| Billy Joel – Piano Man Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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joeyfox1 is right about the history of the song, but not the reason it was written or the meaning of it. This song is about how all of us have goals in our life, but it is not the endpoint that we will cherish when all is said and done - it's the journey. We all have a tendency to take our situation and make it into home. When Billy Joel was working at the bar that joeyfox1 references, he chronicles how it slowly turned into home even though he wanted to move onto bigger and better things. At the beginning of the song, no names are used and the people in the bar are simply referred to by their description, as if they were unimportant to Billy. By the end, Joel realizes that all of these people have goals and, although at the time they view the bar as a place that they go to hide from their problems, it is one of the places they will truly miss the most: "Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star If I could get out of this place" And by the final verse, Joel is focusing on the little things that make the bar home. Although he will leave, he will always remember how the piano sounded like a carnival, how the microphone smelled as he sang into it, and how he realized how much he didn't want to leave. "And the piano, it sounds like a carnival And the microphone smells like a beer And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?" |
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| Vampire Weekend – Unbelievers Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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This song is about how, according to many popular religions, we will all die sinners. It is also saying we should make the most of life while we can, since we can't avoid sin in the first place. "Got a little soul The world is a cold, cold place to be" These lines just mean that the world is unfair to you, if Christianity or Judaism or Islam are actually accurate. The rules are unfair and they don't actually serve to make us happy. "Want a little warmth but who's going to save a little warmth for me?" What religion can be accepting of me and my lifestyle? "We know the fire awaits unbelievers All of the sinners, the same" According to Christianity and many other religions, you will be punished in the afterlife if you sin. And all sin is weighed the same, meaning that if you steal something or envy your neighbor and never repent you will go to Hell. You are in the same boat as murderers and rapists, so why not enjoy your life if you're going to Hell anyway? "Girl you and I will die unbelievers bound to the tracks of the train" They are both unbelievers, as we all are, since we all sin. They can't avoid being sinners, like being bound to a train track and awaiting the inevitable collision. It's going to happen no matter what. "I'm not excited, but should I be? Is this the fate that half of the world has planned for me?" He is questioning religion and why so many people believe that God punishes people for doing things so little as using His name in vain. "I know I love you and you love the sea" The girl he is with, or anyone he is close to, believes in a very vague religion, similar to a deep, unfathomable sea. However, they are afraid to question it because of verses that say they will go to Hell if they don't believe. "but what Holy water contains a little drop, little drop for me?" Like before, he is wondering what religion would be accepting of his carefree lifestyle. |
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