| Human Sexual Response – What Does Sex Mean To Me Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| At its heart, the song is all about how a man hears some Cultural Revolution-era propaganda about Chinese society which he believes and takes at face value. He then compares that idea of society to his impression of his own society. | |
| Coldplay – Viva la Vida Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I'll try to interpret your objections as best as I can. The song isn't telling a concise and easily interpretable narrative: it uses many allusions collectively in order to form an attractive work of art, of which the actual narrative is secondary. I believe that this song is a song about Christ because of the weight of allusions to the life and times of Christ, not because every single line forms a comprehensive narrative about him. I have never claimed otherwise. You seem angry and frustrated. Why? Your grandfather's vocation is intersting. Thanks for sharing that. The first three paragraphs are about Jesus' transition from absolute power, being God, to relative powerlessness, being man. I am not attempting to ignore lines which do not seem to "fit" accurately into my narrative, but I do believe that some lines are included for the purpose of aesthetic and verse, and need to be interpreted abstractly. The line "I used to roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemies eyes" is an abstract reference to the absolute power of being God and the enjoyment of that power. If the narrator relates his own position to being the foolish man in one of his own parables (who build his house on sand), it is a reference to disliking or doubting the wisdom of being man (as Jesus sometimes does in the synoptic gospels). I don't know if you require supporting verses for these, but I do not believe that these lines contradict my proposed interpretation. The life of John the Baptist is part of the narrative of the life of Jesus, and Jesus was often compared with John. The same people who hated John also hated Jesus. That an event happened to John and not Jesus does not mean that this event is irrelevant to the narrative of Jesus: it means the opposite. If Jesus was "King of the Jews", then the people who desired the death of Jesus were "revolutionaries". Because the people who hated John also hated Jesus, and Salome (and her associates) hated John, then Salome (and her associates) were "revolutionaries". It isn't clear to me if you disagree with my understanding that the Jews of Jesus' time expected the Messiah to be a political leader, and that this was an expectation which Jesus had to address, or if you are disagreeing with something else. If you are saying that a reference to this expectation could not belong in a (self-) narrative of Jesus' life, then I disagree. If not, please be more specific in what you disagree with. The line "Never an honest word" refers to the two lines directly above it: it is a commentary on Peter's future denial of Christ. The line "but that was when I ruled the world" is a reference to Jesus' (regrettably) present state as a man. Jesus can no longer command the honesty of people as if he still "ruled the world": as if he was still God. Thank you for bringing up the subject of the wind, which I had overlooked. John 3:8 compares the wind to the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18 discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' conception. The line "it was the wicked and wild wind; blew down the doors to let me in" refers to the role of the Holy Spirit in facilitating Jesus' entrance into the world. I do not believe that Coldplay ever intended this song to be easily interpreted as being about Jesus, and I believe that they have gone out of their way in their interviews and marketing to avoid presenting their song this way. I believe that they (correctly) understand that the song's public and critical success would have been damaged to the degree that "Viva La Vida" could/would be labeled as "Christian music". That Coldplay has avoided publicly interpreting the song as a Christian narrative does not alter what the song is actually about. |
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| Coldplay – Viva la Vida Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| You are correct, but you missed alot of allusions. | |
| Coldplay – Viva la Vida Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song is clearly about the life of Jesus Christ, but is written in such a way that it can be easily misinterpreted by, or to, anyone who doesn't share the Biblical knowledge held by the writer(s). The various allusions to the life of Christ make this subject matter clear. - The first paragraph line, "Seas would rise when I gave the word" refers to the parting of the Red Sea. It means the subject of the song used to be God. - The first two paragraphs are about the transition from absolute power, being God, to relative powerlessness, being man. - The third paragraph's line, "And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand" is a reference to one of Jesus' parables, about a wise man who built his house on rock, and a foolish man who built his house on sand. - The fourth paragraph and chorus tells the listener more about the subject of the song. "I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing": he is in Jerusalem. "Roman Cavalry choirs are singing": the Romans are there also. "Be my mirror, my sword and shield; My missionaries in a foreign field": he needs people to emmigrate and act as missionaries for him. - The sixth paragraph line, "People couldn't believe what I'd become" refers to the rejection of Jesus' gospel among the people of his hometown shortly after Jesus returned there after being baptised by John the Baptist. - The seventh paragraph line, "Revolutionaries wait; For my head on a silver plate" is a reference to the beheading of John the Baptist, who was executed after Salome's request that John's head be presented to her on a silver plate. - The seventh paragraph line, "Just a puppet on a lonely string; Oh, who would ever want to be king?" is a reference to the early Jewish interpretation that the Messiah would be a political leader, and the early Christian's rebuttal to that expectation. - The eighth paragraph line, "For some reason I can't explain; I know Saint Peter won't call my name." is a direct reference to Jesus' prophecy of the subsequent denial of his apostle, Peter. By the weight of Christian imagery used in this song, the listener can make the informed interpretation that this song is really about the life and times of Christ. |
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| Coldplay – Viva la Vida Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song is clearly about the life of Jesus Christ, but is written in such a way that it can be easily misinterpreted by, or to, anyone who doesn't share the Biblical knowledge held by the writer(s). The various allusions to the life of Christ make this subject matter clear. - The first paragraph line, "Seas would rise when I gave the word" refers to the parting of the Red Sea. It means the subject of the song was God. - The first two paragraphs are about the transition from absolute power, being God, to relative powerlessness, being man. - The third paragraph's line, "And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand" is a reference to one of Jesus' parables, about a wise man who built his house on rock, and a foolish man who built his house on sand. - The fourth paragraph and chorus tells the listener more about the subject of the song. "I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing": he is in Jerusalem. "Roman Cavalry choirs are singing": the Romans are there also. "Be my mirror, my sword and shield; My missionaries in a foreign field": he needs people to emmigrate and act as missionaries for him. - The sixth paragraph line, "People couldn't believe what I'd become" refers to the rejection of Jesus' gospel among the people of his hometown shortly after Jesus returned there after being baptised by John the Baptist. - The seventh paragraph line, "Revolutionaries wait; For my head on a silver plate" is a reference to the beheading of John the Baptist, who was executed after Salome's request that John's head be presented to her on a silver plate. - The seventh paragraph line, "Just a puppet on a lonely string; Oh, who would ever want to be king?" is a reference to the early Jewish interpretation that the Messiah would be a political leader, and the early Christian's rebuttal to that expectation. - The eighth paragraph line, "For some reason I can't explain; I know Saint Peter won't call my name." is a direct reference to Jesus' prophecy of the subsequent denial of his apostle, Peter. By the weight of Christian imagery used in this song, the listener can make the informed interpretation that this song is really about the life and times of Christ. |
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| Calexico – Sunken Waltz Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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OKOK: this is my interpretation of the song's three paragraphs. 1st: the nation that the Protagonist of the song lives in, the USA, is an empire (and he dislikes this). Although it is an empire of wonders and amazing wealth, the Protagonist does not share its benefits (and he dislikes this). 2nd stanza: the Protagonist is filled with regrets for the state of the Empire, and perhaps the world, and this not a new sentiment. The Protagonist then discards his worldly posessions. He wishes that the Empire would be destroyed, as if by God, because this is what his country deserves. He believes that, because the Empire no longer gives any "fair deals", the (fair) destruction of his nation would be the last fair thing that would ever happen to it. He believes that the strength and influence of corporations have caused the Empire to decline ethically. 3rd: This is the actual "story". The first and second stanzas only describe what it is about, and how to interpret its meaning. The story is about a working-class American who became disenchanted with the state of the USA, and left society to follow his ideals. |
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