submissions
| Stereolab – Slow Fast Hazel Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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I totally concur with DevastatorJr above. Marxist theory is a good place to start uncovering what Laetitia's thinking with her songs. This song in particular is very incisive not only as a thumbnail view of historical materialism, but also as a critique of ideology. "Philosophy" is mentioned alongside "steel work" and "the Soviets" as if it had happend as an isolated event and not as a continuing endevor. What is implied is that philosophy is no longer a viable enterprise, it is dead, no longer active. This is technically not true since there are plenty of philosopher PhDs to be found still "philosophizing". But Laetitia's point is well taken: why conitnue traditional paradigms of thought/action that have brought humanity nowhere? |
submissions
| Stereolab – People Do It All the Time Lyrics
| 18 years ago
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I think this song is about Laetitia’s son Alex, that was born to her in 1998, the year before this album was released. The main idea of her newborn is clear from the lines like "baby, you are a joy/ I want you free when you grow, boy." The rest of the song makes sense around this central theme of reproducing and having a baby that represents a continuation beyond one's self. If you stretch that concept a little, the confusing part that comes after might be more clear. She expects him to "Revive the old idea that we carry," in other words, Alex embodies the commitment to expression and creativity that both Tim and Laetitia demonstrate in their work as original and innovative musical artists. It’s an “old” idea since artists and free-thinkers have been around since the beginning of civilization. As for the title…. um… the “it” probably just means sex, since after all lots of people do have sex and lots of people have babies. Such a matter-of-fact statement as “People do it all the time” adds a lot of irony to the song, given that Alex is a new “joy” to her and obviously a significant part of her life now. |
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