| Vashti Bunyan – If I Were Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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The first half of each verse is romantic and optimistic, with the man proving his love and the woman searching for him, while the second half is overcome by the narrator's cynicism, each figure deciding against the action. Bunyan’s voice emphasizes the narrator’s insecurity and the tenuousness of the relationship. She doubts that the man loves her, but though imagines him giving up, also imagines that he is disappointed in her leaving. She is hopeful that he does love her in reality, but is equally insecure and unable to express his love. She admits how it would be hypocritical to leave and expect him to still think that she loves him, that she would also give up because of insecurity and disappointment. They fail to conform to gender roles, him not proving his love with a grand gesture and her not being loyal. They only conform through materialism. His car shows a subconscious desire to travel and find her, and willingness to sacrifice, since a car costs a lot. The woman’s hat can conceal, but also stand out, reflecting uncertainty about whether she wishes to be spotted. Buying things is how they express emotions and fill the emptiness caused by each other’s absence. The song warns against using materialism in place of sincere, direct communication. |
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| Vashti Bunyan – 17 Pink Sugar Elephants Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Although there is overlap with imagination and mental illness, the song seems to be about psychedelics, considering the decade written and that pink elephants could refer to the "Pink Elephants On Parade" scene in Dumbo. Seventeen fits the syllables required and is prime. Prime numbers are “weird” due to their lack of factors and, except for two, are odd in the mathematical sense. The only factors of seventeen are one and seventeen, the way that only the one narrator sees the seventeen elephants. Elephants are uncommon and are never pink, adding to the strangeness of attempting to communicate with an animal. That the elephants are sugar is unusual, since the narrator doesn’t eat them, unless they only appear to be or she has drug-induced synesthesia, where senses are combined, such as tasting images. LSD can be ingested sublingually on blotters or sugar cubes. If the elephants represent this “treat", the narrator represents the child, is connecting with her inner child, or in general, users of psychedelics access imagination and freedom typically limited in adults, becoming children. Except for the chestnut tree, which could be part of the hallucination, there isn’t much about the setting, almost as if in a void. Assuming that the narrator is outside, if it is autumn and the sun has not risen, she is alone in the dark and cold, but pink and sugar create a pleasant atmosphere. The absence of discomfort and location emphasizes the mental space instead of physical reality. Another theme is the ephemeral. Pink is light red, therefore “weaker” than other colors. Sugar, though a preservative that takes a long time to spoil, dissolves easily whether in a powdered or hardened form. Bunyan’s voice is breathy and quiet, complemented by the plain instrumentation. The song is less than two minutes long. Autumn is known for beauty from living things passing their prime and dying, such as leaves and harvest crops. The elephants being “factory made” evokes commercialism and industrialism, contrasting with the whimsical, natural descriptions. They are compared to mass-produced goods that are used and disposed of. The elephants will be gone after the hallucination fades, the children will eat the treats. Childhood is the period in life most quickly over and forgotten, particularly the earliest years. There are more child-like elements. The tune and rhymes are simple, some lyrics are juvenile. “He had two eyes” and "He had four legs” resemble lines from a book for teaching kids how to read or count. The sense of magic is characteristic of children. The narrator, aware that everything will end, accepts and enjoys the moment - “And so we just sat”, rather than worrying about the elephants not speaking or about being productive. |
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