| Matthew Good Band – Giant Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song's about God. "Shake me I'm waiting in your new ark they're saying i'm the creature in your sick thing everybody sees a giant" 'Sick thing' is the world. This also fits with Lauren_atmore's quote from Matthew too. |
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| Jimmy Eat World – My Best Theory Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Unnoticedflare nailed that one. | |
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience – All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Its funny how the joker is complaining to the thief that things are being stolen from him (businessmen drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth) and the thief is complaining to the joker that people don't take life seriously and complains about 'speaking falsely'. The two characters pretty much complain to each other about each other. Did no one else realize this connection? Thoughts? |
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| The Smashing Pumpkins – The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| Raven Pheonix is right, its about Mr. Freeze and his wife who was frozen (Cryogenics). Think about that and listen to the song lyric by lyric. It all makes sense. | |
| Led Zeppelin – I Can't Quit You Baby Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Heroin. | |
| Neil Young – Comes a Time Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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lzphishhead, thats so true. Its such a short and simple song but when i listen to it it evokes alot of emotion. Its about life and how fast it goes by. Drifing as a teenager, lost in this big world, settling down with the girl you love and holding your baby for the first time. The greatest moments in life put into verses. Amazing Song. |
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| Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Floyd7, you pointed out in your analysis that this song and album are deep, yet you pretty much restated the lyrics. Your interpretation was ridiculously superficial, good literal analysis though. lol and to say Syd Barret only did LSD and Weed? haha what are YOU smoking? obviously he did more than that, what are you his dealer or something? This is a quote from Gilmour : "Syd didn't need encouraging. If drugs were going, he'd take them by the shovelful'" | |
| Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Floyd7 , you said the album and song are deep yet your analysis is really superficial, lol you pretty much restated what the lyrics say. good literal analysis though. | |
| Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I have been listening to this song for a while and have come to a conclusion after researching the band and Syd Barrett. I may be going out on a limb here but I found some very interesting things about the lyrics of this song and I have come to the conclusion that Dave Gilmour wrote this song about Syd taking the psychedelic drugs too far. Here is my interpretation: So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain. -Pretty straight forward, Gilmour talking about Syd’s poor judgment. When confronting drug addicts about their addictions, very seldom do they accept it. This was likely the case with Syd. He was likely in denial, not being able to decipher “heaven from hell, blue skies from pain.” Syd didn’t realize the false happiness the drugs were giving him. Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail? A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell? -This is where I begin to recognize interesting properties in the lyrics. When Gilmour uses the word ‘Rail’, it immediately made me think of cocaine. A ‘Rail’, is slang for a single line of coke. It can be assumed that the band members of Pink Floyd used drugs such as cocaine, as many bands did in this era. Gilmour describes Syd as not being able to tell the difference between a ‘green field’ (metaphor for a relatively nice cocaine dosage, recreational) from a ‘cold steel rail’ (a line of cocaine that has lost its recreational value, simply satisfies his addiction). -Gilmour then hints again on Syd’s lack of judgment and the false happiness that the drugs are giving him. Not being able to tell the difference between a ‘smile’ (a fun recreational dose of a drug) from a ‘veil’ (over use of drugs). I came to this idea of the smile/veil metaphor because Veils cover your entire face, where as a smile will only take up the regular amount your mouth would and it means your happy. : ) smile is a safe dose of happiness vs. the veil which takes over. And did they get you trade your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cold breeze? -The use of the word ‘ghost’ follows the drug theme, as ‘ghost’ is slang for LSD. Gilmour asks Syd if he’s trading his heroes for LSD, Is he giving up everything he has for his drug habit. -The ‘hot ashes for trees’ line really reinforces my theory about Syd going too far with the drugs. When I think of hot ashes in drugs, I think of marijuana or other smoked drugs in a pipe. Being that weed isn’t that harmful of a drug I think that Gilmour is probably referring to something like Cocaine, heroin, or other smoked narcotics. When he asks Syd if he’s traded ‘hot ashes’ (once again, metaphor for a light, recreational dose of the drug) for trees (An entire plant of the drug-metaphor for over-use of the drug) he once again, compares Syd going overboard on the drugs, not knowing the difference between a recreational dose and his addiction. - The next line ‘Hot air for a cool breeze?’ refers to Nitrous Oxide. Nitrous Oxide or ‘laughing gas’ is what dentists and other medical professionals use as an anesthetic during an operation. When inhaled at room temperature (hence the ‘hot air’) it gives euphoria and hallucinations. The slang for inhaling nitrous oxide is ‘shooting the breeze’. This is where Gilmour reinforces Syd’s over-use of the drug. ‘Hot air for a cool breeze’ = a good high vs. overkill of the drug. -I keep thinking that in the ‘heroes for ghosts’ line, the word ‘heroes’ might be referring to heroin because ‘hero’ is slang for heroin but I haven’t been able to figure it out. It would fit the subtle use of drug slang in this song. Any ideas? Cold comfort for change? And did you exchange A walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? -Gilmour tells Syd he changed. ‘Cold comfort for change’ means that the drugs are great recreationally (cold comfort), but Syd took the comfort too far and it changed him. -‘A walk on part in the war’ -this ‘war’ Gilmour mentions is the recreational use of drugs. Like a battle against reality, in a fun sense of using the drugs. Gilmour is describing that Syd started like all the band did, as a ‘walk on role’ (dabbling in drug use) and ended up with a ‘lead role’ (got too involved) in a ‘cage’ (the hysteria of drug abuse. Syd is trapped in addiction) How I wish, how I wish you were here. -In 1965-1967 Syd’s performances on stage became unpredictable with his abuse of drugs such as LSD. After a shoddy tour in the states, Pink Floyd hired a new guitarist to play Syd’s part, but still allowed Syd to be on stage at concerts, although he mostly wandered aimlessly, tripping out on LSD. Finally, In March 1968 it was officially announced that he was no longer a member of Pink Floyd. -Gilmour misses Syd Barrett wishing he was still in a state to be in the band. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, running over the same old ground. What have we found? The same old fears, wish you were here. -Gilmour compares himself to Barrett as being lost. This is where the song becomes more literal and self-explanatory. Gilmour misses Barrett and the old days when the founding members including Gilmour and Barrett created such a successful impact in music. I think this is a sad song about the deterioration of Syd Barrett. He was caught up in the world of drug addiction as many people are and was unable to come back. Gilmour wishes he was there still. I think my interpretation is pretty accurate and I did a lot of research about drugs, the band, and Syd Barrett, but if I missed something or if you would like to expand upon, criticize or comment on my interpretation please do so. I love this site and analyzing lyrics. This is a great song and no doubt a deep one, have fun with it. BOB |
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