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Richard Shindell – Wisteria Lyrics 2 years ago
When asked, on twitter in early 2023, about the meaning of the song, Shidell responded:


"Circa '94 I heard a story about a Bosnian Muslim family in Sarajevo during the siege, humans trying to stay maintain their humanity while during a genocide. One daughter was determined to carry on with her flute lessons. She was the spark.

Onto meaning, which is more complicated. Again, I prefer to let songs lead their own lives. But it was written such a long time ago. It feels now almost like someone else's song. In a way, it is. That puts me in a similar position to any other listener.

Hearing it now I think of Russia's genocidal invasion of Ukraine, and the word "nowhere" as referring to the strategy of severing a people's identification with, connection to, presence in and memory of a place.

But why "nowhere"? Isn't that what the aggressor seeks, to make a nowhere of one people's place in order to make it a somewhere for others? The choice of "nowhere" is a risky one. But I interpret it as an affirmation of the girl's (a people’s) subjective agency.

Yes, her place is a real place, and it is hers. But it's also history, memory, society, kinship, language, and culture. It lives as long as she and they keep practicing."

submissions
Richard Shindell – A Tune for Nowhere Lyrics 2 years ago
When asked, on twitter in 2023 about his inspiration for the song (from his 1994 album), Shindell replied,

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First, "motivation". I understand what you mean, but that word implies a kind of thematic purposefulness that doesn't quite jibe with my experience of writing. Something like "generative occasion" feels more accurate. But "spark" sounds less pretentious!

Circa '94 I heard a story about a Bosnian Muslim family in Sarajevo during the siege, humans trying to stay maintain their humanity while during a genocide. One daughter was determined to carry on with her flute lessons. She was the spark.

Onto meaning, which is more complicated. Again, I prefer to let songs lead their own lives. But it was written such a long time ago. It feels now almost like someone else's song. In a way, it is. That puts me in a similar position to any other listener.

Hearing it now I think of Russia's genocidal invasion of Ukraine, and the word "nowhere" as referring to the strategy of severing a people's identification with, connection to, presence in and memory of a place.

But why "nowhere"? Isn't that what the aggressor seeks, to make a nowhere of one people's place in order to make it a somewhere for others? The choice of "nowhere" is a risky one. But I interpret it as an affirmation of the girl's (a people’s) subjective agency.

Yes, her place is a real place, and it is hers. But it's also history, memory, society, kinship, language, and culture. It lives as long as she and they keep practicing. Slava Ukraini.
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submissions
Foo Fighters – Weenie Beenie Lyrics 3 years ago
@[RockSpace:44244] I live just across 395 from there. Had lunch there yesterday. Lots of character. https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/52388730244/i

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