| Radiohead – Karma Police Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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I have read several interpretations on here that essentially all agree and that I think were on the right track for the most of the song but lost the thread in the outro. The key to understanding this song is realizing that the entire song is sarcastic, including the outro. The narrator is unreliable throughout, and comes to no realization at the end. He/she almost begins to experience some growth or character development in the 3rd ("I've given all I can") verse, when, for a moment, he stops criticizing others and snitching on them to the Karma Police and instead complains how he himself suffers under this system. But he cannot, or is unwilling to, face the hardship that trying to escape the system will entail ("we're still on the payroll"). Thus the repeat of the chorus here ("This is what you get when you mess with us") comes from a different perspective than its original statement, and the outro represents the narrator apologizing to the Karma Police for his moment of doubt, in order to save his skin. The song is clearly NOT about karma at all. Karma is a little fairy tale concept, kind of like heaven and hell (but perhaps a little more evolved, more complex and imaginative), that serves to simultaneously convince people of the worth of doing good while attempting to frighten them away from doing evil. Humans recognize that the world is not always just, and hope that supernatural beings or forces will rectify this situation. Keep hoping... You could think of this song as literal description of a dystopian future where there is this actual body that has co-opted the name of karma in order to enforce fashion and superficial judgements of people, but really it's about the world we live in today. |
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| Oasis – Up in the Sky Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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This song is obviously about the Gallagher Bros taking it in the ass from each other. "How does it feel when you're inside me?" Noel would play dress up whilst penetrating his brother, often wearing a crown. They would also pretend to be rock stars (see "Rock n Roll Star" from the same album) and pretend to be musicians with actual talent and original ideas. They eventually got so good at their fantasy play and posturing that they apparently duped an entire generation into believing that their regurgitated granddad rock had relevance for the 90's. British rock has sucked ever since (see the Libertines). Despite the greatness that came before them, the popularity of Oasis made it clear that indie pop music in Britain was as, after all, as terrible, shallow, stupid and cliched as mainstream pop music throughout the world. |
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| 2 Chainz – Birthday Song Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This is a poignant reflection on death and the meaning of life. "When I die, bury me up in that Gucci store," demonstrates how man's quest for riches will always be unattainable, because no amount of wealth will ever be enough. And yet, "all I want for my birthday is a big-booty ho," in other words, the expression of sexuality and the quenching of sexual desire does allow the male psyche a bit of a reprieve from the pressures of work and striving for success. The singer can also justifiably take pride in his admirable accomplishments attained thus far (such as creating this song, or, at least, the lyrics to it) - "how I come up with this shit in the studio". In his verse he expresses his admiration for a particular female of great beauty and talent, demonstrates his dominance over his peers ("You the realest nigga breathin' if I hold my breath") and furthermore gives evidence of his sexual dominance. Yeezy's verse, however, seems out of place. Trapped in monogamous relationship with a woman for whom he provides financially, the phrase "all I want for my birthday is a big-booty ho" resonates within his mind as simply a desire for a ménage à trois, a desire upon which he has apparently become fixated. One could argue that this distracts from the themes at play in the rest of the song - or is it, in truth, a brilliant display of how sexuality itself can, like riches, become a vast unattainable quest to which there is no end, since Yeezy, apparently secure in a relationship with one big-booty ho, is now seeking the sexual conquest of another and for both women to demonstrate his sexual dominance by performing with each other for his pleasure. Nonetheless, I am inclined to think the former since, ending his verse unsuccessful in his aims, he resorts to threats and reminders of his power to pull financial support if his desires are not met. This verse stands out as a personal issue of Kanye's that breaks suddenly with earlier portions of the song, but then irrevocably changes the themes, since the theme of money as granting power over sexuality becomes dominant in the final verse, shared by the two poets. Deuce and Ye become two buddies hanging out at the club. Ye clearly seems to be the sidekick, or less dominant male, here. He is simply seeking to vent his earlier-expressed frustrations over monogamy, while 2 Chainz is free to act as he pleases, not beholden to any woman. The two choose a favorite female and encourage her to perform further exaggerated displays of sexuality. I also highly recommend the surreal video directed by Andreas Nilsson. I still cannot figure out why the people are beating up the clown, why they throw him down the slip and slide in a violent manner and why he then suddenly appears happy and unharmed, yet wearing a gas mask(?) while dancing and enjoying the party. |
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