| Kanye West – Blood on the Leaves Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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Firstly, I love this song. Now, I don't know if I'm reading too much into this, but I think that this is a perfect comment on the trivialisation of the past. "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday (covered here by Nina Simone), is used at the bridge, a very key element of the song. It's about lynching — something horrific and awful. "Strange Fruit" is a powerful, haunting song that cuts deep to the roots of the USA's torrid and racist past. Yet here Kanye is rapping about nothing much, it's very trivial (on the surface), and doesn't relate at all to "Strange Fruit". It is in this contrast that I think the true comment of the song is being made, I think that this is looking at music, and society at the moment, and how we are conveniently forgetting the past. We are living in a world where the majority of people are willing to turn a blind eye to history, we like to forget what happened to black people in the past, we like to forget that the South was racist as all living hell (and still is), we like to forget the lessons of Malcolm X and MLK, we like to forget the sacrifices that they and countless others before them made. And through the use of Nina Simone's version of "Strange Fruit" in such a seemingly careless fashion really highlights this. If you look at other songs on the album, he talks about injustices, and the use of "Strange Fruit" would have been a perfect background for those songs, yet here he is, rapping about running naked in the lobby. The juxtaposition here seems very powerful to me, and just stands out because the differences are so stark. As I said, I might be reading too much into this, but looking at the rest of the content on the album, there seems to be a subversive intelligence that remains hidden unless you are looking for it, and regardless, I think the song makes the comment whether Kanye intended it or not (I hope he did). |
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| Julia Stone – The Line That Ties Me Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This song is, to me, so powerful and haunting. There is so much in this that I think most people would be able to relate to it. My interpretation is this: "The walls are talking and the only person who can hear me is nearly gone I stand by your bedside, on the edge of words That I can't say, for the fear that I might fall" This kind of describes being by the death bed of a person who you love so much, and she (the narrator) doesn't know what to say, what do you say in a situation like that? She is afraid she'll fall, back into love? Into depression? Or fall physically (this one is extended further on). "Maybe I'm afraid that the pictures that I paint Won't capture the beauty of you" This is fairly easy to understand — she doesn't know if she can do her lover justice through words or artistic expression. "And the last thing that you hear is the silence in your ears As I sink beneath the weight of it all" This kind of extends the metaphor of the entire stanza — she is silent, and devastated, unable to speak for the fear of fall, and for the fear of not doing her lover justice. "I could call you my lover, call you a beast Call you the island, where faith doesn't reach Call you a lion, call you a man You're the line that ties me to things I don't understand" This is the most poignant part of the whole song. You could call your lover by any name, describe them in any way and despite all this, the description would be largely moot, as what you're trying to describe is so something you cannot understand. "Your smile as it withers, is as pretty as the picture You wouldn't sell to the lady next door" This, to me, solidifies the notion of the death bed — this person is withering and so is their joy and hope, yet despite this, they are still beautiful. "You tell me music and art, it doesn't have a price It's for the heart, I should give it away Use it for the freedom of us all" This reads as a last will, a request made by her lover, for the narrator to keep giving the gift of her music, which (in her lover's mind) will set people free. This freedom could be gained through the acknowledgement of pain, or finding a way to express the beautiful perfection you find in a person. All in all, this song is a kind of dirge, something that is able to resonate through the human experience — we all lose someone we love and often we unable to come to terms with it, especially when their death is so visible (i.e. seeing the person fade on their death bed). |
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| Laura Marling – Your Only Doll (Dora) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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"I fell into the street, poison in my veins Clamber to my feet and into the night again Back to my home, back to my owner" This first part, to me, seems as if the narrator has been out drinking (poison in her veins, clambering to her feet in drunkenness), and is making her way to a possessive lover, her 'owner'. "Who screams at my tardiness Put his hands to the sky And says, what can I do with a girl If she refuses to be mine?" This kind of reinforces the above, in that her lover is angry that she's been to late, he screams at her, and then in saying "What can I do with a girl if she refuses to be mine?" he shows that she is property to him. The "what can I do..." can be read two ways, the first asking if he should let her go, the second is question her usefulness as an object — what can her do with something that isn't going to 'work' properly. "In his bed I am queen, unobtainable me Sexual being, human with feelings The two are not me The two will not be mine" The first part of this is quite easy to decode — she is just his sex toy, the unobtainable nature of this queen is such that he cannot have her in the way that he wants her, he wants her body, soul and mind. "Sexual being, human with feelings" shows that he removes her from a place of being 'real' in the sense that she has rights, her being a human with feelings is a weakness — she is fragile and broken — how is that good to him. The second part, where she talks of "the two are not me, the two will not be mine" os very tricky. To me she is talking about being the Queen and the sexual being, she isn't either of them, even though he wants her to be these characters, these people. She cannot have the Queen or sexual being either, she cannot have them in her mind or body. "And what can you do with a girl If she refuses to be mine?" This seems to be linking back to the first part, but this time I think she is questioning herself and her validity in being a useful thing. What is she refuses to be her own? What can she do with herself if she completely gives herself away to him. "Put his hand on my shirt Hand on my face Head to the wall When you've broken your only doll" This seems to be alluding to abuse, he's hurt her. Grabbed her shirt, hit her around a bit and slammed her head into a wall. He broke his only doll — this also seems to allude to her death as a character, while also supporting the idea that he views her as an object of his own. A sexual object, an object that must the queen, and the sexual being, and object that most follow his rules and live in his house. He controls her. "And what will you do with a girl If she refuses to be alive?" This, when linked with the above stanza, could remove the idea of death, but replace it with either a coma, or some sort of mental disorder resulting from her being 'broken' by the abuse. This has lead to her not wishing to live, either suicidal ideation, or just in losing will to exist — not eating, not striving to make it through the torture and the pain, ect. "And you've broken your only doll And what will you do with a girl If she's refusing to be alive?" This is, to me, summing up the entire song in a few lines. What can this possessive, abusive lover do with his 'doll' once she has stopped wishing to continue living and satisfying his needs. When listening to his song I was instantly remind of Valdimir Nabokov's 'Lolita'. The stories might differ somewhat but the overall mood and content of the song is similar to the story surrounding Lolita and Humbert Humbert — dangerous, abusive and possessive. Others have mentioned the similarities between this and Henrik Ibsen's 'Dollhouse', and when I look at it, there is a strong tie in with the two stories. No matter what the inspiration for this song was, it is beautiful, both musically and lyrically. Laura Marling is a genius! |
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| Shiny Toy Guns – We Are Pilots Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I honestly think that you could read this in many different ways, the most dominant reading, to me, would be a story of coming out. A lot of the lyrics seem to fit with this line of thinking. "Holding close my secrets Naked broken pieces" This would obviously be about being in closet, trying to be 'normal', but when you come out, things can sometimes go to piece. "From the madness in what you do The fingers point right back at you" This is placing the blame back on those who wish to call the other person mad or crazy — it was really their craziness, their anger that caused the bad situation, caused the fear and secrets. "What about my problems? The people try to solve them I guess I'm under the weather Since no one else belongs here with me" This is hinting at seeing a therapist to try and cure the 'problem'. I find a hint of sarcasm in the line "I guess I'm under the weather, since no one else belongs here with me" it's looking at the bigotry and the hatred surrounding the LGBTQQI lifestyles, and how they are 'wrong' and 'unnatural' so nobody is really meant to be like that, and those that are just ill. "Hello mother, Some news for you I'm really not that crazy. Hello father, I'm curious? Why you think there's something wrong with me." I think this is kind of obvious, it's a child reassuring their parents that they're not crazy, or ill, and questioning their bigotry and discrimination. "Sunday I cried all night, And it hurt so bad But if you try to understand This is who I am" This is self-explanatory, its painful being hated or told that who you are is wrong. This is a plea, plain and simple. "Color coated sweetness Swords beneath my clean dress I'm making sense of shattered dreams Because I want you to be proud of me" This is the most cryptic of the stanzas in the song. I think that she's talking about the delicate situation after coming out, the way that you're sweet to others, but ready to defend yourself if the need arises. Making sense of shattered dreams — the narrator dreamed of making her parents proud, she wanted to be the good child, but now they're gone, and she's working towards them again. The whole song touches me personally because of my own story, and that's why I applied the interpretation that I did. Other interpretations would work as —Â failing at school, choosing to do something other than what you're parents want to do, people have said eating disorders (this would be more of an aberrant reading of the text) and depression (more likely than eating disorders, but still aberrant, purely because those with mental illnesses are recognised to be medically ill, which would remove the need for questioning your parents as to why they believe you're sick, and most of time people try not define themselves by their illness (this is who I am, ect.) Overall, the coming out reading that most people apply seems to be the most accurate reading. Either way, it is a lovely song about struggling with the expectations of your parents when they don't respect or believe in you. It's purely wonderful and most people would be able to connect on some level or another, regardless of their interoperation. |
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| Ellie Goulding – I'll Hold My Breath Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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"Breathe air you're not used to, tread floors you don't fall through Make waves You crash a cymbal hard Follow no one, always play the wrong card Waste days, in foreign places Shed lights, on your better side Reassure me that you'll wait for me, wait for me as long as it takes" This stanza, to me, is all about experience new and good things. It's exciting and different, and when she asks the person to wait for her, it seems as though this might be something new that she's expecting or asking for. "And I'll hold my breath, I'll hold my breath" I think this is one of the more important lines in the song (it is the title) and it's about waiting, which is what the song seems to be about. The theme and idea of waiting is seen throughout, not just when she says "wait for me", but also in the chorus. "Until you see me in your dreams We'll stay awake beneath the trees We'll watch the buildings turn to dust A sky of diamonds just for us" This is about wonder and waiting, how powerful their love could be. It is a speculation at this point, something that hasn't happened, but will eventually. "You are the risk I'll always take The only branch I'll never break Those fears we'll blow them all way we'll blow them all away" This is where she affirms how much she loves who ever she's talking to. The only one she'll do all these things for. "Fight fires in your best clothes, touch skin with your eyes closed Chase thunder With the volume down Pack a suitcase, wander to the next town Force quit, on your losing streak Solve a riddle in a magazine, be tongue in cheek Tell me that we're still too young, that we're still too young and I'll hold my tongue" This is similar to the first stanza, doing things that are odd and out of the norm, but seem fantastical and wondrous. The last line hints to wanting again — waiting till their older to be together, and even though she disagrees with this, she'll hold her tongue, probably out of respect and love for the other person. "I'm here, I am here to take you I'll swim, I will swim to save you No fall, I am here to catch you I'll swim, I will swim to save..." This stanza, to me, is a reassurance, tackling the issues of 'being too young' and waiting, for even if they are too young and need to wait, she'll be there, willing to do what she needs to in order to save her lover. This song is awesome and I love it, it's very simple but holds a lot of power and wonder. |
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| Scarling – In The Pretend World Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The whole song seems to be a comparison — between what is real, and what isn't. It's quite simple really, but at the same time, there seems to be a complexity to the representation of each. "in the pretend world we all are very awake in the pretend world we all look sterile and fake in this atmosphere we all could chatter for days in the pretend world we never admit our mistakes " This is hinting at pretending to be perfect, awake, aware and intelligent. It's about being fake, not real, completely inhuman. "but in the real world we're hiding alone and ashamed and we can't live well because we're addicted to pain" Quite explanatory, and it seems to talk to the human condition — constantly looking at the negatives, focusing on our pain and suffering rather than our successes, thus not living fully. In the end, we're all alone with nothing to name, and because of the way society is structured, everyone is taught to be ashamed of themselves — we aren't perfect, not like in the pretend world. "in the pretend world we gaze into empty eyes we amuse ourselves with tawdry tales and white lies" This seems to be talking to the negatives of the pretend world — emptiness, shallowness and no substance. Everything that is said is just tasteless and trashy — but we try to dress it up, despite the truth behind it all. "but in the real world we're fools tormented for sport we stitch up our mouths so we can't admit or retort " This, again, seems to talk to the human condition — people tend to be cruel and vindictive. No matter how far up the food chain you are, we are all just 'fools'. Through this we silence ourselves, either through people not wanting to believe us, or through our own shame at saying anything worth while. "you see I cannot feel this no matter how you try in the real world we can't deny you see I cannot say this please don't ask me why in the real world we can't deny " This two stanza practically say the same thing — someone wants the narrator to feel something that she doesn't, she doesn't want to tell the truth, but when it comes down to it, we can't pretend — we have to tell the truth, or it will come out. That is the real world, that is the real truth and curse of reality, truth and lies are always revealed. "in my pretend world we all are very awake in this atmosphere we all look starstruck and vague" you see I never loved you no matter how you tried" This entire stanza seems to be performing two functions — showing the downside of pretend, again, and also showing that reality creeps into the fantasy sooner or later. Even though she's struggling with the advances of this other person, both reality and fantasy bring about the same outcome. "in the real world there's no goodbye" This is kind of confusing, but to me, this could mean a few things. The first — you always have to return to the real world, there is no goodbye to the pain and suffering, no matter what, whereas the pretend world has an end, you can leave it behind. It could also mean that even if you say goodbye to person, they are still with you, so there is no real goodbye. It is the most confusing part. All in all, the narrator seems to be showing that no matter which world you chose to exist in, there are always flaws, and the truth always comes out. At the end of the day though, reality will always win out. |
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| Ani DiFranco – Shameless Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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To an extent, I agree with the comments above, in that this song deals with the idea of one woman being in love with another woman, but I think that you could expand it to much more inclusive tone. The explicit lyrics "I gotta cover my butt 'cuz I covet another man's wife" are the only content which actually deal with the woman loving a married woman. Ani DiFranco is an amazing lyricist and most of these lyrics can be applied to any lesbian/gay/bisexual/ect. who has come out. "I cannot name this I cannot explain this And I really don't want to Just call me shameless I can't even slow this down Let alone stop this And I keep looking around But I cannot top this" This is essentially the narrator coming to terms with their sexuality, they can't explain their feelings, and they don't want to, now that they have come to this realisation, it is something they can't stop, or even slow down — it's a feeling they can't top, not with any amount of lying. "If I had any sense I guess I'd fear this I guess I'd keep it down So no one would hear this I guess I'd shut my mouth And rethink a minute But I can't shut it now 'Cuz there's something in it" To me, this is dealing with the views of society, that difference is to be feared and silenced, hidden and never spoken of. The narrator, however, has other plan — they won't shut out their emotions and their truth, because those feelings aren't just fake — the emotions real. "We're in a room without a door And I am sure without a doubt They're gonna wanna know How we got in here And they're gonna wanna know How we plan to get out We better have a good explanation For all the fun that we had 'Cuz they are coming for us, baby They are going to be mad They are going to be mad at us" I think that this is talking about being in the closet, a room that is typically built without a door to keep different people locked up and away from society. The narrator is being cheeky when she says "we better have a good explanation for all the fun that we've had" — she's been fooling around with someone else in the closet and now they're both going to have explain how they could have this fun when it's a shameful state to be in. "And they're gonna wanna know how we plan to get out" I think this line can be taken one of two ways: either as a challenge or as philosophical question, in the context of the song, I believe that it is more of challenge — "how do you plan to get out of this room that built for you? There aren't even doors. So just be quiet and stay put" "This is my skeleton This is the skin it's in That is, according to light And gravity I'll take off my disguise The mask you met me in 'Cuz I got something For you to see" This stanza, to me, is talking about the revelation, showing your everything — your skeleton, your skin, the disguise that you once wore, and who you really are. "Just gimme your skeleton Give me the skin it's in Yeah baby, this is you According to me I never avert my eyes I never compromise So never mind The poetry" This is obviously a continuation of the preceding stanza, but this time it is the narrator revealing someone else, seeing their everything and then telling them who they are (according to the narrator's point of view). In all, these stanzas are about coming to terms with who you are and then showing the world, and possibly even finding a person with a similar issue. "I gotta cover my butt 'cuz I covet Another man's wife I got to divide my emotions Between wrong and right Then I get to see how close I can get to it Without giving in Then I get to rub up against it Till I break the skin Rub up against it Till I break the skin" The obvious part of this stanza is about coveting another man's wife, but it further explores the narrator knowing what is wrong is right, but still tempting fate — rubbing up against it until it eventually breaks the skin, causing harm to the person. This is kind of a summary of everything that the song explores — challenging society's morals and ideals, going to the very edge even if it's dangerous and just rubbing away at what society has created. "Just please don't name this Please don't explain this Just blame it all on me Say I was shameless Say I couldn't slow it down Let alone stop it And say you just hung around 'Cuz you couldn't top it " This is can be interpreted many ways, it is obviously the narrator talking to someone — probably in the hope of not being defined by their secret, as people often are. The narrator would rather have the secret blamed on her being shameless that having it exist separately from the rest of her. The ending of this is quite positive — "And say you just hung around 'cuz you couldn't top it" — a lover, a friend, society, watching, sticking around because the narrator's secret, the part of themselves that they are to be ashamed of is actually something that cannot be topped, it's something good. Overall, I believe this song is about dealing with society's pressures when coming out, but sticking to your guns and not hiding away when people call you 'Shameless'. It's about eventually finding out that the 'wrong' is actually right for you and that it cannot be topped by what society says is good, moral and normal. |
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| Polly Scattergood – Breathe In Breathe Out Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I absolutely adore this song. I think this song is talking about learning to live without someone — whether they are dead, or just absent. "You are constant Constant to me Though you're distant, You're my shadow Constantly" These lines show that no matter how far away the person is from her, their memories and their presence still lingers. Like a shadow there is always a figment of that person following her around, something not quite them, flat, 2-Dimensional, and sometimes overpowering, but always there. "Yeah, I'm OK Thanks for asking Wrote too many pointless love songs" This, here, is her talking to someone else, someone outside of the situation. Although we see in the earlier and following stanzas that she's not quite OK, she is still telling this person that she is. A way of being strong, or trying not to worry anyone else. "Learn to breathe in Learn to breathe out Can't let you go Can't let you go yet" These chorus' sound like she is taking baby steps to learn how to live without the person. One breath at a time, and although she can't let the person go, she is still going to continue to live. She will breathe in, and then out. Just staying alive. "I think I felt you disappear, disappear, disappear I know it's awful but I'd already said my goodbyes" This is probably the most ambiguous stanza. She's basically saying that's she made her peace with this, that she felt the person slipping away, but that is kind of contradictory to the rest of the song. In that light, I think she might saying this for their benefit, or lying to herself, trying to make moving on easier. The following lines: "And nice to see you, maybe not / You lived such a little, but loved such a lot" Might give more of a hint, telling the listener that this is what she would say if she met them again. That she might lie and say: "It's nice to see you", but not really feel it. When she says "lived such a little, but loved such a lot" she could be talking about a childhood sweetheart, someone who had only just begun to experience life, or maybe even herself at the point of losing the person. (The way I broke it up is how I hear it, it makes more sense to me) "I saw a sparkle Felt a tremor Then I thought that I saw you in the mirror But I must be crazy, I must have lost my mind Cos I'm running late over half the time" I love this stanza, it conjures up such vivid images. She's kind of breaking, needing the person. She saw a sparkle, felt a tremor and saw them in the mirror — this could be talking about a mental break, or an experience with a ghost (whether real of not), and then she chalks down to her being crazy. The "I'm running late half the time" could be hinting towards the fact that she is still shaken by the departure, that she's forgetful and is some way away from healing. This song is a haunting look at how one might feel when a loved when leaves or dies (it can be seen either way), and really highlights the conflicting emotions that take place when trying to move on. |
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| La Dispute – The Last Lost Continent Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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This has got to be my absolute favourite song on the album, it is an epic. Completely consuming and extremely powerful, the composition of the music alone takes you on a journey, and when accompanied with the lyrics, the whole story just falls into place. I personally believe that this entire song is about fighting your monsters, and sickness. "I felt your sickness brush against my arm as I walked by you Heard your voice but couldn't tell that it was you And slowly watched your sickness slip away Into a place that I'd once feared But I was not afraid this time" The sickness referred to in the first stanza could be a few things, but when taken into account of the entire song, I believe that the narrator is referring to a mental illness, perhaps depression. This 'sickness' that is referred to changes the person it is affecting, and that's why he doesn't recognise the person voice. As it continues, he sees the person's sickness change, get worse maybe, and although he would have run before, he is ready to face it. "So I gave chase and found it finally Slowly feeding from your head And from my friends and from my family So I grabbed it by the neck For every lover you have ruined I dug my nails into its flesh And every life that you have taken Slammed it's head against the brick" He is ready to face the 'sickness' and so he chases it, and finds it ultimately killing the people he loves, it is ‘feeding’ on their brain, their life force and by extension their sanity, so he proceeds to kill it, in the name of everyone it has consumed and destroyed. "It's blood poured out onto the pavement I stirred it in with dirt and spit I will take a part of you I made mortar from the mix Tore every organ from its body Broke it's bone and fashioned bricks I laid the mortar in between I made a throne for hope to sit Too long you've torn us into pieces Firmly held onto our wrists Today I buried you in me I swallowed every inch of it" The imagery in this is quite violent, possibly reflecting the nature of the sickness. He kills it, and out of its death, he makes 'a throne for hope to sit' he masters the sickness, taking it and making it something of a power figure. He changes the nature of the sickness so that he, and everyone else, are the masters of the sickness, rather than it dominating them. He beat it, and they are free. 'Today I bury you in me' this is quite beautiful. He is saying that he is going to take the sickness into himself, removing it from everyone around him, and taking the poison for them. He is ultimately sacrificing himself for the people he loves. "I'll hold you as you have held me You've held me in your heart We'll be, we'll be set free from We'll be set free from fear We'll be set free We've felt our failures We've watched our passions leave But we're still breathing on We're still breathing on I'll hold you as you have held me You've held me in your heart And I will hold you in my heart" It's here that the tempo of the song changes. I believe he is still talking about the sickness, and to the person who was 'sick'. But now he's moved his attention. He is comforting the person, making sure that they know everything is going to be okay. He will hold this person, and keep them in his heart, even though their passions (hobbies, loves, lust for life) are gone, they will be strong, they are still alive. "But I still see him dead in the parking lot At the gas station just down the street" This is where it could get confusing. You don't really know who the 'him' is. I believe that he is still talking about the sickness here. The parking lot fits with the imagery in the stanzas before. "And I still hear my friend say You know, you wouldn't believe the things I saw when I was stationed overseas But he somehow keeps smiling in spite of all of that While I keep finding ways to push the good out for the bad" Here the narrator is comparing his struggle with other people's. He is devaluing his pain and suffering, showing that others are able to be optimistic after they have suffered more than he has. "Oh, how selfish of myself To always say that it was more than I could take Like it was pain I couldn't shake Like it could break me with its fingers Throw my body in the lake and I would slowly sink away" Again, he is devaluing his own pain. This time calling himself selfish. He is claiming that the pain he felt was crippling, when it shouldn't have been. It also shows the strength of the pain and his weakness to it — it could break him its fingers, which is quite a feat. The imagery of the lake and sinking is quite common when people talk about depression, if you take these other metaphors and link them with this, it strengthens the notion that the 'sickness' is more of a mental thing than anything else. "But the truth is it was sorrow that I made and wouldn't face See, I keep falling for the future after tripping on the past And I am always tearing sutures out to make the anguish last Like it defines me or reminds me I've found comfort in my suffering And uncertainty in happiness and death Because what's next is such a mystery to me And I am terrified of all the things I feel but cannot see" In this, he is ultimately saying that he constructed his own pain and sorrow — created his own hell so to speak. The themes here are quite universal — fear of death, the unknown, finding comfort in what you know, and yet the narrator continues to beat himself up about this. The idea of depression is carried on here, through 'uncertainty in happiness'. "Friends and family Put your hand into my hand and lay your head into my chest You are all that I have left here We are all that we have left" This stanza seems that he is again comforting people, but it also has the undertone of something more devastating. Perhaps they are being confronted by a great struggle and they are standing together to beat it, they are they have left. "We are the lovers We are the last of our kind So link your arms and keep your chin up And I swear that we'll be fine We are the lovers We are the last of our kind" This seems to support the notion of a confrontation, they need to fight, and are 'the last of their kind' — increasing the burden they have to carry. There is a deep romanticism in this — "we are the lovers / we are the last of our kind" they are lovers in a world void of love. "Though we are not sure who we are We keep our heads up Though we are not sure where we're from We keep our hearts up Though we are not sure when we'll leave We keep our heads up Though we are not sure where we'll go We keep our hopes up Though we're not sure who we are We keep our heads up Though we're not sure where we're from We keep our hearts up Though we're not sure when we'll leave We keep our heads up Though we're not sure where we'll go We keep our hopes up" Here the narrator is voicing doubt. There is a doubt in the identity of the group, but although there is great doubt, there seems to be a strong will here — they are willing to fight, and keep strong despite not knowing. The repetition and the addition of other voices shows both unity and determination — it becomes a war cry. "Keep your head up We're fine Just keep your head up I swear we'll be alright Keep your head up My friends, my friends Keep your head up, I swear I swear we'll never die I swear we'll get home safe and sound I swear I swear we'll never die I swear we'll live on underground I swear" As a continuation of the previous stanza, this acts as a promise — the narrator is trying to keep these people going, encouraging them to continue. The way this is structured forms the image of a long journey — a struggle that needs to be overcome, but is still draining. "I will give your heart a place to rest When everything you had has turned and left" This is pretty self explanatory — he will be there for whoever, when they are alone. The narrator will be the constant, the nurse to a broken person. "I'll weave your names into my ribcage Lock your hearts inside my chest" To me the narrator is saying that he will never forget these people, never allow them to truly die. He will be with them no matter what, and they will be in him, protected (ribcage) and comforted (heart). "Regain the passion I once carried Do away with all the rest" Here he is saying that he knows what his priorities are now. Passion. Passion for life, or a hobby, or a lover. Everything else is unimportant. "I tore the sickness from your bodies Smashed its head against the bricks I made a castle from its bones That you may always dwell in it" Here he is reminding them of what he has done. Created a shelter out of the pain, out of sickness — something that will not break. "So sing for every buried moment That you thought would never end And sing your fears about the future And a dirge for faded friends For all the love that you had held to Why it somehow failed to keep And sing for each minute you've been frightened Every hour you've lost sleep And sing for all your friends and family Sing for those who didn't survive But sing not for their final outcome Sing a song of how they tried" Singing is something that can hold many meanings. People sing in remembrance, in pain, in joy, in longing, this stanza sums all of that up. Ultimately this is the narrator telling his friends or family or lover to sing it all away, close the door on the bad things that happened in the past, but in that, he is encouraging them to remember the good along with the bad. Essentially preserving some memories in a positive light, immortalising certain struggles that brought about this bittersweet outcome. The last three lines are the most powerful to me — they essentially sum up the song. Look at the good, turn the bad into good, and make sure that you remember how you got here and how hard it was. "We live amidst a silent storm Leaves us unsatisfied at best" This is a return to the idea of the sickness — depression or some other mental illness. Something stealthy that is still lethal. "So fill your heart with what's important And be done with all the rest" This echoes the lines: "Regain the passion I once carried Do away with all the rest" Enforcing the notion that it is better to focus on the good, the important and your passions, everything else is secondary. "We are what's left of what we once were We are falling far behind There's so much stacking up against us And we're running out of time" This is displaying many things: we are the memories we keep, the only remaining reminder of what once was in us; how hard it can be — an uphill struggle; how there is no reprieve when you are fighting; and as stated, how time is running out. This is really desperate, the pain in this stanza is obvious and consuming — it's a fear of not being good enough. "We are but hopeful children And we're the last of our kind But if we let our hearts move outward I know we will never" This is a redemption. Although things are bad, they are hopeful, and again, the last of their kind. Lovers and the hopeful — a dying breed. He continues to say, that if you retain what you love, send it outward, and keep it going you will never fade, die, be forgotten. There is so much you could fill in. "We are but friends and family We are the last of our kind So hold my hand, I'll lift your head up And I promise we'll be fine" This is memetic of the whole song. The solider on attitude is reflected here, he is still optimistic in spite of all everything. "We are but hopeful lovers And we are running out of time There's so much stacking up against us And we're falling far behind" Here is the reality. Everything is looking down. Everything is not as good as it could be. "But if we let our hearts move outward I know we will never We are but lovers We are the last of our kind And if we let our hearts move outward I know we will never We are but lovers We are the last of our kind And if we let our hearts move outward We will never die" The repetition here shows how determined the narrator is, shows how desperate this situation is, but also how much hope there can be. This last stanza is really a call to arms, a battle cry, it is a motivation to survive it all, the sickness, the death of romance and hope, the death of family and friends. This is what it all comes down to. The title is something of a mystery. 'The Last Lost Continent' could be many things, but in the end, no matter the possible readings, it is ultimately something untouched by man, this continent is something representative of something greater than what it is. Throughout the song, we are reminded that the narrator is among the last of the lovers and the hopefuls, these 'lasts' need to reside somewhere — the last lost continent. If the narrator created a throne, and a castle out of the sickness, then why not a whole continent? Somewhere for his family and friends to reside, where they will be safe, where they can continue to fight forevermore, and never die. The last safe place, lost to all the pain that is humanity. To be honest, this song is just so diverse, and the imagery is so haunting that I don't feel this analysis has done it any justice. The ideas brought forth by this song are just so powerful and universal — even if you don't connect to the meaning, the voice is raw and powerful, perfect for the song. It is truly a masterpiece that is underrated. TL;DR: To me, this song is ultimately a dirge, an ode to the last lovers and the last hopefuls. It is bittersweet. The narrator confronts and destroys a sickness (something of the mind, probably) that has plagued his family, friends and lover, he then builds a safe haven from this destruction — a beacon of hope. There is also the deepest sense of a struggle, a war, almost, that the narrator and his companions need to fight to stay alive, yet everything seems hopeless. Despite this, there is a sense of hope, screamed into your ear, the narrator tells you to keep strong. There are so many elements in this song, winding and twisting, making this 12 minute epic so haunting. The narrator gives a wide range of emotion — hatred, fear, sadness, devastation, hope, strength, through all this, fragility is the undertone. The narrator is worn out, he has fought and run, and confronted, and built castles, and he's been the driving force of a dying breed. He is the one that has kept everyone going, and although he is tired, he manages to make it to the end. The beauty of this song is mixed with pain and fear, and a ling struggle that consumes the listen, with the progression of the music and the heightening desperation that is held in the narrator's voice. Sorry for the length, I just really like this song. |
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| The Dresden Dolls – Bad Habit Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I love this song. Just putting that out there first. I have read this thread, and seen that Amanda Palmer herself has said it's about nail biting and picking of the cuticles. This makes sense when thinking about the lyrics, I get that. But it is also extremely naïve and ignorant to think that there is just one single interpretation of a song, poem, or book. The author can intend for a certain meaning to come across, but every single person has a different history, a different outlook on life and so they will see it through their context. When I first heard this, I related to it on so many levels. To me, this is about self injury, and how others don't understand it. She talks about cutting, nail biting, scab picking and other forms of self destruction. No matter what the mode, she is talking about the relief, the 'momentary gain'. To me, this song is an explanation. Why she can't stop, why she won't stop. It might not be justified, it might not be plain to see, but her mode of self injury alleviates whatever negative emotion she is feeling. It is the same for many people who engage in self injurious behaviour. To look at this song in one way and dismiss all others would be completely incoherent with the message that the Dresden Dolls try to send. Look at any of their songs. Always another meaning, always a hidden message, never one, stable way of looking at it. I can see that this song isn't only about cutting, or sex or drugs, but I don't think that it is purely about nail biting. When I hear this song, I will relate to it on a level I understand and know, not from some other point of view. And for those of you who say Amanda herself said this isn't about self harm — you are all severely wrong and deluding yourselves. "You may find it enlightening and amusing to know that this song was actually not inspired by the idea of cutting oneself. I have this terrible habit of picking off the skin around my fingernails...with my teeth, with my nails, and occasionally with a sharp object lying around. I can see how you would interpret the lyrics that way, and I'm glad the song provoked you enough to write to us. There are plenty of people out there, many of them children, practicing real self harm that may actually find comfort in an artist expressing the anguish that accompanies any sort of self-destructive bad habit, and knowing that I may provide that comfort means that I sleep very well at night, indeed. " Where in there does it say that it isn't about self harm? Picking the skin around your finger nails is considered self harm (the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue without suicidal intention), albeit a rather 'tame' mode of self harm but still self harm. This then means that the messages of the song, the meaning of the song, can be projected to encompass other modes of self harm too. Amanda didn't say either that it was wrong for people to interpret this song how they want, she said that it helps her sleep at night thinking that this song can provide comfort to those who engage in other forms of self harm. So please, tell me: Who are you to contradict the artist's wishes? Who are you to call others 'fuck heads' because they want this to relate to them? Who are you to tell people that they are wrong simply because they have the ability to think for themselves? Your ignorance is astounding. |
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| Emilie Autumn – My Fairweather Friend Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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A Fairweather friend reminds of someone who is there when the going is good, but isn't there when things are bad, and they will be absent in the end, because the end (for most people) isn't something good. "The one thing that I'm sure about Is that you won't be anywhere around me when I fall" This supports the fact that the friend is one who doesn't stick around too much. "I'd like to think I wouldn't die for you, but you know I would 'Cause that's the fool I am" This shows that even though she knows that this friend won't be around, she will still be completely loyal to them, no matter what, even if they leave. "Absent in the end Love you only bend Wounds you'll never mend My fairweather friend" This further shows the abuse (emotional) that the relationship entails, bending of rules, opinions, wounds and the such. This song is amazing, simplistic and lyrically full of ideas and thoughts. |
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| Emilie Autumn – Opheliac Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Let me just say that I adore Emilie Autumn and that this song is one of my favourites on the album. StickityWicket had a point that the album may come off as "pompous, manipulative and arrogant". Yet if you go with what he said, that she is basically telling the listener what she is like, and that she'll keep doing it, with no attempt at finding help — the song, in that sense could be a cry for help. Basically saying: "Well you can see how I am, why not try and help me. I can't do it myself — I need your help" This could be easily argued, and cogently as well, yet there ha to be more than one reading to any song, or text for that matter. The whole album is testament to psychological dissonance, confusion, manipulation and self-loathing as well as self-loving. When looking at it like this, the term Opheliac could be used to describe the host of problems that she has, acting together to make her insane, something that she cannot escape and through this album, the music, she is crying out for help. A kleptomaniac cannot help but steal, someone with OCD cannot help but do certain things over and over and over again, and like these disorders, she can't help but manipulate, lie, deceive, and harm herself. Like StickityWicket said, it isn't/shouldn't be an anthem for girls (or guy for that matter, let us not be sexist here), more of a way to give people an approach/understanding of some of the craziness and chaos in the world, or in your own head. Musically the song is captivating and different, lyrically is a masterpiece, but not something that one wants to identify with too easily. Just my 2 cents on the matter. |
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| Rihanna – Te Amo Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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This song can be taken two ways (being sung by a male narrator, or a female narrator) either way, the meaning doesn't alter too much. The song is about being held too close to someone, sometimes you just need your own space. In this song, the female being sung about is obviously in love with the narrator, but they don't feel the same way. "Thats when I saw it in her eye It's over" 'it' in her eyes, being love, and so the narrator had to end it, but then the female " hand around me waist" and as the narrator "told her no" she cired "Te Amo". The narrator then asks what Te Amo means, saying: "Doesn't it mean I love you?" giving the sense of confusion, like they have never felt love at all, or if they couldn't imagine the female actually loving the narrator. If you believe that the narrator is female, the story takes the path of friends dancing, and the one admitting to the other that she loves her. If you believe that it is a male narrator, he could be looking to have some fun, but then finding that the female has fallen for him. The main thing to realise is that just because it's a female singer, doesn't mean that it has to the voice of female — that is the nature of a tale, poetry and lyrics ... |
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| Mika – Blame It on the Girls Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| It is actually "blame it on the boys hitting on you" and yes, you could say that it is a reference to gay boys, which could be understandable within the context of the song for two reasons: Mika is a bisexual and so the idea of sexuality is fluid, and boysxboys, girlsxboys, girlsxboys isn't unreasonable, and also the fact that it is a pretty boy... | |
| Flyleaf – In The Dark Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I LOVE THIS SONG! To me, this song is about someone hiding from the world (obviously expressed when she says "I hide myself (in the dark)") but it extends further than that, she is hiding from the truth and imperfections. In the silence, it is said, that the truth speaks loudest, hence she is afraid of silence, and tries to "fill this space" with "idle words", the noise hides fear. "Now I'm mute, despite myself All of them are gone The silence overtakes me The idle words forsake me and I am left to face me" This stanza suggests that the idle words were her way of hiding, running, and ultimately avoiding her truth, and so when she is mute, everything comes rushing in, like opening the flood gates, and she is "held accountable for every idle word" "Glory shows up, exposes us I'm naked here, forsaken here By the dark, by the dark" This stanza shows that she cannot truly hide, not even in the dark, at which point she begs Jesus to kill her, and grant her redemption in the form of resurrection (so she may walk the Earth again free from sin and guilt) TL:DR; This song is about hiding from yourself, and ultimately finding that you can't really hide at all, that no matter what, everything will catch up to you. I love it. |
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| Evanescence – Where Will You Go? Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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This song, to me, is about someone who is constantly wearing a facade while in the public domain "You wear the mask of all you long to be" — This line supports the notion of a fake, and the line that follows: "I know who you really are..." shows that the facade isn't all that good. I believe this song is a criticism of the person, basically telling them that they are alone, and because of this facade, they have really no options but to remain trapped in the lie, this is crystallised when Amy says: "but where will you go with no one left to save you from yourself? you can't escape the truth" I also think that this song is Amy telling someone to free themselves from a social mould, and to actually become their true selves. This song, at the moment, resonates deeply with me, as a friend of mine is currently occupying the same position as the subject of this song... |
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| Cinema Bizarre – Blasphemy Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH! There could be many readings to apply to this song, the overarching meaning would be about falling in love with some so fully and wholly that even God has no sway on the relationship. From there, a number of interpretations could be deduced the most blasphemous would be of a homosexual relationship, which is considered a sing by most people: "Love is nature So you're breaking with tradition In this God-forsaken land" Or you could just go with a more conservative reading and say that the relationship is a forbidden one and that it is going against the wishes of those around them No matter the reading, it's a wonderfully touching song, I love it C: |
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| AFI – End Transmission Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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One of my favorites on the album, it's just so ... sexy? This song, to me, is about falling in love, and making that final move to admit it to each other, hence the "if there's discretion that you've not abandoned, now's the time." It also seems very intimate, "you pressed you mouth on mine", "I'll hide these words, they're only yours to find" and "I'll make it worth your while, just let me taste the sky", like lovers just being with one another, trying to make the other as happy as they can. The line "Go grab your bag, I'll bring the gun," gives the song a whole other level of meaning, it makes me think of Romeo and Juliet to some extent (taking this from the Baz Luhrmann version), this is loosely of supported in the stanza: "The broken radio was playing suicide i felt myself falling i confessed to you, "i saw a body." you said you'd seen a few." this is similar to the story of Romeo and Juliet, they both commit suicide. Romeo has seen the body of Tybalt, and Juliet has seen a few (cousins, Tybalt). The notion of Romeo and Juliet is further supported in the notion of 'stars' that was introduced by the person opposite the persona, the thought of 'star crossed lover's' and being immortalised for their love is brought to mind by this. This song is just so awesome, there are so many possible readings that could be applied to this song... it's just how you look at it C: |
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| AFI – Okay, I Feel Better Now Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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This is just a wonderful song, musical brilliance. The lyrics are so power and captivating. ANYHOO! onto my interpretation: These lyrics seem to be about a love, unrequited or broken, either way the persona in the lyrics was heavily reliant on this love, and because of some event, he has died (emotionally or spiritually) "There is nothing to me. There is nothing though there was a time I had felt elation before all sensation died" - this hints more towards the reading of a broken love, where he once felt a love, but then 'died' in some way "I cannot breathe. I can't deny that I've been feigning for you every vital sign, defied" && "I can't deny that I've been faking for you Every sign of life" ^ This suggests that the persona has been pretending to be 'okay' so that whom ever broke them doesn't see their pain and/or their lack of life. "I deny you sympathy just as I have been denied." ^ Suggesting it was a violent/brutal cut off of love, with no sympathy and now the persona is going to do the same. "I died for the last lie and the heartbreak for the first time" ^ this part suggests that the love/relationship was based on a lie that inevitably caused heartbreak "This is what you taught me. This is what you taught-and I learned well- To recognize that feeling easily can be dispelled." ^(This is my favorite part) This gives the listener the feeling that the persona has lost/abandoned a sense of humanity by 'dispelling' their emotions because of this love. "Show your wounds, I'm bored with mine. Nothing is new. Don't despair, I rarely cry." ^This stanza leads the listener to believe that there has been some sort of reunion between the lovers and now the persona is going to make their ex-lover 'suffer' in a way by uncovering their (the ex-lover's) wounds and hiding their own. "Oh my dear, please dry your eyes. Who could harm you? To hurt you is to be despised, As I'd love to." In this stanza, the ex-lover is sort of elevated to a place where people worship them, and therefore despise those who hurt them, and the persona will hurt their ex-lover even if means being hated. TL;DR: This song is basically about a broken lover who hides their pain and lack of emotion (which was killed by the relationship) from their ex, and at some stage when they meet again the persona is willing to hurt their ex-lover in the same manner that they were hurt. |
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| Lacuna Coil – Angel's Punishment Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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The lyrical aspects of the song are quite ingenious. In each verse the ideas are directly contrasting with each other,A broken hope — hope is something that when broken isn't hope anymore, it something dead and dull. A choking breeze — a breeze is seen as refreshing and something you want to take a deep breath of, but for it to choke you is turning the idea inside out.) The song itself is describing a world where the things we see as good are reversed and seen as evil and destructive. The title, Angel's Punishment, gives a good backdrop for the song — punishment of the good and the pure (angel), this theme of punishment of good and pure is carried on through the song and can be seen in the line: "The bitter blood of a children's cry" The idea of denial and a dystopic world is a prevalent theme in the song, coming forth in the: "Inside the truth, far from the sky" the idea of the truth being hidden so far away is (well in the song) a worrying thing. The ideas in the song can be extrapolated into modern society where we can see governmental cover-ups, war all across the globe, child soldiers, biological experimentation and the likes. This song can be seen as a social commentary in which the atrocities committed by human beings are being address and, to an extent, criticized. xx |
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| Hilary Duff – Gypsy Woman Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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@ bestpersonever and Tessie, I believe, and this is in my personal opinion, that the reference to Gypsies in this song is not meant to be racially/ethnically orientated, but more focusing on the lifestyle that they live. The word Gypsy has mysterious and mystical connotations to it, so when people think of Gypsies they think of psychics that travel a lot — the theme of travel and moving is heavy within the song ("Try to run away with the gypsy woman..."), and this what is being focused on in the song. The connotations and ideas of Gypsies always moving, leaving towns and cities behind, along with the people that fall in love with them. I highly doubt that this song is meant to have negative connotations to the Gypsies in a racial/ethnical sense. -- Onto the song: I love the beat of the song, and the way that it's presented. When I first listened to the song, the beginning line: "Congratulations, you have joined the ranks of all the rest" this made me think that many men have fallen in love with this Gypsy woman. The characterization of the Gypsy makes her quite playful ("This is her favorite game to play") and somewhat dangerous ("She can swallow knives...") which heightens the appeal of the Gypsy to the man falling for her. Although the song can be seen as critical towards the Gypsy, I think that it's aimed at the man, who is easily swayed and falls into love easily even though he knows better. The beginning phrase has a lot of contempt in the way it is said, reinforcing the negative outlook on the male in the song. The Gypsy in the song can be seen not as a person, but as desire in general, temptation for those willing to succumb to it. As I said before, Gypsies have a certain mysticism about them, this could draw the male in the song into dangerous waters because of the temptation and the dangerousness of the woman. xx Ahamkara |
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| The Killers – Andy, You're a Star Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Listening to the song, and reading the lyrics, this is definitely about a crush: "Leave your number on the locker and I'll give you a call" and when you like someone, you think they're a star: "Andy, you're a star/In nobody's eyes but mine" Reading previous comments about how he can't be gay or bi because he's a Mormon, well he said himself that he's questioned his sexuality, and it's not a bad thing. Moving on. This song is powerful and it really speaks to me on many levels. And I'm sure that most people can relate to this in some way or another. |
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