| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Telegraph Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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For me it's about the idea of transferring thoughts as imperfect in all forms. "God's got telegrams" as the 10 commandments or Bible the word of God still being imperfect. The idea is also not just in the lyrics but the way the lyrics are always repeated back while this act of saying twice does nothing to clarify their meaning. I always loved the Manor 81 version verse that says "God in his mercy looked down on me, said you're the sinner you ought to be." It comes off as a celebration of imperfection and the games we play for authority or understanding "doesn't mean a damn thing." Which, the structure of that line "Doesn't mean a damn thing" is a sort of nihilism with the word "damn" lodged into it, as an acknowledgment of the metaphysical. The 81 Manor version also says "America knows the value of religion" which if you are familiar with the philosophical concept of Teleology, you can start to see the trend of this idea of purpose. Of course juxtaposed with the jaunty playfulness of the track you get this impression that purpose, though very serious (screaming telegraph in the last bit), is really just another game. |
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