| Michael Penn – Brave New World Lyrics | 1 year ago |
|
I agree with the two comments from 16 years ago, lol I think the imagery of chaos in the wake of a third world war serves to represent the behavior of people under social and political pressure in general. The literal characters in the song, following the announcement of WWIII, turn to suicide [on the 19th floor, a guy my age about to prove that man can't soar], forming traveling caravans/splinter groups out of desperation, without proper plans or accommodations [A van pulls up and someone offers me a ride, The driver lost the map and he was terrified], drug use [they all have dusty noses 'cause they sniff shellac], and running away from their regular lives [But Buster wasn't quick enough, he'd locked the door, and rode off sayin' he'd be back before the war] The narrator is accepting his circumstances; his lover "looks pretty on the freeway," and he's entering into the chaos before him with a somewhat resigned, 'what can you do' attitude, just "driv[ing] into the brave new world." When looking at the lyrics as allegory, it's easy to see the narrator as someone who accepts the ups and downs of life, politics and social conditions, choosing to enjoy the ride with the person/people closest to them, as opposed to reacting in the negative ways that the people around them do. The song has a somewhat laissez-faire messaging to it, placing the narrator's focus on the positives in their life as opposed to the disasters surrounding them, because they can only control what's in their metaphorical car. Anarchy? What anarchy? I'm just taking a ride with my lover, man...! God, I love Michael Penn. Can you tell? I love Michael Penn. |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.