| Elliott Smith – Happiness/The Gondola Man Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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I'd like to point out to all those offering their interpretations and claiming it's the only correct one: Elliott Smith, like many great artists, didn't quite understand the full true meaning of his lyrics. On Son of Sam: "It's not about the serial killer, I'm not sure exactly what it's about because it's just sort of like telling someone a dream you had last night. There are some destructive figures in it, 'Son of Sam', Shiva... but Shiva's also associated with creativity... I'm not sure... it's just an impressionistic song about destruction and creativity, I guess; if it's about anything." Again, like many great songs, any number of meanings can be applied to this and his other songs. |
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| Porcupine Tree – The Creator Has A Mastertape Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Drew, I think you're overcomplicating the significance of 'staring into the void' 'I stared into the void tonight // The best dream I ever had' Seems to mean that he dreamt nothing, or had nothing at all on his mind (was at peace for a change), and it was 'the best dream [he] ever had' meaning every other dream he ever had dark and tormentuous. |
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| Porcupine Tree – The Creator Has A Mastertape Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Drew, I think you're overcomplicating the significance of 'staring into the void' 'I stared into the void tonight // The best dream I ever had' Seems to mean that he dreamt nothing, or had nothing at all on his mind (was at peace for a change), and it was 'the best dream [he] ever had' meaning every other dream he ever had dark and tormentuous. |
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| Porcupine Tree – The Sound Of Muzak Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Actually, I think SW would throw this song as a complete opposite to the theme for a certain reason. I don't think this song has anything to do with the theme*, but morely has to do with SW's feelings towards the music industry (which is bleedingly obvious on the veneer). If you take a deeper look into the general theme of the album, it's talking about a rapist/serial killer, that seems to be the general concensus. From my knowledge of the music industry, not too many artists have chosen this type of theme for their albums, probably straying away from the grotesque and disgusting sides. But maybe SW has chosen this to directly spite the new-age sets of music. He may be possibly telling the music industry as a whole to go fuck themselves with their choice in music. He is choosing to show the world that he can make beautiful music out of real world topics, and real world imagery rather than bubble-gum and unicorn pop-songs. Maybe I'm off base. That's just what it means to me. *I put this here intentionally to throw in another interpretation. If it is meant to be the inner workings of the crazy's head, possibly he is a musician that is getting destroyed by terrible music, and the terrible choices of the music producers. |
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| Porcupine Tree – Lips of Ashes Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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To me, it seems this song is speaking of necrophilia. Taking into account the generally agreed upon theme of "Blackest Eyes" and the theme of "In Absentia" that it's about a man who's either a sadistic rapist/rapist gone crazy, take note of line 2: "Lips of Ashes," and line 4: "Blue vein crashes." This brings the notion to my mind of him looking over the child he had killed, s/he's been dead a while --"Lips of ashes" as if her lips were dried and cracking-- and he notices her dying veins which are "blue." When are your veins ever blue? In latter years of life and in death. The way PT matches saddening musical content with disgusting and sometimes terrifying lyrical content is just magical. Although scary to think about, it is also seemingly a talent not everyone can posses. (Btw, I realize my interpretation seems somewhat short). |
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