| The National – Mistaken for Strangers Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Alright, first off it must be said that this song is the definition of "the shit." I looked it up. Now for my take on it, I would have to agree with most above that its a song about the self-induced murder of your youth by joining the "real world." The first part just screams young employee/intern. Running around doing all the bitch work. The picture part makes me think of how people arent admittedly proud of themselves for joining the business world and working for "the man" but don't mind being recognized by the higher ups in pictures or portraits (as long as its in the back and subtle.) All showered up and blazered (which may point out a change from college life and youth which is customly just before a business job) starting out getting paid starter pay or "quarters." The whole part is just about a person starting out and not necessarily happy to be working for the man but at the same time anxious to succeed. The second verse has the most ambiguity. The heart of heart sleeve of sleeve part i think refers to opinions and feeling like previous have said. Like wearing your "emotions on your sleeve," you believe what you do in your heart and then display your stance on your sleeve. The fact that Berninger adds "MAKE UP something to beleive" sound like our main character is a suck-up brown-noser trying to get ahead with the heads. Think the way they do and they'll respect you for it, have your own opinion and you'll suffer for it. That may lead into the feathery woman (most likely an angel) leading the blindfolded man (most likely an older employee whos been fired for our protagonists promotion) into the trees. The 2nd part shows how our main character is moving up in his new world, but for a price. The chorus is awesome. As this person focuses more time on their new career and monetary success (citibank - banks are perfect examples of white collar successful/respectable jobs) they begin to loose touch with their past and friends who are still walking the night streets arm and arm with glazing eyes from being out drinking and having fun. The person is ashamed which is why he wouldn't want an angel watching over, but Berninger points out that angels have no interest in watching him/her walk down the same dull, trite path that so many nameless businessmen walk. Its an uninnocent fall because our leading figure has brought it upon himself. I hope its never me. |
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| Grandaddy – He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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When I think of this song it makes me think of what our society has left for modern man. I start to think back on movies with big, burly valiant heroes fighting out against oppression for freedom or liberty or what have you, or perhaps intellectual, charismatic men outsmarting evil or injustice with their minds. These movies and stories exist because in older times things such as these happened, but it doesn't seem like stories like these can occur today. Our unmitigating system would give no leeway to a man who fought with fists, no matter how meritable the cause, and the best wise men can do now is pray that their words are heard by the select few who've choose to listen. Everything is consumerized and commercialized with the wrong people like paris hilton and nicole richie being glorified by the youth and receiving claim for producing absolutely nothing accept for a nationwide following of braindead teenagers. This is the type of thinking that crawls into my head when I hear this song. There doesn't seem to be room anymore for men with actual, admirable virtues and principles which can be very alienating and demoralizing(not to say that i am such a person). I feel like grandaddy is preaching out to 2000 man(who is such a man) telling him not to give in. The PLANS in the song seem like those that any man makes, to live happily, doing something that they enjoy doing and having the respect that we all start out deserving, but its easy to see that just because you are a good person doesn't mean that the world is going to grant you these things. Chomsky once said something to the nature of "our prisons are filled with people who shouldn't be in prison while we grant power to those who shouldn't be in power." The THEY would then be maybe "corporate" America or "the man" who is responsible for the disenchanted 2000 man. They want him to give in and say they have new plans for him but what they really want is to have his submission like everyone elses. With this point of view its as if grandaddy is singing to 2000 man. Instead of sending the message of the "new plans," there here to tell 2000 man that they think they(the man) want him to give in, but that he should not give in or give up. 2000 man is a revolutionist. The "welcome back to solid ground my friend" and "controls being jammed" part could represent a relapse of things like alcohol, drugs or simple discouraged depression as a result of the world being molded against 2000 man, but that seems to be reaching to fit my meaning to the lyrics. Maybe. Maybe not. After a 1 hour roadtrip in which the only sound from my stereo was this song in repeat, i felt i had to write what it made me think; that 2000 Man is a remaining hope in the degradation of the "good man." |
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