| Vampire Weekend – Diane Young Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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For me it's about someone who wants to "live fast die young" but in the end is a naturally cautious person and, like most people, is too concerned with self preservation to live like that. It's all centered around this probably metaphorical speeding car that the couple have seized and are taking for a joyride. "Out of control but you’re playing a role" hints that it's all an act, they're just pretending to be dangerous, it's not in their nature. "Do you think you can go til the 18th hole" likely means can you carry on til the end of your natural life. "But you got the luck of a Kennedy So grab the wheel and keep holding it tight Til you're tottering off into that good night." The last line of this verse is a reference to Dylan Thomas' poem "Do not go gentle into that good night", but if this person is "tottering off", then they clearly are going gently. "Tottering" is also indicative of old age, so the subject of the song is in the end driving through life pretty carefully to stop it from ending prematurely. The last line is a clear admission that the rock and roll life is just not for the protagonist. Living your life in self defence, is quite the opposite of being self destructive. Sure it's bad getting old, but at least you'll have your memories! |
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| Half Man Half Biscuit – 4AD3DCD Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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It's a song about a stereotypical art college student, who is trying his/her best to be alternative. They tick all the boxes - David Lynch, in a band who play "crazy" instruments, appreciation for Man Ray and the 4AD record label. The band's songs sound more twee/C86 than anything though. Not really sure what David Dundass has got to do with anything or why he's got no rock cakes, maybe Nigel Blackwell just thought it sounded good. And rightly so. |
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| Shrag – Tights in August Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This song's pretty self evident - girl obsessed with boy who is rather less anamoured with her. The end is great because he seems to truly realise what he's got himself in for and it gets a bit darker. 'Making money off lemonade' seems to be her profiting from his artificial affection for her, she doesn't seem to notice (or care) that it's synthetic. At the end they both sing together, perhaps she's worn him down and now he's the one who is obsessed and she's the one who's bored of the relationship. Or maybe it was just a nice way to end the song. |
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| Shrag – Rabbit Kids Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I think the song is about a break up, the protagonist being on the receiving end. In the first verse the narrator seems to be talking about things she and her partner shared, incidentally all having cultural references to outsiders. The chorus is the protagonist's pleas for her partner to stay with her, who is obviously reluctant. The second verse, things seem to have hit a rocky patch, visiting the same old high street shops, her partner possibly guilty (needing a "get out clause") so he holds her hand and buys her flowers ("coral dawn") The second chorus possible explains things - the protagonist has seen the object of her affection with someone else, who is dedicated to him. This is only "hours before the theft" - she steals him off him and he leaves her. The last verse is interspersed with a male vocal (possibly the protagonist's partner?) assessing her position, stating that she looks tough but she's pretty fragile underneath now that her beau has gone off with someone else. I've no idea why the triumphant couple are referred to as Rabbit Kids, anyone else? |
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| Belle & Sebastian – Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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It seems a bit of a cryptic message if it's aimed at Campbell. More likely it's just a wonderful little narrative about an office worker at the end of his tether. He's retiring (hence being given the wholly unoriginal gift of a carriage clock) and that might be what tips him over the edge. Feeling undervalued, having given his whole life to his job, he launches into a tirade directed at his boss. She has been exploiting her staff, shirking from duty herself and offering little other than abuse at her staff. He ends by saying he'd rather not have his colleagues sympathy, they should leave before they become as cynical as he is. Murdoch paints such a vivid picture of the quiet man's big moment, it's incredibly moving. |
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| Los Campesinos! – There Are Listed Buildings Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| The other lyrics seem to indicate she regards him rather coolly, almost with disinterest. So like a Listed Building, her heart is unchangeable, the protagonist can't move it or stir emotion in his love interest. Aw. | |
| Los Campesinos! – The End of the Asterisk Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The protagonist starts the song by saying he must be stuck in a rut. He's considering ridiculous (to him) alternatives to his current way of life, such as finding religion or joining the army. He's so stuck it's like trying to navigate through busy foreign traffic ie he's not getting anywhere. The reason he feels stuck is probably that his girlfriend has just left him for another bloke ("that punk"). The rest of the song is him sticking the knife into his ex. "Craving attention with your self-deprecation I'll tell you one thing: It's spot on and I'm better" Wonderful - her self deprecation, although not sincere to her, the protagonist feels is accurate and he's better. A great, bitchy song. |
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| Morrissey – I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I don't believe that Morrissey is addressing a potential lover in this song but rather the listener him/herself. Knowing that his audience might be a bit lovelorn, Morrissey offers this osng as a form of consolation. The emphasis on "to YOU" also implies that he himself is doomed never to find love. Aww. As mentioned by NewKillerStar, the outro is basically "Rock and Roll Suicide". This may be intentional as a reference to Bowie's repeated sentiment at the end of that song - "You're not alone" - the central theme of this song too. |
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| Sparks – Who Don't Like Kids Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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It's basically about someone who feels that by having kids, their reason for exisiting will be vindictaed and their life will have meaning. Their life will techinically also be extended because they will live on through their children even after death. The title is quite interesting. It could be interpreted as a question "Who don't like kids?" as in "Everyone likes kids don't they, crawling around and looking so cute!" etc. Or it could be a song about people who don't like kids, they just have kids because they want to fit into society and try and give their life meaning. I think it probably is the latter, a rather cynical attack on people who procreate for the wrong reasons. |
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| Sparks – Girl From Germany Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Pretty obvious this one. The protagonist has a German girlfriend whom he brings home to meet his parents. They unfortunately have xenophobic feelings towards German people and imagine the next thing they'll see is the SS marching in their front yard and Hitler in the lounge. | |
| Sparks – Barbecutie Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Basically, it seems that the subject of the song has gone on some scientific mission into a polar region to advance the knowledge of mankind. He has forsaken his sweetheart in doing so, but he still misses her terribly. The protagonist then casts doubt about the sexual persuasion of the subject ("bent" being a slang term for homosexual) In the meantime a barbecue is happening in the subject's, presumably warm, hometown. His sweetheart is there, being willingly wooed by someone else, drunk on the atmosphere. The subject returns home form the cold, and proceeds to the barbecue. Maybe this town ain't big enough for the both of them... |
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