| Death in June – Lullaby to a Ghetto Lyrics | 5 years ago |
| This makes me think about how the Brazilian police worked with death squads in slums in the 90's and killed countless street urchins. Very dark. | |
| Death in June – Leopard Flowers Lyrics | 5 years ago |
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I don't know if this is what Douglas P had in mind, but this song certainly has a clear meaning for me: basically it's an existentialist anthem about how we must give meaning to life and live it authentically. The lyrics superficially sound very downbeat, but they actually inspire me to push forward and be strong. The Leopard's Bane flower symbolizes strength: http://www.perennial-gardens.com/flower-meanings.php Aragon was once an independent kingdom before it subsumed by Spain. So it's a kingdom collapsing, but notably the narrator is moving away "from" Aragon, leaving it behind him. "Faith is difficult and nuture is all?" refers to the "nature vs nurture" debate and basically means that we are what we make of ourselves and our fate isn't dictated for us. At this point in the song it is asked as a question, as it's something that the narrator is still thinking through and discovering for himself. The "faith is difficult" commentary ties in to this as there is no higher power to cling to and once must find meaning for themselves. The "grey steel holes" are "behind" the narrator and he is walking away from them, moving forward. The "dark pink scars" "run along beside" him because he can't make everything just go away and he will carry the scars with him, but he will move forward regardless. When "nurture is all" turns to "murder them all" it is no longer a question. The narrator has figured things out, made a concrete decision, and determined his fate. "Murder" is an extremely drastic and irreversible act, and for me that really emphasizes the transition from someone who was lost and confused ("nurture is all?") to someone who has taken command of his life. |
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| Grandaddy – XD-Data II Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| As someone who had a long distance relationship that broke up, and subsequently spent a fair bit of time watching saved videos and reviewing chat logs pertaining to someone I knew I'd probably never physical encounter ever again, this is a very relatable and poignant song. | |
| Massive Attack – Butterfly Caught Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Also, I'm fairly positive the lyrics are either "tempted by the naked eye" or "tainted by the naked eye," contrary to what it says here. | |
| Massive Attack – Butterfly Caught Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I strongly disagree with the interpretations that this is about "seizing the moment." It's about lost innocence and emptiness. First, there's the title: "Butterfly Caught." A butterfly is symbolic of beauty and, in eastern cultures (which have influenced Massive Attack's music), the soul. It's also symbolic of transition. A butterfly being captured means a soul being confined, abused, and damaged. Something beautiful being stifled and repressed. And another transition is occurring--the loss of innocence that I mentioned. The "pearly sunrise" line isn't about seizing the moment. It's about a new day beginning--one full of loss. The sexual imagery is metaphorical. The song isn't about sex, but sex is used to convey an impression of someone being exposed to the cruel world, or their internal emptiness, or anything other realization of how horrifying their conditions are. Youthful imagery ("uncut teeth," etc) is spliced with the sexual imagery to create discomfort and emphasize the theme of lost innocence. The "keep smiling for me" line that's repeated sounds completely predatory. Finally, it ends with "under your feet" as a metaphor for powerlessness and hopelessness. In the video, he sits alone in a sparsely furnished apartment to symbolize emptiness, and he gradually changes into a moth to symbolize his internal struggles consuming him. Again, this isn't about seizing the day. It's also not quite about sex, even though it uses sexual imagery. It's a haunting, pessimistic song about losing one's innocence and dreams and hopes and finding oneself in a vacuous, lonely world with no escape, and being consumed by depression, rage, guilt, envy, frustration, and self-hatred. |
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