| The Knife – You Make Me Like Charity Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I think there's a sense of sexuality here, but a violent sexuality that's a metaphor for imperialism given the creepy tone, the reference of war in the newspapers, etc. "You make me like charity/instead of paying enough taxes" HAS to be a reference to the practice of not paying taxes, or not paying the full amount, because one doesn't want to fund a war by one's government, and instead paying this money to charity. I think this is a song in support of UKers/Americans who engage in that practice to protest the Iraq invasion/war. The Knife are leftwing and the album was being recorded in 2003 iirc. |
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| The Knife – From Off to On Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| This song is weirdly (and maybe darkly) funny. It seems to be about television watching, consumer culture, mass media, and alienation from one's own body and physical sensation. I think it's touching on how messed up the lifestyle of going to work and then coming home and watching television in a constant cycle is. There might be a stultified relationship somewhere in there too. | |
| The Knife – Still Light Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I'm quite sure it's about a young person who damaged herself in a suicide attempt. She needs medical care, the doctor seems to be trying to comfort her in part (hand holding), but also suggests she brought on her own malady with a phrase often directed at suicide attemptees ("could it be worse", "it" being whatever caused her to attempt suicide). The narrator then seems to give a fragmented account of the mindset leading to the attempt. It almost sounds like a student under tremendous pressure for higher education entrance exams, or exams within higher education, or something of that sort. If "is it still light outside" refers to the constant daylight (in addition to the obvious metaphor) I wonder if that gives a clue. Are there exams or some other pressure-inducing thing around that time of year in Sweden? |
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