submissions

Joanna Newsom – Go Long Lyrics

16 years ago

I think this is a portrait of an extremely analytical, "truth-seeking", highly male (in the traditional sense of males-as-explorers) personality. I think she is singing about a real person here, so some of the imagery seems a bit scattered and hermetically sealed off (though this also gives the song life, as it feels like a living portraiture, not a one-dimensional caricature). Loved the bluebeard thoughts above and very much agree with the sentiment of adlez. I have known many people like this. They are so obsessed with being "genuine" to their missions as artists that they jettison those around them and live a mostly lonely life. This song feels like a very personal cautionary tale.

submissions

Joanna Newsom – Easy Lyrics

16 years ago

I really like littlelifegiver's thoughts. Mine are mostly the same. This song (and so many on HOOM) has a desperate pleading quality to it. If you've ever been in this kind of a relationship--and i suppose most people have--where there's an imbalance and growing rot/decay/estrangement, I think you would relate to many of the sentiments here. I like how she oscillates between feelings of ease and tranquility and desperation at her love not being requited. These lyrics are intense.

submissions

The Legendary Pink Dots – Echo Police Lyrics

16 years ago

I think this is more about the inner world of a person who is losing their mind and feels profound isolation. A person who is looking for some answer, but all they get is an echo. We think that deep down the answers to life's problems can be found within us if we're honest with ourselves, meditate on things, etc etc, but for this person there's nothing inside, nothing distinct from the loneliness: "the echo police just don't know how."

submissions

Magazine – Stuck Lyrics

16 years ago

Its a person trapped in a relationship, but he realizes it is a kind of shelter. He wonders why he can't just accept the probably-mute, unreflecting love of the other: "pushing myself so helpless, when i can love you out of weakness." He has lost the ability to receive and return love... (common magazine theme, actually) The refrain at the end is a favorite. When you're trapped, you ceaselessly repeat the same questions to yourself over and over. The odd guitar harmonies contribute to suspension and anxiety.

submissions

Magazine – I Want To Burn Again Lyrics	16 years ago
So unbelievably bitter. Its a kind of reflective despair on how reflexively, mindlessly we turn back to the fever dream of love after so many failures. Similar to "because you're frightened" in that the narrator realizes he is somewhat addicted to fear/"burning". I especially like the way the keyboard line falls before each verse, making one imagine the vertigo of falling in love.

submissions

Magazine – Because You're Frightened Lyrics

16 years ago

Seems to be about a few things... not a narrative per se, but an abstract mix of fear/love imagery. Also has the usual Magazine disdain for the narrow, unconsciously hypocritical views of the average person (perhaps someone Devoto dated?) That is, people say they don't want to be in fear, but in fact they love it: "a frightening world is an interesting world to be in." And people actually can't wait to wield their cruelty/fear against others: "you want to hurt, you want to crave...you want to praise and curse and blame" and "you wanna believe just what you like."

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