submissions
| Neutral Milk Hotel – Oh Comely Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Hi klsots... I'm kind of thrilled you saw the DFW/Neutral Milk Hotel connection... I don't think they really have that much in common in terms of voice, but they share this overwhelming sincerity and compassion. And they're both willing to leave a lot to be interpreted, and to use words clearly to express what they want to say, even if it's not totally "polite". These aren't really brilliant insights, but it's wonderful when two people who have never met make the same bizarre connection. |
submissions
| The Decemberists – The Island: Come and See; The Landlord's Daughter; You'll Not Feel the Drowning Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think the interpretation of these lyrics can be taken many ways, but a brief analysis of "The Highwayman" demonstrates it's almost certainly not the basis of the song. The Highwayman and Bess, the Landlord's daughter, seemed to have a consensual relationship. She commits suicide to warn him of the soldiers who have been stationed there. (A jealous servant betrays them.) Whereas "The Landlord's Daughter" sounds like rape. And the piratish-rogue/lovely daughter seem to be relatively common archetypes in literature, Bess is not the only landlord's daughter. |
submissions
| Damien Rice – 9 Crimes Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think that "9 Crimes" could be a reference to Dante's 9 Circles of Hell, the final of which is for traitors. The lyrics hint that there has been a betrayal of two peoples' love, with the first verse being about someone who has just thought about a new person, the second having physically cheated on the first. So now they're feeling all of the shame and self-loathing catching up with them, which explains the "Give my gun away when it's loaded/If you don't shoot it, how'm I supposed to hold it?" The first line is saying, Is it really my fault, if I just give away the gun, pass off the responsibility. Then the second part comes crashing down on them- If you don't punish me for betraying you, how can I ever live with myself, how can I hold a loaded gun? The "is that alright with you" is only half directed to the other person; it's partially to themselves. Is that alright with you, that you cheated on this person you love? Can you live with yourself?
If anyone knows what the percussion instrument is in this song- it sounds like a large thin sheet of metal bending in the wind or in water, I think- please say so. |
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