| Regina Spektor – Oedipus Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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This song is obviously not actually about Oedipus, but a prince getting inspiration from Oedipus. Likely, the prince is Regina Spektor's original character and this is an original story. The story seems to me to take place still in Ancient Greece what with the prince thinking of Oedipus and his father having so many children, however, the use of "Rex" might indicate that it doesn't take place in Ancient Greece, as that is a Roman title. The 32 sons makes me think it's either going to have to be somewhere ancient or a future dystopian setting like someone mentioned here. Getting to the story, we know this is about a prince who is the 32nd son and feels irrelevant. 32 heirs come before him, including their own sons, therefore it's clear to the prince that he will never become king. The prince also has issues with his mother, who is neglectful and ashamed of the prince. This is probably due to her mother being in an abusive relationship with the king and their children--most definitely our narrator--are products of rape. Note: 32 sons also indicates with his large number that the queen is treated like a baby making machine. Though, I have to say, the lyrics "to touch me made her awful sad" and the Oedipus theme in general made me think that this could possibly mean she has molested him and is ashamed? But that's just another interpretation of the queen to consider. Now, if you mention a young man thinking of Oedipus, obviously the whole "he wants to have sex with/marry his mother" is going to come up automatically, but Regina goes gives more than that and dedicates a good percent of the song to the mother. This shows that the prince's Oedipus Complex most likely comes from wanting attention and acceptance from his mother that he was denied, maybe there is resentment in there, too. The song turns sinister when he starts to think of Oedipus and says he's going "make it count" meaning ... He plans to kill his father and brothers and take his father's place beside his mother. As king, his mother will now have to pay him respect. The line "Long live the king" is referring to the narrator, not his father. He's imagining himself being crowned as king. The repetition of "Love live the king" at the king means he's become king. Above, someone commented on how there are 32 mentions of this. On 31, "king" is dropped because he's no king yet, he has to kill one more brother (or maybe kill his father last.) Now he's father, voila. It's a pretty dark story. |
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| Regina Spektor – Oedipus Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| Not at all... | |
| Frank Ocean – Forrest Gump Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Or maybe you shouldn't assume if a guy is singing a love song towards another boy then he's singing it from the point of view of a girl... | |
| Frank Ocean – Bad Religion Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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"One-man cult" I think pretty clearly paints this is as not literally about God/religion, but about being in love with someone so much you idolize them/put them on a pedestal. How would it being about a boy who didn't like him back diminish its brilliance? Genius art is made about love all the time. More than anything else, it would seem. Not to mention, this is different than a straight love story. There is special significance with a story of gay unrequited love. There are different implications there, a different struggle. A boy not liking him back means more than just that--it's about how shame, the disguise, and the challenge of finding love as a gay man (or lesbian woman.) |
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| Arcade Fire – My Body Is a Cage Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I can see that, but if we're going with the LGBT theme I'd pick transgender over gay...It fits with the body theme better. | |
| Arcade Fire – We Exist Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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“There’s a song on “Reflektor” called “We Exist”, which is about a gay kid talking to his dad [“Daddy, it’s true, I’m different from you. But tell me why they treat me like this?”]. In dominant cultures there’s what’s normal, and everything else is abnormal. It’s one of the darker tendencies of humanity to think everyone should fit into a mould.” — Win Butler |
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