| Death Cab for Cutie – Soul Meets Body Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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This song has so many intertwined ideas; I love it. It talks about appreciation. First of all the references to life and nature are evident. Nowadays we're often so disconnected from the natural world; we view it as an 'other' and not a part of us. As someone with country origins, the first part of this song reminds me of the exultation I get when I leave the city and return to my rural home. I always feel cleansed and safe there. Have you ever grown anything from scratch? It's quite the experience. This song makes reference to agriculture, too, a simpler and rewarding life that is losing ground (literally) in this day and age. But there's still something about it that is so pure and earthly, even if bittersweet like the song. Another idea explored is that of personal potential, particularly in the second, third and fourth verses. Sometimes, in order to explore your promise, you have to venture far and wide -- and that can mean leaving people you care about behind. To me, 'silence' is not death. I've always viewed this more of a pact - we know that the speaker and the person he's referring to are gifted and have the ability to make a difference. They won't let the silence take them -- it's sort of ironic. It's a pledge of friendship and love despite their paths potentially going in different directions, sort of like "I love you and I know you'll go far, but I'll support you wherever life leads you, because you're worth more to me." It explores the fragility of our lives as well -- any kind of silence, be it death, disability, or grief, can overwhelm any of us at any time. And finally - soul meeting body. This is life, where our soul meets our body. But how often are we conscious of both being harmonious and together? As with all the above, I think this is a song about the moments in life where we feel alive and grateful to be on this planet. Those moments are often humbling, existential, soothing and bittersweet - much like the music in this song. Overall, for me, this song explores friendship, love, life, nature, and home. |
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| Stars – The North Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| I first heard this song while reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein about a year ago. Coincidentally, the lyrics of this song apply to the start/end of that novel, when Victor is found on an ice flow after chasing the Creature to die with him in the north. Equally, this song also brings to mind The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Coleridge), a tale about a sailor who shoots an albatross after being stuck in ice and is subsequently cursed (particularly the lines about selling your soul). Finally, stanzas 1,3,4 and 5 also make me think of the mystery of the Franklin expedition, lost in the Canadian arctic. The song definitely has elements of loneliness, fascination for risk, and the sublime colder landscapes. | |
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