submissions

Modest Mouse – Teeth Like God's Shoeshine Lyrics

8 years ago

I originally thought "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine" was a statement on how God gives obvious favor to some people, in this case through beauty. I also thought the angry tone of the song was to reflect Brock's hatred of the concept of God favoring some more than others. Analyzing the lyrics, however, seems to deconstruct what we view as a model person. Everyone wants to be successful and look the part, but the guy everyone is aspiring to be is just as empty and lonely inside as they are. Consumerism is based around becoming more like this guy, but since he's essentially an empty concept, the products bought, even if rewarding at first, ultimately become void or end up hurting the people who bought them. This creates an even bigger hole to be filled, and a lifetime of unhappiness to follow. Interestingly, since a physically perfect man most resembles God than anyone else, it's almost as if he's saying aspiring to be like God is what leads to the downfall, though that might be stretching the interpretation a bit.

submissions

Modest Mouse – Trailer Trash Lyrics

8 years ago

Maybe it's a song about a lower class guy who married a rich woman, but his upbringing makes him resent her enough to divorce her? I would assume that they married young- probably just after high school. Let's also assume "a couple kids" refers to 2, so we can say they were together for 2 years (not married for two years- the pregnancy might have influenced the marriage). He gets tired of hearing 1st world problems and leaves the family. Now, the "living in trailer parks" line is, as I interpret, in the present. A little older, he can look back at what he did as wrong, but ultimately feels no strong remorse (Brock believes in string theory, so I would imagine his character wouldn't be too overly upset as nothing means much of anything if string theory is true).

submissions

Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood Lyrics

8 years ago

It's about Russ, the fictional drummer of the band, taking a drug and meeting his spirit guide. His guide is a rapping percussion demon though. Maybe it's a metaphor for how musical talent (or any talent) is hidden within us, and sometimes we need to explore to find it (in this case drugs, but whatevs). Maybe it's to say many are afraid of their own talents, which when suppressed, take on an identity of their own which will always hunger to manifest, creating a tension within one that leads to unhappiness.

submissions

Elliott Smith – Everything Means Nothing to Me Lyrics	8 years ago
I think it's about doing heroin. The song starts between doses, with the singer looking back at what his life was (or was supposed to be). The part where it gets loud is him injecting, and everything really does start to mean nothing to him. When those drums kick in, can't you feel the plunger being pushed down, the sorrow replaced with bliss?

submissions

Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies) Lyrics	8 years ago
It's about figuring things out on your own, instead of believing other people. Even dumb things like staying up for too long and not drinking water, though pretty conventional in their wisdom, may hold some secret revelations.

submissions

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs Lyrics

8 years ago

I think it's about the societal changes that occur throughout one's life. Childhood houses are demolished with only the memories of what used to be remaining, but the changing society doesn't care about such sentiments. The narrator himself realizes that he'll be just like those houses one day, making him feel pretty bummed out. No matter how far he's come from his mediocre upbringing, he'll ultimately end with nothing, as we all do. He realizes that he can pass his experiences onto a child, but the child will disregard such experiences if he grows older before conceiving, as the societal thought process encourages. Looking back on his life, he knows that his time is gone, and with that, he moves past the feeling, before the feeling traps him behind the times. The demolishing of his past means nothing to anybody but him, and the proverbial "hot pavement" of change will force him into the grass, which represents contemptment at change. I like that the bombs- representative of change that effects everyone- is shrugged off by him, as though small life experiences like playing with friends as a child hold more importance than anything else.

submissions

The National – Graceless Lyrics	9 years ago
I'm thinking this is a song about someone being addicted to cocaine. Someone is trying to intervene, someone he cares about, and to his shame, he's putting the drug before them. Essentially, he's saying he's too far gone to be cared about, he doesn't ask for forgiveness because he doesn't deserve it in his eyes, and he's contempt in spite of himself.

submissions

Arcade Fire – Wasted Hours Lyrics

9 years ago

I always thought this was about someone who was held back by a person or situation. Sometimes, people sacrifice dreams to either be with someone or to meet the wishes of a family or something else. It seems like the narrator has had an epiphany that they've lost the chances of having that dream life they wanted, and are now deciding to break free of the situation and try to make the best of what's left of their life.

submissions

Arcade Fire – You Already Know Lyrics

9 years ago

This seems to be about a girl in a relationship which has roller coaster highs and lows. Now she's asking her friend (or maybe even her mom or dad, based on if one sees the question as naive) if she loves him, and in asking the question, she's confirmed through this doubt that it was just a quick flash of romance. Still, she has hesitation in leaving him, begging the question "why are you you moving so slow?" from the advice person. Instead of listening, however, she stays with him, repeating the cycle even though her friend/loved one is screaming that she already knows she doesn't and won't love him.

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