| Why? – Simeon's Dilemma Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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It's definitely about a girl that Yoni had a hard time getting over. Same girl that's the subject matter for a lot of his songs. I like this song because it captures that borderline-obsessive, borderline-stalking kind of behavior everyone has a tendency for. sarajevo nailed it. Behaviors like following her on his bike as she's moving, cutting her age into his hand with a butter knife, constantly thinking about her, hearing her name in wedding bells, etc. I think we've all had someone who really got to us in a similar way. At the same time, it's a completely romantic song. Lines like "You're the only proper noun I need" and "Are you a female young messiah" more than make up for the creepy overtones. |
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| Why? – Simeon's Dilemma Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| It's just another way to express the "Are you a messiah?" idea. Pulling a plastic bag off someone's head would be saving them from suffocation, etc. | |
| Modest Mouse – Florida Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I don't think this song has anything to do with Florida really. I think it has to do with drugs. When he says he's leaving Florida, I think he means that's a euphemism as getting high. "Although we often wondered It was no thing of wonder The shit that flew from our minds" Perhaps referring to a psychedelic like LSD or peyote? The wonder and awe one might experience can easily later be described as nothing more than an effect of the drug. "While wearing stains of fresh fruit And riding on shoes of horse glue On this ridiculous climb" How obvious can he be? Horse glue is a metaphor for drugs. "On this ridiculous climb" is describing the ascent of a drug high. "With great tunnel vision We built ourselves a mission To ride our motives design" He's saying they took the drugs with purpose; they got high for the sake of getting high--that was the mission, the goal. "It was always worth it That's the part I seem to hide" He's saying for all the downsides to his drug use, it was worth it in the end for the positive experiences he had. "And the busy ant empire Put up the closing sign" Busy ant empire meaning society. Needing to function in this "ant empire" requires sobriety. "I wasn't always cargo I was once kind of my own I guess I'll pack up my mind" He wasn't always controlled (or carried) by the drugs, he was once sober. Packing up his mind is a euphemism for getting high, letting the drugs take him (cargo) away. "It took so much effort Not to make an effort Oh, what a flawless design" It takes a lot of work to get high and do nothing. "Even as I left Florida Far enough, far enough Wasn't far enough Couldn't quite seem to escape myself" He's saying he couldn't ever get high enough. "I stood on my heart's porch thinking "Oh my God, I'll probably have to carry this whole load" I couldn't remember if I tried I couldn't remember if I took my brain out Threw it so directly at the goal I couldn't remember if I I could have my mind erased And still not know exactly what I don't already know" I think this describes introspective struggles of a psychedelic trip perfectly. He wonders if he has to "carry this whole load" meaning a very large dose; he doesn't know if his mind can handle it. Heart's porch is a metaphor for caring about oneself. |
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| System of a Down – Aerials Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Ego Death is also a recurring theme in Eastern religion, such as Buddhism and especially Hinduism. It's not just a drug thing. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a great starting point to understanding these lyrics. |
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| System of a Down – Aerials Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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This song appears to be based on an experience called Ego Death, which can be had during a strong psychedelic experience or through other natural means. "Life is a waterfall, We're one in the river, And one again after the fall." This refers to what is called--in many cultural references regarding Ego Death--the "Void". The Void is the source for everything, you me and everything in between. The lyrics are simply saying that before your Life, you were One with the Universe--with the Void. "Swimming through the void We hear the word, We lost ourselves, But we find it all?" These lines refer to the fact that when you come into this world, you develop a sense of self, a sense of Ego. We "find it all?" in the sense that we learn and grow, but do we really learn anything in the fundamental sense? No. "Cause we are the ones that want to play, Always want to go, But you never want to stay," In the psychedelic community, the things you do in day to day life are oftentimes referred to as Games, i.e. you play the game of George who is a pilot who is married and has children, etc. These lines refer to this. "And we are the ones that want to chose, Always want to play, But you never want to lose." Building on the last meaning, these lines state the fact that we want to play the game, but we want to chose how it turns out--we don't like losing our games. "Aerials, in the sky, When you lose small mind, You free your life." A perfect example of the attitude of those who have undergone Ego Death. The death of the Ego (self) is liberation, you become one with the Void again and gain infinite wisdom (the White Light). "Life is a waterfall, We drink from the river, Then we turn around and put up our walls." Again referencing the Void--the water--we are born out of the water--"drink from the river"--and then we develop the sense of self/ego--"put up our walls". The remaing lyrics regarding "eternal prize" refer to the White Light of the Void. |
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