| Sufjan Stevens – Enchanting Ghost Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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It appears, on first and subsequent listens that this narrator tries to rekindle what was once there. Perhaps trying to be again what he once was. However, the object of his affections wants to progress, move forward. And Sufjan's use of "scenery" like a play, seems to indicate that he is staging things. Showing her a false image of himself. Therefore if it suffocates her, he tells her he'll recast it. Change things but not reveal the truth of things. However, the refrain seems to indicate that he's aware that she is going to leave and he in fact encourages it. Perhaps seeing in her a ghost, a remembrance of things that once were. Also, it goes into the dichotomy of him trying to build something and her wishing for momentum. In the second verse we find him again as the carpenter, the carrier. Him wanting to bring love and liveliness. However, his edges (the rough aspects of his personality) are too sharp for her. He in himself brings is the poison to the cure he wishes to provide. A pest who wishes to be something else. In the second refrain we have him once again dueling with his desires. At once wishing to bring her happiness, love but also realizing that he has no power over her own desires. And that's what was so enchanting, her breeziness. Once again, we have a room for them to speak alone, akin to the scene of the past he'd rebuild but they both grieve/suffocate her. It's like the saying "If it's meant to be, release it and it will come back to you". He then goes on to talk of the keepsakes, the four anointing oils and interestingly a paper weight. First, the anointing oils goes back to Christianity, also her enchanting ghost has a vague parallel to the Holy Ghost, God's agent of grace. Perhaps he views her as his grace? Also, the paperweight is meant to keep things in place. To make sure papers stay secure. And, oils once exposed evaporate and disappear. Again with two dueling impulses. One that keeps things in place. One, a fragrance that is wonderful but vanishes. We also have him telling her that he hasn't carried them. But his bringing them up signifies importance. He hasn't buried/discarded them in the name of love lost. I think this ties in nicely with the last refrain. In the last refrain we have him for the first time telling her not to go. Don't leave. He wants to feel again that spirit he adores. Wants to get as close as he can by laying down to rest next to the host. This also goes to Sufjan's previous song "Vito's Ordination Song" with the lines, "Rest in my arms, sleep in my bed." That being a more spiritual song than this but an allusion or call-back to that same desire of wanderers. The desire to find home, closeness. But then we have him coming back to his senses and telling her to go if she wishes. Because, at heart, he understands that she is like the oils, the relationship anointed and lovely but ultimately vanishing. |
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| Cloud Cult – There's So Much Energy In Us Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I second Mechanica's comments. But, I'd like to add an interpretation. As far as I can tell, the conceit of the Light Chasers album is about a journey of discovery of the TRUTH, and the obstacles and pitfalls of the journey. This song comes as culmination, the finale to the journey which was started in "Unexplainable Stories". The crew, after a million years of travel, have still not found what they were looking for--they are in danger of the Radiohead warning of "After years of waiting . . . nothing came/And you realize you've been looking in/looking in the wrong place." So the crew, energy low, morale dim, searching for light, meaning, goodness, fulfillment, destiny, remain in the cold darkness of space. And despite of the crew being cold and drunk on chemicals, and wrestling with doubt, their captain still remains convinced that they are nearly there "We're so close to it." Despite the heartbreak of the engines fade, they realize that "There's so much energy in us" and they use this energy, first our minds (philosophy) to power the ship and faith (the church veil) as guide, as they make their last desperate push to find what it is they've been looking for. In search of what they're so very close to. So close to finding. As we reach the last breaths, we come to the point where the journey is nearly, truly over. But still, even after the fruitless searching, there remains hope "Can't let go of it. Can't let go of it." And, as our narrator begins making peace, apologizing for past transgressions "I didn't mean what I said, I didn't mean what I said/I love you more than this, I love you more than this", he becomes enveloped in the light they'd been searching for--which he hadn't found, but realized--it was always there, within reach the entire time, it was just waiting to be discovered and they didn't need to fly into the reaches of space, they had to search within themselves. Our energy is our light, our love, and we're always so close to it, we need only realize it. |
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| Cloud Cult – The Guessing Game (Journey to the Light pt. 4) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I think this relates to our need to find some external purpose as we delve into ourselves. This causes confusion and in some way, anger. However, the answer to purpose is simple: "It is what it is. You are what you are. Just try to enjoy your day". | |
| Local Natives – Cubism Dream Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Well the Cubism movement tried to show all sides of an object at once. Perhaps this song too is purposely vague. My initial reaction was that it was about two lovers coming back together but I can see a compelling case made for the reverse and it being about a couple separating. | |
| Bob Dylan – House of the Rising Sun (The Animals cover) Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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See, that's the thing. I believe the Animals version had better instrumental but I don't like how they changed the lyrics to be from the perspective of a man. Bob Dylan performs from the point of the desperate woman forced to degrade herself to squeak out a living. Literally being screwed by men to subsist and being screwed by her "sweetheart" that put her into this position. For me, makes a better overall narrative to this incredibly rueful song of women suffering the consequences of their selfish men's desires and whims. |
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| The Tallest Man on Earth – The Gardener Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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I'm going to piggback on untrue's assessment on this awesome song. The narrator would like to be the "tallest man" in his lover's eyes, but there are obstacles to this desire. There are things that the narrator has done that does not warrant his desire, but he actively tries to "kill" the messenger--which could be a stand in for his conscious trying to tell the lover all his flaws that he squelches to give her the illusion. And it appears to work, because at the end, the lover and narrator are dancing among all these buried messengers in a beautiful garden. So perhaps it was better to hide the truth in favor a more pleasurable lie for the two of them. |
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