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Halsey – New Americana Lyrics 10 years ago
"We know very well who we are...", that section of the song refers to the chorus of Biggie's song Juicy, which is worded differently but sung the same. Nice touch there.

Love the socially conscious, intelligent societal criticism in these lyrics. It has a depth like I haven't heard in a long time for a pop song, and could only come from someone who knows what it's like to live outside of wealth taken for granted. We need more music with this kind of depth in the spotlight.

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Sebadoh – New Worship Lyrics 11 years ago
This song perfectly describes at least for me, how it felt to grow up in a particularly dogmatic religion.

"There's a lie we've been living through / Think you're all alone, it's not quite true"
This to me means religion repels the material world at face value, and there's a god always looking over your shoulder.

"No one cares 'cause no one should / Everything you see was meant to be misunderstood"
Pay no mind to things as they appear at face value. The only interpretation of life that matters is via religious dogma which explains everything.

"Safe & sound, so safe & sound / Move your body back and forth and round & round"
You're free to roam as long as it's within the walls of religious boundaries.

"All my friends are killing me / And all my friends are killing me"
Don't give in to peer pressure, your friends will try to influence you toward secular ways but keep your religious faith above all else.

This might be my favorite Sebadoh song. Great lyrics, great music texture for lo-fi, and great build up of intensity toward the end.

submissions
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Cold Son Lyrics 13 years ago
I agree with Universal, it sounds like the resistance of natural feeling and vulnerability in the moment, to force a lifeless facade in competition with your "rival pretensions". I think the "son" part of the title was chosen because it's like a kid resisting his parents' guidance, who know what's best for him but he still tries to be something he's not.

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Panic! at the Disco – The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage Lyrics 13 years ago
When I first heard this song I thought finally, a song on the radio that is actually saying something. That's no ordinary title of a song, its length alone demands attention of which it got mine. It's a direct criticism of how the media can paint a picture of any situation, for better or worse thus "It seems the artists these days are not what you think".

The line, "I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives" is basically talking about how a lot of artists only focus on being popular, to the "trophy", cool/mainstream people of the world, so they sell some records.

I usually don't care for most popular songs on the radio, but I think there needs to be a voice of reason from time to time on there, of which this song was. It calls out those who are "still so young and desperate for attention", how attention and publicity seem to have taken precedence over an artist's true intention, ie - someone choosing to commit suicide out of sorrow being turned into martyrdom by the media. I think of Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain.

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John Lennon – Working Class Hero Lyrics 13 years ago
I don't think there would be punk rock without John Lennon, especially without this song. I don't have any extensive research to back that up, but just a gut feeling. Who was questioning and defying cultural norms of submission to capitalism before him? And he did it in such a chill way, he never made a big angry stink about it, he simply asked the questions. These days, it seems like Kurt Cobain's dynasty is still running its course, but he didn't sing with unfiltered conscience like John.

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Def Leppard – Photograph Lyrics 14 years ago
I'm not much of a hair metal fan but this song stands out somehow. One thing is the guitar riff during the chorus, kind of bittersweet and melancholy. That's when the fact that it's a sad song peeks it's head out sonically. Reminds me of the guitar riff Peter Buck plays after the chorus in REM's Driver 8, an arpeggio where the 3rd note in every bar doesn't change, while the others do. Love it.

That's right, I just compared Def Leppard to REM...deal with it.

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Wire Train – Chamber Of Hellos Lyrics 14 years ago
To me this song in essence is about superficiality, and the dark feelings and suspicions that fester beneath it. In that sense it's a brilliant song title. Very much a punk rock message, which would make sense for the time frame this was released.

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Depeche Mode – Strangelove Lyrics 14 years ago
My thoughts exactly. It makes the song very human to have him "confess" instead of rubbing it in your face that he's a bad ass, and you just have to deal with it.

This brings back lots of good memories in college, when I'd go to Downtime or Pyramid Club in NY, or QXT's in NJ.

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The Mountain Goats – You Were Cool Lyrics 15 years ago
This one always puts a lump in my throat, heard it here first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMIHSuKmGKA

Seems pretty straight forward but you'd think spiked heels meant popularity.

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The Feelies – Moscow Nights Lyrics 15 years ago
Definitely seems pretty straightforward so I agree with you karmageddon. This album was released in 1980 and I remember how Russians were depicted as the bad guys in a lot of 80's American movies (Rocky IV, Red Dawn, etc.). So it seems this girl who "never felt right in our world" needs to go to the other side to find her bliss alone.

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U2 – Sweetest Thing Lyrics 16 years ago
kind of therapeutic after a bad date...like mine last night :P This video pretty much shows how I was feeling.

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Soft Shock Lyrics 16 years ago
something like this happened to me and boy did the tears come down when I listened to this song

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Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels Lyrics 16 years ago
This song just popped in my head as I got an email back from a girl I used to date who now just wants to be friends. Got me feeling not much unlike the lyrics.

The video starts with the sign "Silence" in a library, like the singer is gushing with feeling (gun in his hand) but the girl reacts like he's being immature, and maintains her composure.

"But traditions I can trace against the child in your face"
Brilliant. Even though she looks innocent and unpretentious, she's sticking with her tradition of not giving him the benefit of a reaction.

At the end of the video where he's older and sitting at the desk, it's like he "wised up" and joined the worldly woman in not having such wild feelings anymore. "Funny how time flies" is a nice cherry on top :)

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Pulp – Common People Lyrics 16 years ago
Whenever I play this song I have to turn it way up, brilliant lyrics and I can totally relate. I lived in a tiny basement apartment with no windows in Brooklyn by the projects as a student, complete with roaches. I'm in a shitload of student loan debt but have still had an amazing career so far.

The only thing that I think takes away from it is that the video and the way he sings are very chic while the lyrics are very punk rock. Maybe he's trying to be ironic, or maybe I'm comparing it to where I first heard it from Shatner and JJ which is faster and more angry.

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