submissions
| Cat Stevens – Matthew And Son Lyrics
| 1 year ago
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@[frankammaniti:50983] No, he has said that he was just annoyed because his girlfriend seemed to work a lot. The historical context you suggest is contradicted by the contemporary references to commuting via train and taking a coffee break, neither of which were features of the 19th century industrial model. |
submissions
| The Monkees – Star Collector Lyrics
| 2 years ago
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This is quite a cynical view of the groupie culture, and appears to hold no sympathy for those girls who seek validation by "being with" celebrities. Lyrically it appears to be a Gerry Goffin creation, really quite brutal in its dismissal of the groupie mindset as being self-defeating: "How can I love her, when I just don't respect her?" and "She moves to some other doorway when things don't go the way she planned". He doesn't seem to factor in the age and immaturity of the majority of these girls, or that their quest for reflected fame may mask deeper issues of self-esteem. Another example of a seemingly bright and cheery song with a dark underbelly. |
submissions
| The Beatles – Only a Northern Song Lyrics
| 8 years ago
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@[scimitar_255:19496] Yes, I've heard this explanation from some well respected sources, but it never sits right with me. The "and it doesn't really matter what chords I play
What words I say, Or time of day it is" works in this context, but when capped with "It's only a Northern Song" the meaning for me shifts, as it then includes songs written by the other three. The meaning for me is then that any old crap will do, as long as it's by them. |
submissions
| The Beatles – Only a Northern Song Lyrics
| 8 years ago
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@[datim:19495] The song in which he criticizes the English tax system of the time is "Taxman". The reference to a "Northern Song" here is to the company set up by the Beatles, Brian Epstein and Dick James to publish Beatles songs, Northern Songs Ltd. Therefore, what George was saying was literally, "It's only a Beatles song." It really has nothing to do with them being from Liverpool, which is not really considered 'the north'. He's really just saying that they could write any old crap and it would still be held in high esteem. |
submissions
| Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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As art, all songs have the facility to create an individual, personal meaning in the mind of the listener. However, as a slave to auteur theory, I do have to rely on the explanation provided by Rafferty himself, who has stated on numerous occasions that it is quite simply a record of his thoughts and feelings at a time when he was commuting from Glasgow to London (the city desert), staying with a friend in Baker Street (the friend described clearly in the second verse) and trying to sort out the legal issues arising from the breakup of his previous band, Stealer's Wheel. It has nothing to do with Billy Connelly, no connection to anyone or any thing other than his own frustration and feeling of isolation, ameliorated by talking to his friend in that Baker Street flat.
Additionally, it cannot be said to be wholly negative or depressing. There is a genuine feeling of release, relief and rebirth in the last few lines, which he ascribes to the resolution of his legal troubles and the ability to begin recording his own music again, a situation which led directly to the recording of the City To City album, including Baker Street.
It's really quite a straightforward song, but no less powerful for the masterful way in which he communicates how he was feeling. It is also not in any way connected to America or the American music industry: it is an English song about a London street and how he felt when he stayed there. |
submissions
| Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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@[heatherfer:5152] As art, all songs have the facility to create an individual, personal meaning in the mind of the listener. I love the depth of your response (albeit with a slightly US-centric feel), particularly the reflection of it's generational impact. As a slave to auteur theory, I do have to rely on the explanation provided by Rafferty himself, who has stated on numerous occasions that it is quite simply a record of his thoughts and feelings at a time when he was commuting from Glasgow to London (the city desert), staying with a friend in Baker Street (the friend described clearly in the second verse) and trying to sort out the legal issues arising from the breakup of his previous band. There is a genuine feeling of release, relief and rebirth in the last few lines, which he ascribes to the resolution of his legal troubles and the ability to begin recording his own music again, a situation which led directly to the recording of the City To City album, including Baker Street.
It is not in any way connected to America or the American music industry: it is an English song about a London street and how he felt when he stayed there.
I still like your interpretation though, and I think it will echo with me the next time I hear or play this song, which I think I might go and do right now! |
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