| Okkervil River – Pink-Slips Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Wow. Will Sheff is just...incredible. | |
| Arcade Fire – Ready to Start Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I've always seen this song as a allegory of the music industry and the way it stifles creativity. The album's full of anxiety/fear/self-loathing/nostalgia, and that seems to fit in with this idea that, on his journey as a young artist (kid) 'from the suburbs' he's had to choose between an alternative sound and a more poppy rock sound which better suits Labels, as all young artists must when trying to break into the music industry. "If the businessmen drink my blood" seems to exemplify this anxiety at the thought of falling into pit of generic sounds major record labels churn out. "All the kids have always known / That the emperor wears no clothes / But they bow down to him anyway / 'cause it's better then being alone". Firstly - these lyrics are incredible. But again, this is a perfect metaphor for the major label music industry (emperor) and his worrying about its lack of soul (clothes). Putting this metaphor in a the guise of a children's story (Emperor's New Clothes) really hits slams on the emphasis, increasing this sense of his anxiety at what he feels is a fundamental truth about the industry. I think this interpretation reads pretty well for most of the song ("I would rather be alone / Than pretend I feel alright"). then comes the line: "And if I was yours / But I'm not" which exemplifies the stubborn resistance his own sound - the Arcade Fire sound - and rejection what the industry is wants him to be. This stubborn resistance builds and builds (repetition of "But I'm not") he finally declares: "Now I'm ready to start", a sort of acceptance that he is going to live and write this way, and that he is now actually happy to do so. Either way, think we can all agree this song is fucking awesome x |
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