think the song is about: Every person has their own world view because of all the things they have seen and heard, learned and whatnot. But you have to realize that nothing you know is for certain, and while you can play the percentages you should be prepared for what you know to be true to become false. That is when your algebra fails. If you do not, you will be as Cole and Macy are. They only worry about what they think to be important never thinking outside their own little bubbles. They are rich and exquisite in taste. It seems kids are the only people willing to roll with the punches and accept all new things they are taught. But of course my interpretation is much longer and less accurate than the lyrics which explain themselves! |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.