submissions
| Atmosphere – The Number One Lyrics
| 15 years ago
|
|
Almost, christchin! "The 5" is the bus that runs from downtown Minneapolis to Bloomington, and along the way goes through Richfield, on Portland Avenue. I've taken that bus so many times because I grew up in Richfield, right off of Portland, and now I wonder if I ever saw this "stephanie something" around the neighborhood. :-) |
submissions
| The Weakerthans – Benediction Lyrics
| 15 years ago
|
|
I agree, it is not a breakup/relationship song. It is a life/death song. On the weakerthans site, prior to the lyrics is the following quote: "you don't get to be a saint the dead man says, you get to warm your hands for a moment, you get to catch your breath and say one thing" --Patrick Friesen, who is a Canadian poet. With this quote in mind, I think this song is about how short life is, fleeting, in the grand scheme of things, we only have time to catch our breath and say one thing, so we better make it good. Also I don't think it is a coincidence that the album has this song toward the end right before prescience of dawn and past-due. |
submissions
| Sheryl Crow – I Shall Believe Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
|
I also heard this song on Roswell. The song and scene go together perfectly. The show deals with fate and destiny a lot, so when I hear this song I get the sense of helplessness as our futures come at us...a desperate longing to deny the inevitable, whether it be death or the end of a relationship or anything. How even if the world is crashing down around you, you can find comfort in that one special person. The scene is shot beautifully as well...the dancing, spinning, future Max disappears and she is left alone with the empty sky. I think this song means more to people because of the emotional attachment to the characters in the show(s) it is featured in. I am not a Sheryl Crow fan at all, but I do love this song. |
submissions
| Third Eye Blind – Non-Dairy Creamer Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
I have to say, I was not very impressed with this song. I think it has a good point to make, but the whole song sounds forced. Like they had a piece of music, and Stephan had these lyrics, and they decided to put them together regardless of how awkward it sounded. I also agree with botheyesblind that the lyrics are sub-par. And I say sub-par because they are not bad, they are just not as good as we've come to expect from him.
Musically, I think it is good. But it will probably be one that I inevitably skip over. |
submissions
| The Weakerthans – Left and Leaving Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
One anecdote: when I first heard this song, my right speaker was shot. So it was as if he was singing the first verse acapella. It still blew me away, even without the music behind him. Seriously, try taking out your right earbud and listen to just the left side.
As for his voice: I will admit that I didn't like it at first either. But it's his lyrics that hit you, and then his voice becomes amazing, because for the most part, it is not your typical voice. It makes him seem more real and therefore the songs hit even closer to home because he is at your level. Not to say he is not good, but I just hate how "produced" most other vocalists sound these days. Maybe I shouldn't be writing about this on this thread...there is probably an entire one devoted to discussing voice.
|
submissions
| The Weakerthans – The Prescience of Dawn Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
I agree with neuralstatic that it is not relationships, but that "romance" is used more in the sense of a "romantic" idea or "romantic" lifestyle. We all too often associate romance with love, but another definition of romance is: "imaginative but impractical, visionary" so he is saying he doesn't want a second chance to make something romantic of his life, like being famous or rich or a rock star, but he should just be content to live happily. Because his friend is either about to die or has just died, and that really makes you reprioritize and reassess your life.
The whole album is about death and dealing with the loss of loved ones. Futonrevolutionist, the reoccuring hospital theme is because of the overarching (Manifest)/(Hospital Vespers)/(Past-Due) trilogy that permeates throughout the album, where he is watching his friend slowly die. I think this album is, in a way, chronological, and I think there is a very specific reason that Prescience of Dawn comes right before (Past-Due). This is one of those amazing albums that ties itself together, unlike most that are just a spattering of unrelated "singles". It's like you are getting an amazing novel instead of a bunch of short stories. So basically, I highly recommend getting the whole album rather than just a handful of songs from it. You will be glad you did. |
submissions
| The Weakerthans – Civil Twilight Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
|
Am am siding with the faction that thinks it is not a passenger, but just an ex. If it were a previous passenger, I don't see why he would be in her apartment. So they were involved romantically, but it was cut short for whatever reason. I think sund and Pakko hit the nail on the head. Anyone who has had a relationship end knows what it is like when you go past the place where he/she used to live, and the feelings that seem to come out of nowhere. How you can't stop thinking of that person. Then having to drive past her place several times a day and trying to get over her and move on. It is a very relatable song, written from an insanely creative perspective. |
submissions
| The Weakerthans – Relative Surplus Value Lyrics
| 17 years ago
|
I agree with Bryn that it is about him returning to his hometown, but rather than calling an ex-love, I think he is calling his father to come get him. Just the way he says it, it sounds like how a teenager might call his folks when he is stranded a the mall or something: "Could you come get me?"
As for the line about "Think of the time I came to visit you here" I think it is not referring to visiting the city itself, but visiting his dad at work as a child. So it is ironic because he has grown up to be this big shot business guy, who has neglected his parents (because when you are on your own making lots of money you feel you can do that), and now he loses he job at the very spot his father used to work, and now he is calling his parents, humbled, needing a ride. It is a commentary on how no matter how old you get, how rich you are, you will always be someone's son and your parents are still your parents. But that is just my take.
One lyrical correction: on the weakerthans website it says it is "I touch my name-tag, should say, 'HELLO, I'M too tired to smile today'" as in that is what he should write on it. Which would be a funny thing to write on a name tag if you think about it. Overall I think the character is likeable, if not flawed. |
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.
