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Shawn Colvin – American Jerusalem Lyrics 4 years ago
The American Jerusalem, NYC is being compared to the temples at the time of
Jesus where commerce was taking place on the temple steps. In NYC the
pretty people see the homeless and the drunks and their first thought is how
do they afford to buy the drugs. Cynically, the singer suggests that you just go
about your business as usual and do your best to ignore what you see in front
of you.

submissions
The Who – Behind Blue Eyes Lyrics 5 years ago
After reading the various interpretations, I'll add to the collective wisdom.

Everything hinges on the line,

"No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you"

I think you need to use your imagination to come up with who he is blaming for his behavior and personality. To me, what makes the most sense is an abusive parent.

From this perspective, you can make sense of all the lyrics of a hated, sad, lonely man fated to tell lies. He is needy and uses people, but he still has aspirations of being a better person, but he is just too broken to overcome his abusive childhood, thus trapped in his current life.

submissions
Al Stewart – On The Border Lyrics 9 years ago
We just went to an Al Stewart concert at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, and before performing this song, he talked about how he saw the terrorist attacks on civilians coming when he wrote, "On the Border". Take a reread of this stanza:

Late last night the rain was knocking at my window
I moved across the darkened room and in the lampglow
I thought I saw down in the street
The spirit of the century
Telling us that we're all standing on the border

submissions
R.E.M. – Try Not To Breathe Lyrics 11 years ago
It seems like the narrator is considering suicide, "I will try not to breathe", but on the other hand really wants a reason to continue to live, "I need something to breathe". The narrator goes back and forth. He wants people to remember him, "I need something to fly (something to fly) Over my grave again." The narrator is clearly at a crossroads and it is not clear what he will do, but he feels it is his decision and no one else should influence him.

submissions
Steely Dan – Hey Nineteen Lyrics 11 years ago
The nineteen year old is a prostitute. This from a quote from Walter Becker about Steely Dan songs in general. They have nothing in common, but that doesn't mean that they can't enjoy themselves with the fine Colombian marijuana and Cuervo Gold Tequila and whatever comes next.Thus the "Please take me along
When you slide on down" lyric.

submissions
Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence Lyrics 11 years ago
I'm thinking that the key to the song is in the last few lines:
"And the signs said, 'The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence."
What's typically written on subway walls and tenement halls is graffiti, generally four letter words. This is now the extent of our culture.This is how low we have fallen as a civilization.

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