| Bright Eyes – Haile Selassie Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Tree of smoke' is indeed a biblical reference, although not the burning bush... though I don't myself know the specific lines I found this info: 'In the Bible, the Tree of Smoke is a portent, signaling the day when "the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes."' In the context of the song, especially with reference to 'cover our heads as they split the atom' I would hazard that it's a reference to the 'tree of smoke' produced by an atomic bomb and a symbol of the dangers of modernity and technological advances... and all the strange things those bring. I also thought it might be 'mimetic memory', not 'magnetic', which would make sense with the sci-fi tone of the album |
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| Bright Eyes – Haile Selassie Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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'Tree of smoke' is indeed a biblical reference, although not the burning bush... though I don't myself know the specific lines I found this info: 'In the Bible, the Tree of Smoke is a portent, signaling the day when "the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes."' In the context of the song, especially with reference to 'cover our heads as they split the atom' I would hazard that it's a reference to the 'tree of smoke' produced by an atomic bomb and a symbol of the dangers of modernity and technological advances... and all the strange things those bring. I also thought it might be 'mimetic memory', not 'magnetic', which would make sense with the sci-fi tone of the album |
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| Pavement – Carrot Rope Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I feel that the obviously penis-related related overtones in the lyrics and the general connotations are emphasized by the fact that they wear long trench-coat-y rain-coats in the music video. Like sketchy flasher-people. | |
| Pavement – Carrot Rope Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Haha, YES. I noticed this too. Although I suppose it COULD just be him shaking his fist in a dorky way and it was just the camera angle? | |
| Jay Reatard – A Whisper (There Is No Sun) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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You really can't hear, but I feel like it's 'bleed' Also I always thought it was 'I whisper to me' as in like an inner voice, but that's probably wrong... |
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| The Rural Alberta Advantage – The Deadroads Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I thought it was 'our clothes still hold the ghosts of our empty town.' |
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| The Rural Alberta Advantage – Rush Apart Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Yeah, that last line where he just kind of howls 'truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeee' def. reminds me of NMH | |
| Bright Eyes – Puella Quam Amo Est Pulchra Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| It should be 'Puellam' as it is accusative. Just sayin'. In other news, good song. | |
| Elliott Smith – Bled White Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Interesting how the middle verse in this version makes it overall a lot more positive (he thinks I feel the same/ but happiness pulls me in my direction/ going to pioneer square to feel the rain), and then 'you can't even hurt me' But then in the new version he does feel the same as his friend... instead of just being happy ' happy and sad come in quick succession'... he kind of took the hopefulness out of the song, and just left the ambiguous ending of 'I'm not fucked- not quite' which is hardly the affirmation of happiness in the early version |
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| Heatmiser – See You Later Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I always heard 'an image of me', not 'miniature men.' anyway... good song... | |
| Heatmiser – Eagle Eye Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Anyone know what this is about? | |
| Heatmiser – The Fix Is In Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Wow... this song is amazing. Never really listened to the lyrics before. | |
| Heatmiser – Rest My Head Against the Wall Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I thought it was more about being depressed and wanting to be alone so badly that you lock yourself in a bathroom stall... but I suppose it could be that... | |
| Heatmiser – Get Lucky Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Does anyone know what the spoken part after the first 'We're taking you to pieces' part is? | |
| Heatmiser – Plainclothes Man Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Yeah, I think it's 'Some European son, he's furious with everyone' | |
| Heatmiser – Cruel Reminder Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I definitely think this song is about having unrequited feelings for someone. The part that clued me in was the last verse (I think it's caught, not got)- 'Sick of having my heart all over my face and the backseat driver's taking my place, Caught me staring at you, eyes dropped like lead- it's a cruel reminder, 'It's all in my head.' To me this is obviously describing a scene where even though the person knows that their crush, or beloved, or whatever, doesn't feel for them they feel compelled to look at them (backseat driver), their 'heart all over their face'; then the person catches them looking and 'their eyes drop like lead'- and it's- well- a cruel reminder that 'it' (aka their feelings for the person, their relationship, everything they dream about in relation to that person) is all in their head- they're deluding themself. Yeah, the lyrics describe it so well I feel like that wasn't even helpful. Really, this exact thing has happened to me so many times that it's amazing how closely it follows. Anyway... So knowing what it's about the other verses kind of follow. The first one I don't really get, partly because it's hard to figure out what he's saying, but 'sick desire' is his desire for the person, 'creeping around'- probably more metaphorically, watching this person, finding out about them, being somewhat obsessed with them- like stalker-ish, but a milder version?- even though they aren't interested in him 'Gallon of blood' verse is about how he feels when he's around them, how nervous he gets, and feels 'stuck in one place.' Plus, I'm definitely hearing 'I'm half in the bag,' not 'A knife in the back' even though it seems to make less sense. 'Keep trying to see from a different position- it's no good' is another part that I think describes the situation perfectly. It's how, when you like someone who doesn't care about you really, you think about every little thing, a look, a turn of phrase, in a different light and imagine it means much more than it does, clutch at straws. So, see your relationship from a different position, imagine that it's something more. But it doesn't really work, because- it's all in your head. It's no good. Same goes for 'Thinking of ways to explain everything, this sick desire, it don't do you a thing' I don't really get 'Here comes a big insider, turn myself in.' Any ideas...? So, yeah. This song- basically the story of my middle/high school love life? aka my love life so far? :P Also, I'm surprised by the fact that my favorite Heatmiser songs- including this one- are by Neil, not Elliott. Which is wierd because I adore Elliott. |
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| Sunset Rubdown – Silver Moons Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| <3 this song. It actually reminds me a lot of the end of 'Age of Innocence' by Edith Wharton- not in the specifics, obviously, congos, for example, would be super anachronistic, and it probably wasn't intentional- but it does. Especially 'I'm off the the ballet and to practice all these ancient ways', like how the main character at the end can't help sticking to his 'ancient ways', and going to the ballet is like going to the opera like he does... and then the 'maybe these days are over now... I believe in growing old with grace' , and then he's passing the baton to his son. I mean, there's also a lot that doesn't fit, and noone else has probably read that book anyway... that's just what I thought of. :P | |
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