| Joni Mitchell – The Silky Veils of Ardor Lyrics | 11 years ago |
|
Before she got famous Joni sang a lot of traditional folk songs; not just the first few lines of this song, but virtually all of the lines are adapted from traditional material. The first verse is from "Poor Wayfaring Stranger"; compare Joan Baez's lyrics: I am a poor wayfaring stranger Wandering through this world of woe And there's no sickness, no toil or danger In that bright land to which I go The second and third verses are from "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies"; compare these lyrics, again by Joan Baez: Come all ye fair and tender ladies Be careful how you court young men They're like a star on a summer's morning They'll first appear and then they're gone If I had known before I courted that love was such a killing thing I'd a-locked my heart in a box of golden and fastened it up with a silver pin The last verse isn't clearly based off a single traditional verse, but the first two lines remind me of another verse of "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies": But I'm not a little sparrow I have no wings with which to fly So I sit here in grief and sorrow To weep and pass my troubles by The line about the water being wide is a reference to another traditional folk song, "The Water Is Wide". The water is wide, I cannot get o'er Neither have I wings to fly Give me a boat that can carry two And both shall row, my love and I So if you like the lyrics of this song, check out the songs which inspired them! In particular, check out June Carter's rendition of "Fair and Tender Ladies", it's hauntingly beautiful. I do love the way Joni adapts the lyrics to herself in this song too. |
|
| Chipmunk – Champion Lyrics | 15 years ago |
|
This is quite an interesting song, with much more depth than the average pop record. I'm not any dedicated fan of Chipmunk but I heard this song on the radio today and thought it was pretty good. The first verse is encouraging people to be confident and achieve the best they can. 'the hunger in your tummy' is probably a metaphor for the desire to succeed. He reminds us that 'not everybody gets a second chance at getting money' though--it's a lot harder for some people than others. Verse 2 is about the difficulty of doing this--'It's only you believing in you'. With 'they turn you into a bastard the moment you rude' he's saying how the slightest error can mess up your chances. Verse 3 is saying you'll have to pull through things yourself, since 'No-one wants to help'. You have to develop a thick skin, and remember 'Opinions ain't fact'. So basically the lyrics try and inspire you to achieve your dreams but acknowledge that it's not easy. However, in the chorus it's stated 'Some people but not me, I was born a champion', which seems to imply that the singer feels like he's had an easy rise to fame, and not had to get through much challenges on the way. This is another reminder (like the lines at the end of the 1st and 2nd verses) that there is inequality; some people will find it harder to achieve than others. |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.