| Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| This is quite simply a song about man who finds himself astonished and despairing that he is still in love with a woman. | |
| Bob Dylan – Desolation Row Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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These are episodes from Dylan's life, focused on his experiences playing live shows on 'Desolation Row' which was what he considered his 'folk programme'. 'Desolation Row' was the folk circuit, where he, one-hand on the tightrope walker (guitar), was forced into being a 'voice of a generation'. The first three verses are memories of himself and Baez performing, she being described as Cinderella, 'It takes one to know one, she smiles' her being part of the 'folk music world'. Then there is Ophelia, (Baez again), rooted in religion and folk music that clashed strongly with Dylan's 'beat-generation' freewheeling spirit. Einstein (himself) sniffing drainpipes (playing harmonica). This is a reference to him going electric at the folk festival, "Playing the electric violin on desolation row." Dr. Filth could be Pete Seeger, or another fatherly folk figure who guards the 'purity' of folk music, which Dylan viewed as being cultish, filled with 'sexless patients' playing penny-whistles on desolation row. The Phantom of the Opera refers to Dylan's concerts after that era, with him at the Piano, backed by the band, and the booing, which was his 'punishment' for leaving desolation row. The 'kerosene' verse may be his thoughts, after playing a concert, on the social maneuvering and wrangling that surrounded him and his music. The last couple of verses are more reflections and images from his old 'programme' and the entire song reads like a letter written to someone who hadn't realized he had changed and was no longer the 'folk hero' everyone had hoped for. Of course, although this is what it 'appears' to be about, the magic of Dylan is that his songs are kaleidoscopic, and mean many different things to many different people. I can recall hearing the second verse when I was 17 (1994) and being immediately hooked on Bob Dylan from that point on. I was struck by how tragic the scene appeared to be. It seems as though there were a Romeo and a Cinderella meant for each other, but because they fit in different crowds, they could never be together. |
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| They Might Be Giants – Spiraling Shape Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I'm fairly certain this song is a warning about LSD usage. The 'wreck your life', the 'excellence or injury' and 'groovy' combined with that if you take tons of acid, it leads to the 'spiraling shape' effect mentioned in Timothy Leary's books. Which, as we all know, makes you go insane. There won't be a refund, you'll never go back. It's a deadly serious song, in many ways, and one TMBG's masterpieces. |
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