submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Rivertown Lyrics
| 7 years ago
|
|
This song is a plot summary for the novel/film "IT". Definitely an instance of the lead singer Andy Baxter paying homage to one of his favorite authors. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Part 3 Moniker Lyrics
| 7 years ago
|
|
This is Death's finale, he is shown reminiscing on the way things used to be. He used to be held in such high regard. The fear of him and of the unknown caused people to mystify him with all the "monikers" and titles. He even has his stereotypical uniform in narratives according to the second verse. But this all changed with the resurrection of Christ. Death no longer holds the power he once had which leads to the conclusion that he has been "declawed, he's "old news", and has been reduced to a boogie man. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Part 2 Smitten Lyrics
| 7 years ago
|
|
This song is clearly part 2 of Death's trilogy on the album. But this does not depict Death on the job, instead it describes Death meeting someone in a cave. This person must be young do to their inability to speak. And based on the way that Death speaks to Him it is clear that the infant is Jesus Christ. The allusions to the infants identity lie in the "30 years or so" remark (33 years old being Christ's age at death/resurrection), the lyric about when Jesus being old enough to speak, and the concept of Jesus being the "Great Unmaker" from the perspective of Death. Jesus was able to raise the dead through the use of His words, therefore, Death would see Jesus as an adversary capable of destroying or "unmaking" him. This why the song concludes with a different version of the chorus, "I want you to come and save everything, save everything from me". |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Part 1 Visiting Lyrics
| 7 years ago
|
|
This song, like the following two parts is about a personified Death. Here we have Death himself visiting a "victim". He laments that he has no say in where he is sent, he simply follows orders and goes. The main thing to take away from his words are the inevitability and finality of his presence because they come into play during the next two parts. He may be bound in his activity but he fully understands the power that follows him. Which is why he tells those he visits to "settle in". They have no way of avoiding what is to come so he tries to ease their transition. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Serial Doubter Lyrics
| 7 years ago
|
|
This song is clearly repetitive, but that is the purpose of the song. The reason for these lyrics are shown in the title "Serial Doubter". This song is written to the writer's beloved. A partner that is gripped so strongly with hesitation that it manifests as a constant or "serial" doubt of their partner's affection for them. And in order to combat this serial doubt the writer provides serial affirmation of their love for the beloved. Hence the repetitive lyrics. They are matching their partners serial doubt with serial expressions of their steadfast love. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Honest Wage Lyrics
| 9 years ago
|
Just in case anyone was confused about the inspiration of the song, it's the prodigal son's older brother. The verses are very easy to follow and should be very self explanatory. It actually follows quite closely to the biblical text it is borrowing from. What is important to unpack is the chorus. Because there is a lot of symbolism to address and explain. What isn't explained here is explained in the scripture itself.
"I wish it was easier to kiss you on the mouth,
Like it is to work hard and earn an honest wage.
But you're not always fair to me, like I wish you would be..."
The first thing to point out is the difference between the labor and the kiss on the mouth. The reason earning an honest wage through labor is easier is because it's as objective and mechanical as possible. You show up , complete the allotted work for the allotted pay, and leave. It's a business transaction. A kiss on the mouth is hard, because it is personal. You have to be there, you have to be vulnerable. A relationship can't be dissected into a trading of work for pay. There are sacrifices. This refers back biblically to the Old Testament covenant and the New Testament covenant. The old covenant based on works, the new based on having a relationship with God himself. This paints a very clear analogy of spiritual dedication and how it effects the human heart. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – The Literal Heart Lyrics
| 9 years ago
|
The song begins by immediately establishing a disconnect between ambitions and motivation necessary to make them a reality. The singer refers to what they could have if only they had to resolve to obtain whatever "changes" they wanted to see. The song continues along the theme of these potential, novel events that they wish to come true but don't have the passion to pursue. The issue the protagonist is faced with is the seemingly gripping jaws of comfort and complacency. Hence the lyrics, "But I'll be damned, I'd rather sleep.The gardens soft, my skin is weak.".
There is no resolution or answer to this Kierkegaardian dilemma found in the lyrics themselves. There is, however, a warning in the music itself. After the vocals end they are replaced with building and quickening instrumentals. This creates a very anxious feeling because you keep expecting every loop to be the last. But the climax you receive is very odd. Instead of the music halting or dying out it simply ends. Not in the sense of the instruments ceasing to be played but as if the recording itself was cut short. Being "cut short" is the key term because this instrumental build up (in my opinion obviously) is the crux of the song. Because this instrumental at the end IS the "Literal Heart". The ending represents the sudden stop of a heart.It is important to understand that although the song seems to have been cut short to the listener, to the writer it ended at its intended time. An appropriate ending to a song lamenting the passions of the heart being unable to overpower the will of the body to obtain ones desires. |
submissions
| Penny and Sparrow – Bread and Bleeding Lyrics
| 9 years ago
|
The meaning behind "Bread and Bleeding" is instrumentally misleading. Luckily, this is done on purpose. The theme of this song is two-fold. The first is the obvious, a struggling relationship. This is displayed throughout the song and shouldn't need any exposition. The second, however, does need explanation. The second theme is the putting up of "fronts". In other words putting on a happy face and telling everyone you're "doing fine". The practice of such a task would be utterly exhausting hence the lyric saying so.
This concept of fostering guises is not only articulated through the lyrics themselves but is also displayed in the music itself. The mood and tone of this song is extremely upbeat given the sadness of the source material. And that is the true genius that Andy and Kyle show in this song. The music itself is putting up a front. The music is trying to convince you that everything is fine and dandy to spite the fact that the lyrics tell a completely different story. A story that is sad and heartbreaking, but a beautiful story nonetheless. |
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.
