| R.E.M. – Pilgrimage Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| I've always thought the lyric was, "pilgrimage has gained momentum", but I'm listening to a live recording from late 1981 just now and what I hear is: pilgrimage escape momentum. Kinda like that. It's suggests forward momentum or breaking free, or maybe something else. Stipe himself says he has no idea. (Or at least he once said that.) | |
| Leonard Cohen – Dance Me to the End of Love Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| I\'ve only just discovered this wonderful song thanks to a YouTube mashup which combines the beautiful arrangement and performance from "Later . . . with Jools Holland" and the waltz scene from War and Peace. I have it on repeat. Without knowing its backstory or meaning, it just immediately felt as old as time and as deep as the deepest ocean.\n\nIt is an immensely moving song. | |
| The Ink Spots – Java Jive Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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Clearly this song is about the deep existential crisis of living in post-industrial society. Or, coffee. |
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| The Four Tops – Bernadette Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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This is the greatest song in the Motown canon (though it has a LOT of competition--so many great songs), and that moment (you know the one) is one of the great moments in popular music. One reason the song is so great is that I'm not convinced that Bernadette is actually his woman. Oh yeah, he's talking a good game, but when he shouts her name it's as if he's shouting into the dark void of his soul, begging the universe to make it so. But is it? |
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| Nirvana – Lithium Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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I always thought this was a love/hate song from a junkie to his drug of choice. A lot of the lyrics can be read that way. I like (need) it, I'm not gonna crack I miss (really need) you, I'm not gonna crack I love (hate) you, I'm not gonna crack I killed you (me), I'm not gonna crack Light my candles in a daze 'Cause I've found god Those lines seem to explicitly be about addiction. My 2¢ anyway. |
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| Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime Lyrics | 7 years ago |
| Same as it EVER WAS. | |
| Talking Heads – Life During Wartime Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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Certainly can be taken as being about life during wartime, but I've always thought it was more about loss of self and living a life without meaning. Life is all surface details with no depth, and none of it much matters. I can say that "this ain't no party . . ." was probably the most commonly seen graffiti on bathroom walls in my college town back in the late 70s/early 80s. Beyond that, it's really a fun song. |
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| The Rolling Stones – Far Away Eyes Lyrics | 8 years ago |
| @[santaanawindsblowin:24544] Ummm, can't agree with that. She's no dreamer, more likely a truck stop hooker who is weary of the life, but can't see past her limited options. My 2¢ anyway. Love this song, btw. | |
| The Beatles – She's Leaving Home Lyrics | 8 years ago |
| I accept this song at its face value, a story-song about a teen-aged girl who feels empty in her parents' house, so she leaves. What's amazing about this song is the depth of feeling and understanding it conveys. As a listener I am deeply affected by both music and lyrics, and I feel for both the girl and the parents. How did two guys in their mid-20s manage this? Also amazing is the galaxy-sized leap from "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to "She's Leaving Home." How did this happen? It's one of the great events in the history of 20th Century culture, and is almost beyond understanding. Thankfully, it happened. | |
| Elvis Costello – Beyond Belief Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Amazing song. As with many EC tunes, it seems intensely personal and broadly universal. Beyond the poetic brilliance of the lyrics there is a driving musical performance that pushes the whole thing. I guess I've always misheard a couple of the lyrics. History repeats the oracle states Now I hurt beyond belief As it happens, I think both of my errors work within the context of t he song. |
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| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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I was around Athens then and saw R.E.M. a lot. At that time, Stipe's vocals were more like an instrument (maybe an oboe) used to add color, tone, and emotion to the songs, not so much to convey meaning. That said, they were very much inspired by punk and the DIY ethos of the time and really knew how to shake the rafters. I think I prefer the HibTone version, but love them both. Personally I never viewed RFE as addressing the government propaganda station, or international relations or immigrants, but as a call to arms to get off your ass and do something. In that light, I always (still do) hear the lyrics as, "decide yourself" and "calling out in the trenches." On stage Stipe certainly messaged around with the words, in this and many other songs. Ah, the good old days. Anyway, for me, this is a call to arms. |
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| R.E.M. – Man On The Moon Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| Obviously, it's about Kaufman, but I've always thought it's about the loss of childhood innocence, of a particularly American middle class nature. It's the middle of summer, and you and your buddy are hanging out, playing board games, staying up way past your bedtime, watching Andy on late night TV, doing his Elvis, or pushing Fred Blassie. Summer will never end, but it does, and so does innocence. That's the feeling this song gives me. | |
| R.E.M. – (Don't Go Back To) Rockville Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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@[HyperBully:10127] I had a couple of classes at UGA (J-school) with Ingrid Schorr back in the day. She was a real scenester of the music scene at that point, totally plugged in. I was constantly at shows, pogoing for all I was worth, but never on the inside. I have no idea if she and Mills were ever an item, or if the song is really about her, but if so it must be really something to know you inspired something this great. Right from the start R.E.M. was a great live band. The first performance I saw was when they opened for the Brains in UGA's Memorial Hall. The Brains were a big deal because Rolling Stone had given them big coverage, but R.E.M. just blew them off the stage. I saw them when and wherever I could; Tyrone's, Legion Field, Piedmont Park, wherever, and they just always tore the joint down. Fantastic. In the early days they (like everyone, it seemed) were very punk influenced and played everything fast, including this song. Ah man, where has time gone |
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| R.E.M. – Time After Time (Annelise) Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| I think the water tower was on Baxter Hill, across from the UGA high-rise dorms. Torn down some time ago for the Red and Black building. | |
| R.E.M. – Perfect Circle Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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I was in Athens (am again) during the last 70s/early 80s and saw R.E.M. frequently. The general feeling in those early days was that most of the lyrics and Stipes singing of them were supposed to be more evocative than specific, and his voice more of a musical instrument than a conveyer of words. It was about mood and feeling (and sex and drugs and rock and roll). Anyway what I heard: Pull your hair back, forget to leave Eleven shadows on your sleeve Shadowed figure, winner's pace Eleven shadows way out of place Standing, two slim shoulders sigh in the wind Etc I never believed these were the actual lyrics, however, just what I though I heard, prompted mostly by the feelings evoked by the songs. That was the case with almost all early songs. Calling out, in the trenches Calling out, in the trenches, Radio free Europe (Must have burned 4 billion calories pogoing to that song.) Seven Chinese brothers swollowing the ocean Seven thousand years to ease your ragged pain We could bind it, innocence We could gather, throw up then Up to par in Katie's bar, those kitchen sounds that lock me in Sitting on top of the bikini, wasting time, sitting still Anyway, on and on. . . |
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| Dar Williams – You're Aging Well Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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A song full of pain and beauty. I'm probably way, way off base, since I'm a middle-aged guy, but I've always thought this is about mental illness, and, just maybe, finding happiness and clarity. Probably not, but that's where it takes me. |
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| The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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I've always thought this song was about the dissolution of society as we know it. Madness runs rampant in the streets, with violence never more than a blink away. Love is still possible, but it struggles to rise above the swirling tide of hate and anger. If the apocalypse has a sound track, this is it. I think of this, Street Fighting Man, and Sympathy for the Devil as the Stones' end-times triptich. During the opening of the song there's an instrument being played (don't know what it is) which creates a sort of creeky, creepy rhythm. It sounds to me like someone is using a ratchet wrench to loosen the bolts which hold society together. A few more twists and it's all going to come apart. Rock songs shouldn't be this good, and not many of the are. |
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| Joe Jackson – I'm The Man Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| @[kevwiz:1547] Turn it up to 11, get outta your seat and move your ass, and if you've got anything to say to me you can say it with cash. | |
| Elvis Costello – Accidents Will Happen Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Your mouth is made up but your mind is undone. Yup, been there, done that. |
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| Elvis Costello – Watch Your Step Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Funny, I always heard it as . . .heros out of four guys who said it's good for business from Sinapore to Widness I always thought it was a reference to the Beatles, and how the came out of (essentially) nowhere to take over the world (and make a ton of money, for someone). |
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| The Clash – Death or Glory Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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I'm not positive about the meaning, though I have my own idea, but I do know that when I hear this song I want to break things. Break things with my bare hands. Commit acts of violence. That's one fracking great song. |
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| Squeeze – Tempted Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I've always read this song as a case of unrequited love. He's living his life, day to day, but it's not too exciting. In fact, the guy is kind of a loser. Here he is again, temped by another girl he cannot be with, because he's too shy (or whatever), and the truth is he strikes out again. I love how this song sets him up for a success (foot w/out a sock, your body gets much closer), only to dash his hopes (I fumble for the clock, alarmed by the seduction) yet again. Poor guy (I wish that it would stop.). Great writing. |
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| Squeeze – Up The Junction Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The "Railway Arms" is a common name for an English pub. It really helps to understand Squeeze songs if you understand English culture, especially working and middle class culture. Their songs are very English. The railway arms we're missing means that he is no longer hanging out at the pub, because he's spending his time with his new love. Sadly, his behavior reverts to his old drinking habits, and it costs him his happiness in life--he loses his wife and daughter because he refuses to grow up and out of his adolescent behavior. He comes to understand this, but it's hard-earned knowledge. I love how this song paints a picture of a life with a couple of simple verses. One minute, he's experiencing the joy of his daughter's birth. A couple of lines later, his daughter's two years older and he's lost his wife and child to another man, a solider who will provide. He's really up the creek w/out a paddle. |
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