| Jack Johnson – Staple It Together Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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For me this song is about how we get so (too) caught up in fears, insecurities and attempts of conforming, to be accepted, that we end up plowing through life, trapped in our own mind (past & future) that we end up neglecting the real world / moment we're living in (which we stab in the back by trying to over-organise our existence ). Unable to go beyond the limits of our own little bubble, life baffles us and frightens us, so driven by fear, we withdraw even further into ourselves (building walls ), let many great opportunities go to waste, and are unable to slow down enough (a recurrent theme in his songs) to learn from our mistakes and move on with our lives, open up and get out of the ditch / rut we continuously, possibly unknowingly, keep digging and sinking into. The "staple it together and call or bad weather " seems to allude to the fact that, unable to make sense of /understand the behavioural patterns we subconsciously, involuntarily keep perpetuating, we just take the easy way out and scratch our circumstances off as bad luck, rather than taking responsability for our own choices and actions, thinking things through with clarity and lucidity (as opposed to over-analysing, placing blame & irrationally acting acting out our confusion in the form can of dramas - making messes, creating/feeding hatred) and taking control of our own life, growing, maturing & evolving as human beings. Whether referring to someone he knows or simply speaking in general, it's a pretty universal message that fits in well with his general messages of breaking free from social, media-sponsored neurosis and going back to basics, living simpler, fuller, richer, happier and more mindful lives. Does anyone else have a similar interpretation ? |
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| Gnarls Barkley – Smiley Faces Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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It's true that many of their songs suggest "mental disturbance". My personal belief, being that Cee-lo Green is an intelligent person - clearly not your average shallow artist - is that he is well aware of the neurotic nature of the human condition, and enjoys pointing it out. Doubt, fear, the unknown are things that appear in this song, yet what he stresses the most is that regardless of situation and external circumstances, smiling is the most important approach. Many of his songs are satires, some of them subtle, some pretty straight forward. Take "F*** You", or the slow version of "Crazy"...What I love about his songs is that he reaches out to his audience and conveys a message - generally something critical, to give you something to think about, (Crazy, Run) but encompassed within a cheerful and playful attitude. "We're all human beings, with our intrinsic complexities, insecurities, worries, problems and neurotic idiosyncrasies; there's no point denying it, so we might as well accept it and carry on, smiling, if possible" is the idea that many of his songs suggest to me. My favourite, as it constitutes a beautiful message of hope, is "Going On" - a hymn to freedom, advancement and liberation from mental and social constraints. :-) |
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| Gnarls Barkley – Going On Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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If we consider dying as achieving a higher level of clarity, perspective and consciousness, I agree with many of you, although I don't consider it to be linked exclusively to death: when death creeps upon us we understand what really matters in life, forget about all the trivial issues we've worried way too much about during our lifetime, focus on the things that are truly important and put things into perspective. "Anyone that needs what they want, and doesn't want what they need, I want nothing to do with. (to do with) And to do what I want and to do what I please, is first on my to-do list." This doesn't necessarily mean he's going to die: I believe it to be more of a hymn urging us to do that NOW, and not wait until we're about to die. Focus on what matters now, and lead a much fuller and happier existence, free from the ridiculous issues we tend to be consumed with. It sounds like he's speaking from the experience of knowing what's truly important (regardless of whether he's dying, has had a near-death experience or similar...), and believes this can be achieved if one puts his mind to it. "I've seen it with my own eyes, how we're getting otherwise, without the luxury of leaving." The touch and feeling of free, is untangible technically, is something you got to believe in." |
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| Gnarls Barkley – Crazy Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Straight on, man!!! Our whole interpretation of reality, how we interact with the world around us, with other people and with ourselves is all defined by our mind. What life is all about, what we're doing here, who we are, what are we supposed to be, what we're supposed to do with ourselves, how we're supposed to act, treat other people, interpret what other do and say... "I remember when I lost my mind, there was something so pleasant about that place Even your emotions have an echo in so much space, even From the very base of how we construct our own identity (values, experiences, likes, dislikes, goals, expectations...), to what our understanding of how people are, how society works and how we fit into it...it's all, in the end, something that takes place in our mind. What if there are other ways of going through our existence that don't rely exclusively on our neurotic minds? If we consider that there are other options, and that our whole existence is based on a series of parameters and rules that exist only within our heads...is our day to day life actually real, or are we too lost in our own minds, and unaware of what's going on outside of them? Are we all crazy then...? "I remember when I lost my mind, there was something so pleasant about that place, even your emotions have an echo in so much space..." Could he be talking about freeing one's self from the slavery of the mind, existing at a different level where one is not subject to the neurotic chitchat that goes on inside one's head, that doesn't allow us to fully experience what's going on around and inside of us? That's why we become out of touch: not because we don't know enough, but rather because we have way too much inside our minds, and this distracts us from the joy and intensity of life. "You really think you're in control? Well, i think your crazy" We're all absolutely crazy. And yet when he speaks of freeing himself from his mind, he makes a point out of the fact that everyone else will see HIM as crazy. Maybe Im crazy Maybe youre crazy Maybe were crazy Either way, the hundreds of possible interpretations of the song kind of prove his point. We should all be dancing it instead; perhaps that would do a lot more good!!! |
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| Gnarls Barkley – Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Creamx23, I couldn't agree more with you!!! The first Gnarls Barkley song I heard was "Crazy", but since I heard it on your typical "latest hit" radio station, I never stopped to pay any attention to the lyrics. Until a friend sent me "Going On", which caught my attention immediately with it's profound and straight to the point message, urging people to transcend the socially established mental framework and escape from it's limitations, reaching out for a superior plane of existence...Just like that, in the form of an extremely catchy, vigorous and rhythmical hymn!!! Enchanted by the energetic provocation, I looked for "Crazy" immediately...and there you have it: "I remember when I lost my mind, there was something so pleasant about that place...". Once you've tuned into their wavelength (which may be easier or harder depending on how close your own actually is to the band's), their message just pours right into you with doubt at all about interpretation. If any doubt is left...well...keep running!!! |
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