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We Were Promised Jetpacks – Quiet Little Voices Lyrics 13 years ago
Personally, I think the song is about a kind of... not abusive, but unhealthy relationship. He loved this girl, but she's not the best for him. He loves this girl, but the voices in his head (maybe his conscious) tell him she's not right for him, she's only hurting him. The line: "Quiet words of wisdom creep into your victim's ears" suggest to me that the girl (or whoever i the relationship) is stamping down the conscious and the guy (or whoever) is trapped in an addicting relationship.

And I suppose it doesn't have to be a romantic relationship, but can be any relationship where one person might be using the other, or hurting the other.

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The Sounds – Queen of Apology Lyrics 13 years ago
I think it could be about a relationship that turned sour. Things went bad, and love turned to hate and she's stuck with the feeling of hatred rather than the love they used to have. She feels stuck in the relationship and is 'stuck with this feeling' of hatred. The relationship doesn't necessarily have to be an abusive one, in any capacity, but the all knowing THEY say that love and hate aren't so different. Things can change very quickly: one minute you love someone, they next you hate them, but want to love them again.

There's the beauty of the song: it's vague. It can be interpreted in so many different ways and none of them are wrong. The artists have their meaning, the listeners have theirs, and no one is wrong. A great song, loving the remix.

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Vanessa Carlton – Paradise Lyrics 14 years ago
I always saw this song as being about someone who had something, but gave it up for whatever reason and is now trapped in their own personal hell that everyone else sees as being a paradise. Like maybe a Stepford Wife sort of marriage? My biggest fear is that Stepford Wife, white picket fence, perfect husband, two and a half kids dream that everyone else seems to have, so maybe I'm biased?

Either way, lovely song. Love Vanessa dearly, she's a genius!

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Vampire Weekend – Horchata Lyrics 14 years ago
I feel like this song's about losing a great relationship or losing paradise. There's a very summery, happy feeling to the song, and the lyrics (In December, drinking horchata/I'd look psychotic in a balaclava/Winter's cold is too much to handle/Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals) make me think of tropical islands and vacations. It could be that there was this wonderful relationship that was like being in paradise but everything's gone wrong and now it's ending. Also, I could see it as meaning that there was this summer paradise that the speaker went to and loved, but now it's falling into disrepair or has been bought out (sort of like paving paradise to put up a parking lot). They thought they'd had this perfect place to escape to, but now they've lost it...

Just my two cents. Love the song! :)

submissions
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – O Children Lyrics 14 years ago
I am convinced this song is a warning from an older generation to a younger generation:

Pass me that lovely little gun
My dear, my darling one
The cleaners are coming, one by one
You don't even want to let them start

They are knocking now upon your door
They measure the room, they know the score
They're mopping up the butcher's floor
Of your broken little heart

The warning starts with a death, the older generation has lost a friend and realized, "hey, we won't live forever." People from the funeral home are going through the motions, and the older generation is going through that realization that they aren't gonna live forever and they've made mistakes.

O children

Forgive us now for what we've done
It started out as a bit of fun
Here, take these before we run away
The keys to the gulag

They're asking forgiveness from the younger generation for what they've done, whatever it is they've done.

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

They're telling the kids to ask the questions they have, speak up for what they believe in while they have the chance.

Here comes Frank and poor old Jim
They're gathering round with all my friends
We're older now, the light is dim
And you are only just beginning

They know they're getting older and regret things that have happened in their past that they can't fix that their kids/nieces/nephews/etc. are gonna pay for.

O children

We have the answer to all your fears
It's short, it's simple, it's crystal clear
It's round about, it's somewhere here
Lost amongst our winnings

They know they answers to some big questions, having learned them from experience, but how do you tell someone in their twenties not to do something when you didn't listen to the same warning, and when you have the answer and, on top of that, have made a life for yourself? You've made your mistakes, too bad the younglings have to make their's now.

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

The cleaners have done their job on you
They're hip to it, man, they're in the groove
They've hosed you down, you're good as new
And they're lining up to inspect you

I'll be honest, I can't help but interpret this line as having to do with the holocaust, which is a second interpretation I have of the song, and probably the more logical one. However, I'm one of those sickeningly squeamish people that can't talk about the holocaust without bursting into tears or gagging. It's just not something I can wrap my mind around. I know and believed it happened... it's just hard to believe ANYONE could be THAT cruel so... I avoid talking about it. Moving along...

O children

Poor old Jim's white as a ghost
He's found the answer that we lost
We're all weeping now, weeping because
There ain't nothing we can do to protect you

As I said above, they can't just give out all the answers to the children. These are lessons they gotta learn for themselves, no matter how much they hurt.

O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, rejoice

Hey little train! We're all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station

They're getting ready to go. Getting ready to head out and are preparing themselves for the ultimate journey... and no, not the one to Hogwarts.

Hey, little train! Wait for me
I once was blind but now I see
Have you left a seat for me
Is that such a stretch of the imagination

They've come to an understanding with the world and what they eventually have to do, and are ready to move on, in a way.

Hey little train! Wait for me!
I was held in chains but now I'm free
I'm hanging in there, don't you see
In this process of elimination

He hung in there, learning his (or her, I guess) lessons, and is free from the assumptions all we stupid teenagers make (being one... we make some doozies)

Hey little train! We're all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
It's beyond my wildest expectation

They're moving on, probably to Heaven, given the Kingdom reference.

Hey little train! We are all jumping on
The train that goes to the Kingdom
We're happy, Ma, we're having fun
And the train ain't even left the station

Hey little train! Don't wait for me
Once I was blind but now I see


Or something... I think my Holocaust interpretation is probably more accurate... but I'm good with this one. Just my thoughts on the song. Not sure why we're discussing it when we could be enjoying it, but either way...



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