| Green Day – When I Come Around Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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This is a love song about Billy Jo's long distance relationship with his girlfriend (and eventual wife). He was touring and she was stuck in Minnesota. It seems like she tried to get him to settle down and stop touring, and he wasn't going to. But he also wasn't looking for anyone else ("no time to search the world around, 'cause you know where I'll be found when I come around"). Beautiful. He also understood she may leave him as a result. I don't think it is apathy. It is more a realization that the (then) current situation was too much for her. ("you can't go forcing something if its just not right"). Anyway, they eventually married, had kids, and are doing just fine. Happy ending! |
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| The Wallflowers – Three Marlenas Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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This is about how we have different, contradictory needs pulling us in different directions and we don't know who to trust "out here among us". In this song, Marlena 1 is looking for affection/companionship if only for one night. Marlena 2 is looking to settle down and start a family. Marlena 3 is looking for freedom, even to the point of self destruction ("heaven's gate" refers to death). The conclusion is that we can only find peace by respectful consensus: "see no speak no hear no evil among us". True happiness comes from finding a healthy outlet for all of this. |
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| The Police – Wrapped Around Your Finger Lyrics | 7 years ago |
| @[Dylanvillain:28112] I think the final twist ("face to alabaster") refers to Sting's realization that he needs to leave the Police and go out on a solo career. He is announcing to the world that long term he intends to leave this band and start a solo career. | |
| Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me) Lyrics | 7 years ago |
| This song always reminds me of the breakup talk I had with my high school sweetheart. We broke up because we both knew it was too soon for lifelong commitment. But that innocent first love was sweetest because it ended before it got fully resolved (kids, marriage, growing old together, etc.) It is about ending a relationship you don't really want to end, but happened when you were too young to know what you really wanted. When we meet again as adults ready for the real thing, will you walk on by or call my name? Beautiful. | |
| R.E.M. – So. Central Rain Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Another great REM song. This is a song about breaking up with someone who is in love with you. It is very difficult to break off a relationship with a wonderful someone who just isn't right for you. The unanswered telephone/lines out is a metaphor for the lack of a love connection. She is expecting reciprocation, and he doesn't share the feelings. "These rivers of suggestion are driving me away." She is suggesting they take the relationship to the next level (marriage?). This is when he had the epiphany ("the oceans sang") and he shut down inside ("the conversation dimmed"). They are in a long distance relationship "Eastern to Mountain third party call". "There is a girl without a dream", suggests she thinks there is something there that just isn't. "Go build yourself another home, this choice just isn't mine" is quite explicit: He is never going to give her what she wants. "The wise man builds his words (worlds?) upon the rocks but I'm not bound to follow suit." suggests he doesn't see himself as ever getting married or having a family with anyone, even though that is the choice of the wise man. I think that if he were going to get married, he would have chosen her, and that fact torments him. Hence the regrets and the haunting repetition of "I'm sorry." |
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| The Outfield – Your Love Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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@[BL4CKR1D3R:8268] I am pretty sure that the singer actually went through with it, and that this was not the first time he has cheated on Josie. "it's been a while since we were all alone" meanss they have done this in the past. "But I can't hide the way that I'm feeling" also means he can't stop himself. Also, the line about "another shoulder to cry upon" I believe means that he is using these "girls" to help him cope with troubles in his own relationship, and that she is just the latest in a long line. In fact, there have been so many that he actually has a preference, "I like my girls a little bit older." That's a line that one is more likely to use with the 10th affair than with the first or second. I did post my own analysis which probably includes my own projections as well. But as you say, this is a brilliant song with so much potential meaning. |
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| The Outfield – Your Love Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| @[juliestl:8250] I read this as "Josie and the Pussycats" who was a girl. | |
| The Outfield – Your Love Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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You know, I used to think this was a song about the feeling of falling madly in love. But really, it is a desperate attempt to hold on to someone who is leaving. She was supposed to be an empty fling to ease the pain of his troubled marriage, but he fell in love with her. She is moving on because he won't leave his wife. He should leave his wife because she is sleeping around on him. But he can't because he still feels something for his wife. This song is about a man who is in a broken relationship. His wife, Josie, openly sleeps around on him, and he uses the euphemism "vacation far away", when really she is away with a lover on a vacation from their marriage. This was common in the 70s and 80s. Alan Alda even made a movie, "Same time next year" about the phenomenon. It tried to argue that this could be part of a healthy relationship. This song demonstrates the opposite point of view. The girl he is talking to now is just the latest in a long line of flings he uses to ease the pain, "another shoulder to cry upon". Unlike his wife, he is discrete about his affairs, telling them to "keep it under cover". The line "I like my girls a little bit older" suggests a numbness to the situation and strongly implies she is not the first. Nor is she precisely his type. One can almost hear the word "usually" at the start, as in "Usually I prefer older girls." However, this girl is special. She has gotten into his head. "I'll do anything for you." "Trying to stop my hands from shaking, but something in my minds not making sense." He usually doesn't feel anything for these girls, but for some reason he is desperate to hold on to this one even though she isn't his type. The line "its been a while since we were all alone" implies he has seen this girl several times before, which is probably not his usual pattern. It also suggests the length of time since their last rendezvous is unusual for this affair, and that she is starting to resist him. She has told him that she wants to end it. This is why he has asked her to "come around and talk it over". She wants him to leave his wife, and then in turn he has refused, causing her to want to leave. "Just because you're right don't mean I'm wrong". He acknowledges she is right, but he can't leave his wife. On this particular occasion, he knows it will be the last time they will see each other. That's the meaning behind the million dollar lines "I don't want to lose your love tonight, I just want to use your love tonight". He entreats her to stay one more time. He needs his fix to cover his wife's latest affair. "please close the door" comes after they are together one last time and implies that he does not expect her to come back. "Remember what I told you" is an admonishment to "keep it under cover" and not tell anyone, not exactly something you say to a lover you expect to be with again. He must still feel something for his wife. Otherwise he wouldn't feel so much pain from her dalliances, and he wouldn't want to spare her the embarrassment of his affairs. It also explains why he can't leave her. How many of us have stayed with someone we know is bad for us? |
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