| Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think the whole life in a glass house reference has more to do with being watched, by either the government or whoever. She puts on a smile because she knows she is in trouble with the government or society. She papers up the windows to try and give her some privacy in this see-through house of glass. And the second verse describes human beings in the perspective of the elite, packed like frozen food and hens and all starving. It is here I think Thom is saying don't talk politics and throw stones your royal highnesses, because you are the hypocrites who are responsible for these injustices on humanity. Its like he has called out all the politicians on their hypocrisies. And of course we would love to sit around and chat and discuss all the imperfections of the governments and how we can do better, but they are watching our every move through the glass walls. This verse I feel could be directed at the media or at the people talking out against the government. Ill explain the latter. I think it could be that the people are outraged with the politicians running the show, but its a strange mistake to make, because they could be killed or jailed for their unhappiness with the ruling class. The people should "know better" and turn the other cheek to avoid being caught planning to change the way things are run. Because it is easy for the government to see into the glass house and all the plans we might have to take the power back from them. And the last verse once again details that the people would love to sit around and chat about their distaste for the ruling governments, but do not in fear of being "taken out". I think the "Holy, Holy, Holy" part is just a bellowing call that refers to the ruling class, the "Holy" being the elite, and a satirical stab at those who rule, poking fun at the "Holy" who think the have the divine right to rule. I really think at the very end of the song he says "Is someone listening in?" As more of a question that ends the album with this feeling of overwhelming paranoia. I feel that the song details the paranoia that not only Thom has, but that mostly all people have. Also, I forgot to mention Thom's distaste with governments world-wide for those who didn't already know that. That may help my cause a bit in explaining why I think the song has a lot to do with governments watching us. It just rings even more close to home now with the implementation of the Patriot Act in the U.S. We are all being watched. |
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| Modest Mouse – Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I feel like it is broken down like so.... "Well, all's not well But I'm told that it'll all be quite nice You'll be drowned in boots like Mafia But your feet will still float like Christ's And I'll be damned They were right I'm drowning upside down My feet afloat like Christ's" So we have Isaac, an atheist as we all know. This "Mafia" could be the church chasing after him telling him it will all be quite nice, even though all is not well. But since he seems to disagree, they come after him and drown him in styrofoam boots. As we all know, styrofoam floats thus he drowns upside down. His feet afloat like Christs(the clever trick he pulled walking on water) Its very typical of the church to attack those who disagree with it, so that is why they go after him(him being Issac). "I'm in heaven Trying to figure out which stack They're going to stuff us atheists into When Peter and his monkey laugh And I laugh with them I'm not sure what at They point and say "We'll keep you in the back Polishing halos, baking manna and gas" So he dies and goes to heaven. A surprise for an atheist. So he tries to figure out why he is there and where he belongs. Peter(at the gates of heaven) and his monkey(possibly a cronie of Peter) laugh at him. He laughs along with Peter and the monkey nervously as if he understands the joke still trying to figure out why an atheist is in heaven. So Peter says "we'll keep you in the back" doing all the dirty work. Manna is the bread God gave the Jews during their whole 40 year spiel through the desert. So basically Isaac is stuck doing the labor in heaven. "Well, some guy comes in looking a bit Like everyone I ever seen He moves just like Crisco disco Breath 100% Listerine He says looking at something else But directing everything to me "Every time anyone gets on their knees to pray Well, it makes my telephone ring And I'll be damned" He said, "You were right No one's running this whole thing" This whole scene seems to take place in some sort of bar like atmosphere in my mind, but for the sake of decoding the song, maybe lets say after a long day of "baking manna and gas." Issac comes into contact with another laborer in heaven. The guys is your average crisco disco guy. He seems to be worn out,maybe hes been there for awhile, and so he gives Isaac advice in a very weary way not looking the newcomer in the eyes but saying "anytime anyone gets on their knees and prays it makes my telephone ring." Maybe this man is the guy god puts in charge of running the phones(the prayers to god). He tells Isaac "you were right, no one is running this whole thing" Reassuring Isaac and even though he is an atheist and God exists, God isnt running the show, and Isaac was right about that (a belief atheists share, that God isnt running the show.) It makes heaven seem very bureaucratic, almost like a business. Which I definitely find interesting. Maybe there should be more thought on that. "He had a theory, too He said that God takes care of himself God takes care of himself And you of you He said that God takes care of himself God takes care of himself And you of you He said that God takes care of himself God takes care of himself And you of you" Plain and simple, God looks after himself(or herself) and you watch your own back, because no matter how many prayers you make, the guy who answers that phone call is just working for God, and somewhere in the bureaucratic system of heaven, your prayer was lost in the paper work, never to be heard. "It's all nice on ice, all right And it's not day And it's not night But it's all nice on ice, all right" Here is where a lot of people say that this song is about meth or whatever but I dont buy it. What I think is that Isaac is killed by being drowned obviously. But how can you drown if the water is iced over? It would be all nice on ice because if the water was frozen when the "Mafia" tried to drown him, their attempt at killing Isaac would be futile, once again because the ice is frozen. Keep in mind I strongly believe the "Mafia" to be the church because they try and teach Isaac a lesson by making his feet "walk" on water like Christ. Though he obviously is upside down and dies, his feet still float on the water like Christs. The "It aint day and it aint night" lyric I think only means that in heaven, time does not exist. There is no day, and no night. But sorry for the broken record I may sound like, it would be all nice on ice because then Isaac would be alive, not working as a slave to God because he wasnt a Christian. The atheists get stuck in the back doing all of the dirty work. |
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| Annuals – Brother Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Now I've grown bold, and lonely. This is such an amazing song. A rare gem |
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