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Preston School Of Industry – Monkey Heart and the Horse's Leg Lyrics 15 years ago
How has nobody commented on this song? It contains one of the most beautiful melodies ever recorded and the lyrics are, if anything, very affecting.

I couldn't begin to deduce what this song is about, I have a vague idea, but that's only after countless listens. I can shed light on the line that resonates most with me.

"Was it the monkey heart? Or the Horse's legs? That left us all insane."

To me, this is a reflection on why human beings are so fucked up. Is it the monkey's heart that still beats in our chests? Evolution and our inability to reconcile our capacity for knowledge with our primal roots. Our civilized minds colliding violently with instinctual urges and ideas. Or was it the horse's leg? The use and abuse of our environment. The utilization of other animals, beings like us, for transportation (read: horse's leg) and food and sport and cruelty. Conquering of other beings. The subsequent disconnect from those animals and nature that followed from that conquering.

All I know is I'm not satisfied.

submissions
The National – Cold Girl Fever Lyrics 15 years ago
I think it's a combination of what everyone is saying above. The first thing I notice, and I'm drunk when I type this so even that is skewed, but the first thing I notice is this:

"I promised to leave if you ever went cold"

followed in the next verse by:

"I'm losing my baby on promises kept"

He's referring to the first promise in the second verse. He was dating this girl and he basically told her, listen, if we're not going to have sex, we can't be together, I need sex, you can't be cold to me when I love you so much. He really did love her and didn't want to leave her, that's why it was so hard and a song was written about it. But in the end, he left her because she wouldn't embrace his love in a physical way anymore.

The phrase "What are you for now that I have hardcore?" and it's obviously hardcore, I don't know why this is being disputed at all, but that's what it is and it could be interpreted two ways. The girl's cold fever is actually a porn addiction and that's why she doesn't have sex with him. Unlikely, but possible. Or, he's telling himself that to get over the love he had for her, because he understands that the reason he's leaving her might not be justified. Is love affirmed by the actual physical act of love making? I mean, so many of our relationships that we consider to be love have no sexual attraction whatsoever. Why does he need to have sex from a girl he believes he truly loves?

It goes even deeper than that, but again, I'm drunk so I won't elaborate anymore. This is what makes The National's lyrics so great though, a line like "What are you for now that I have hardcore?" It obviously has a profound meaning and is in the context of a personal relationship. He's questioning himself - the lyric itself is posed as a question and it's directed at someone else. Amazing.

submissions
The National – Cold Girl Fever Lyrics 15 years ago
I think it's a combination of what everyone is saying above. The first thing I notice, and I'm drunk when I type this so even that is skewed, but the first thing I notice is this:

"I promised to leave if you ever went cold"

followed in the next verse by:

"I'm losing my baby on promises kept"

He was dating this girl and he basically told her, listen, if we're not going to have sex, we can't be together, I need sex, you can't be cold to me when I love you so much. He really did love her and didn't want to leave her, that's why it was so hard and a song was written about it. But in the end, he left her because she wouldn't embrace his love in a physical way anymore.

The phrase "What are you for now that I have hardcore?" and it's obviously hardcore, I don't know why this is being disputed at all, but that's what it is and it could be interpreted two ways. The girl's cold fever is actually a porn addiction and that's why she doesn't have sex with him. Unlikely, but possible. Or, he's telling himself that to get over the love he had for her, because he understands that the reason he's leaving her might not be justified. Is love affirmed by the actual physical act of love making? I mean, so many of our relationships that we consider to be love have no sexual attraction whatsoever. Why does he need to have sex from a girl he believes he truly loves?

It goes even deeper than that, but again, I'm drunk so I won't elaborate anymore. This is what makes The National's lyrics so great though, a line like "What are you for now that I have hardcore?" It obviously has a profound meaning and is in the context of a personal relationship. He's questioning himself - the lyric itself is posed as a question and it's directed at someone else. Amazing.


submissions
Heatmiser – Plainclothes Man Lyrics 17 years ago
I agree with the break up theme that has been brought up. Ginteardrops I think had it right when he said that Elliot is speaking to an ex in that last verse. But I think something that everyone is missing is the drugs.

You're everybody's second home
Always trying to get me alone
An easy way to lose it all
Always there when all else fails
Over by the west side rails

Here, I believe he is speaking to the drugs he's addicted to. Over by the west side rails is probably a spot where he bought crack or heroin (Elliot Smith was a known substance abuser).

But I don't really need that now
I never really did anyhow
I only really needed alcohol
Something that'd treat me okay
And wouldn't say the things you'd say

Here he's referring to his ex, he doesn't need her, or love, anymore and he's replaced it with drugs.

The rest of the lyrics, aside from the two about his ex leaving him with a photograph memory, are much more ambiguous, but they hint at the same themes.

"I remember, I remember, why I dream in black and white."

What a song.

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