submissions

The Old 97s – Solome Lyrics

9 years ago

Song title is spelled wrong. It should be Salome, who is a character in the Bible from the Gospels. She is an icon in the Christian religion for dangerous female seductiveness. She was responsible for the death of John the Baptist because she was granted a request from King Herod to have his head on a "silver platter" because of her mother's hatred of John. She was able to acquire an undeniable request, and thus trick Herod into reluctantly executing John by performing a seductive dance for Herod. I believe Miller is using this name as a comparison to a woman whom he desires and whose beauty he can't resist. His desire for her is futile because she has no commitment and can easily seduce another man into falling for her. This girl is destined to "wreck" a man just as Salome in the Bible.

submissions

The Old 97s – Solome Lyrics

9 years ago

Song title is spelled wrong. It should be Salome, who is a character in the Bible from the Gospels. She is an icon in the Christian religion for dangerous female seductiveness. She was responsible for the death of John the Baptist because she was granted a request from King Herod to have his head on a "silver platter" because of her mother's hatred of John. She was able to acquire an undeniable request, and thus trick Herod into reluctantly executing John by performing a seductive dance for Herod. I believe Miller is using this name as a comparison to a woman whom he desires and whose beauty he can't resist. His desire for her is futile because she has no commitment and can easily seduce another man into falling for her. This girl is destined to "wreck" a man just as Salome in the Bible.

submissions

Iron & Wine – Half Moon Lyrics

11 years ago

He said something when playing live about how he used a lot of major chords in this album. The major chords are considered "happy" tones, and sad music in generally in a minor key. He said, and I am paraphrasing, that he basically wanted to couple the "happy" sounding chords with solemn music. He stated this right before he played this song. I like this song more because of that because I think that he was trying to portray a dismal situation in a positive light through his music. Love lasts beyond death and that is a major worry that we won't see our loved ones on the other side. But in life you can't worry about that and even though death is certain we can't get sad about it... So the major chords bring light of death and the tragic situations that we all encounter at some point in our lives. He also hit it on the nose in "Naked as we Came"

submissions

The Walkmen – Red Moon Lyrics

11 years ago

I interpret it as he is trying to get through a dark night. Dark in the sense that he is doing something of a dark nature. He is resorting to these things because he has lost her, or he still is with her but during his time away, he is resorting to some dark behavior that he regrets. He holds out hope for the next day, but it's still the night and it's dark and lonely... Great song - check out the Black Cab Session of it.

submissions

Fleet Foxes – Sim Sala Bim Lyrics

12 years ago

Its about a man leaving a woman and absolutely devastating her. The "Delilah" line is great. It symbolizes his betrayal of her. He recalls "cutting her hair" once (symbolically of some other act he was comitting under the veil of something of benefit to her), which at the time was an innocent act in her eyes, but he was secretly betraying her (as Delilah did to Samson). He feels bad of her being unaware of this betrayal and therefore would like to be called "delilah" as retribution. I think the questons of "reciting incantations/sim sala bim/carving off the hair" are questions coming from the betrayed girl. She is wondering if he is off doing this to someone new, impressing another girl with his smoothness (incantations). "sim sala bim" i believe refers to the magician Harry August Jansen who would say this as thanks to applause from the audience. She sees him as desiring praise and self fulfillment from someone and then coldly moving onto the next...

submissions

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues Lyrics

12 years ago

I think the orchard metaphor means that he would work hard if he was doing what he loves. "If I had an orchard, I'd work til I'm sore" - if he had something established that he desired, he'd work hard to maintain it. This contrasts to "rat race" jobs that people hate, but must work and often put in the minimal amount of effort in order to keep from getting fired. It plays to the old cliche: "If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life" I think he also means that he doesn't need to be unique or doing something unique, he just needs to do something that makes him happy. The world/universe is too complex to understand that in order to keep sanity its best to settle down to a simple and satisfying life - give into the "helplessness" of life.

submissions

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues Lyrics

12 years ago

I think the orchard metaphor means that he would work hard if he was doing what he loves. "If I had an orchard, I'd work til I'm sore" - if he had something established that he desired, he'd work hard to maintain it. This contrasts to "rat race" jobs that people hate, but must work and often put in the minimal amount of effort in order to keep from getting fired. It plays to the old cliche: "If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life" I think he also means that he doesn't need to be unique or doing something unique, he just needs to do something that makes him happy. The world/universe is too complex to understand that in order to keep sanity its best to settle down to a simple and satisfying life - give into the "helplessness" of life.

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