submissions
| The Mountain Goats – Pink and Blue Lyrics
| 9 years ago
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@[elodie:1926] Amusingly, at a benefit show to raise money to try to stop Amendment 1 in NC, JD said that the "bananas to a nine-day-old baby" was a line written off the cuff by a much younger JD who really knew nothing about babies, and didn't stop to think about the fact that a nine-day-old human baby would not be anywhere near eating solid food. He said that current day Dad JD looks back on that line and shakes his head. Everyone had a good chuckle, and then he played it. |
submissions
| Kings of Convenience – Scars on Land Lyrics
| 9 years ago
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Five years after submitting this lyric I still listen to this song and find it powerful and mysterious. I've always assumed the speaker is talking about humanity writ large. The first verse talks about the way people spread from place to place. Any unoccupied space is "dead", or empty, even though it isn't ACTUALLY empty, until we "move like knives through scars on land", potentially a reference to the valleys where humans have often congregated around rivers or other water sources—and "breathe life in" (create settlements, start farming for food and surviving as a group).
The second verse might be talking about the spaces where humanity is still thin on the ground—the few places on Earth left "still untouched", the "stain of hands" being our mark upon the spaces we've settled. I think "caramelized in a tilted light" is just a poetic way of describing, perhaps, the late-day sunlight upon these places; that they appear golden, sweet, and/or unspoiled by our presence.
The last verse is the most opaque, but I think smorgasborddd is on the right track. To me it's a comment on how human culture works. "Floors of sand" would naturally be shifting and unstable, causing the "weight of lead" to be ill-supported. Perhaps this is a reference to the fragility of humanity at large, in the face of an uncaring universe—even our most secure-seeming structures (physical or cultural) can be obliterated by disaster, or just the march of time and slow decay. And "the idea reduced to outcome" might be a reference to how high-minded ideals or philosophies can often be corrupted by a pragmatic or twisted vision, leading to suffering.
The chorus, it seems to me, unites these ideas in a kind of melancholy existential dread. The first line suggests a rigidity or cyclical certainty that even if we think we've broken something that binds us (an idea, a cultural institution, a philosophy, maybe even a physical constraint) it will not stay that way. It suggests that despite our efforts to change our circumstances or ourselves, we really can't. And the second line suggests that, perhaps in an even larger sense, even our pursuit of these ends is doomed to failure because we can't even keep in mind what our goal is.
Heavy stuff. |
submissions
| The Extra Lens – Some Other Way Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Funny: it’s the lo-fi tape hiss that I can’t stand about old Mountain Goats. But I do love this song, and Darnielle’s lyrics–man’s a genius. Maybe someday I’ll be less hateful of lo-fi (but I can’t imagine how). |
submissions
| Kings of Convenience – Power Of Not Knowing Lyrics
| 14 years ago
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I think you're a little off. I think the song as a whole describes a love affair between an older man and a younger girl. I see the first verse as entirely describing the young girl in question. The speaker is talking to a young girl trying to act older than she is–she's embarrassed by how young she seems in comparison to her older peers and is trying to be like them.
In the second stanza, the (presumably) older speaker is trying to impress upon her the gift that is youth. Obviously he feels he's lost some of the redeeming "power" of being unsure and young, perhaps the power of opportunity and being able to more easily steer one's life. He tries to hang on to that in his own life, and searches for someone young to come along.
Then, in the final stanza he expresses regret for perhaps somehow tarnishing this young girl over the course of their relationship. He worries that his presence has stolen her youthful energy and glow through his actions in their relationship and that she can never reclaim it. |
submissions
| Frightened Rabbit – Fun Stuff Lyrics
| 14 years ago
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If so, it's been recently released as "Fun Stuff" as the b-side to "Swim Until You Can't See Land." I think not having it up as "Fun Stuff" will be confusing to those, like me, who had no idea "Last Tango in Brooklyn" existed.
Is this a re-recording of an older song? |
submissions
| Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Carry On Lyrics
| 15 years ago
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I know people who refuse to listen to any music released today, who claim that only music from the 60's/70's/whenever was "good" or "real" music... and I think they're missing out—there's so much exciting stuff being made now.
Then I hear a song like "Carry On," and even if I can't AGREE with them... I can understand why they feel the way they do. |
submissions
| Winterpills – Lay Your Heartbreak Lyrics
| 15 years ago
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Can't believe this one doesn't have any comments. I guess the meaning is pretty obvious, but I just have to applaud the execution. Everything about this song is so achingly melancholy—the singer desperate for any sort of connection with the woman, even the sort most people would consider negative (being subjected to someone's grief/sadness). Perfection. |
submissions
| M83 – Skin of the Night Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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I love everything about this song, even the toms. This whole album is such a love letter to a style and sound so many of today's music listeners are unfamiliar with, it's glorious to hear again. |
submissions
| The National – Available Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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As others have mentioned, it's the last section of this song that makes it so powerful overall—especially for someone who'd heard "Boxer" before anything else by The National. Matt's delivery on that album is so even, so restrained, that to hear him totally lose his shit in this song is especially affecting. |
submissions
| Panic! at the Disco – When the Day Met the Night Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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This song is straight up awesome. Fucking amazing. Love the new CD, so much more mature and varied in sound, even though it's the same ol' Panic doing what they do best—crafting pop hooks like no other. |
submissions
| The Hush Sound – Hurricane Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Another correction:
"Sent out the mourning birds
To sing of the damage
Now that the calm's returned
I know I can't manage
You're standing in my doorway
Though he's asleep in my bed
The steady murmur
Always in my head"
Also, a couple slight word changes in the chorus:
"You're the finest thing that I've done
The hurricane I'll never outrun
I could wait around for the dust to still
But I don't believe that it ever will." |
submissions
| The Hush Sound – Hurricane Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Love this song, such an interesting sound to it. New album is shaping up nicely. Definitely going to pick up the CD when it hits stores. Edited by delial on March 18 2008, at 01:08AM |
submissions
| Neko Case – Hold On, Hold On Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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noonday: I was at that same show, such an excellent one. I loved her after she did "Deep Red Bells." "...Wow, I'm not usually in rooms where I can hear myself this well! ...It's weird!" |
submissions
| The Shins – Split Needles Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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lovely jordan, YOU are crazy if you think that MBV was not a good band. "Loveless" set the freaking BAR for guitar sounds in alternative rock for the rest of the 90's. Take a look at most rock bands' inspirations lists—MBV is probably on there. They had a HUGE impact and "Loveless" is a brilliant and IMPORTANT record. Learn to love it, because NOT loving it makes you LAME with a capital "loser." :P |
submissions
| The Shins – Split Needles Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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To the person who said it clips, are you sure you're not listening to that crap 128kbps rip? 'Cause it sounds fine from where I'm sitting (on a better rip).
I actually think this is the strongest song on the new album (along with Black Wave, they go together quite well)—in fact, this is the main reason I'll be buying the album come January. Syncopated and catchy, while still being creative and fresh, definitely my favorite. Not sure about some of these lyrics though, in some places. So hard to tell until an official sheet comes out. |
submissions
| The Pipettes – Why Did You Stay? Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think that line is "So all my transgressions you permitted," as in he let her get away with cheating on him because he liked her so much. |
submissions
| Nickel Creek – Seven Wonders Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think this is probably my favorite Nickel Creek song ever, and listening to it now makes me sad to know that next year they're going to call it quits. I wanted at least one more album out of them, but it seems it's not meant to be... Which kind of ties right back into this song—impermanence, the human futility of attempting to control the uncontrollable. |
submissions
| Nickel Creek – Anthony Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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If you think it's cute now, you should see them do this one live. Sara plays the main riff on a little ukelele and sings, and Sean and Chris stand on either side and lean in to sing the backup harmonies all into one microphone. And then, at the end of the song, as she delivers her last "Anthony," the other they back away so it's just Sara standing there in the light, looking sad.
It's SO CUTE. |
submissions
| The Decemberists – The Perfect Crime #2 Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I applaud the Decemberists for expanding their musical territory. The previous albums are good, and I do love Picaresque quite a lot, but let's face it, sonic experimentation is good for any band. Besides, they sound tighter on this album than on any of their previous ones, so I think that's good as well.
This song is catchy, the lyrics are clever and engaging, and it's infinitely danceable, which isn't an adjective oft applied to Meloy's songwriting. I also can't decide if this song describes ONE crime, or three separate crimes. And then there's the issue of the song's name: is there "The Perfect Crime 1" lurking somewhere in the Decemberists' recording sessions for this album (or, even more likely, still upstairs in Meloy's head)? |
submissions
| The Decemberists – Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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kyle171: Man, you think you do a good job, and then you mis-hear stuff that should be obvious. Thanks for the corrections. My face is appropriately red. :P Though, to be fair, Colin doesn't exactly make it easy all the time. |
submissions
| Jimmy Eat World – (Splash) Turn Twist Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Bought the Bleed American vinyl just for this song. It doesn't work well as an album closer (My Sundown is just too perfect), but on it's own I really like it. |
submissions
| Jimmy Eat World – Drugs Or Me Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Ugh... I can't agree with a lot of the comments here. I can't stand this song. I skip it every time I listen to Futures. I love Jimmy Eat World as much as the next fan, but Jim really fumbled the ball on this song. No depth, no metaphor or allegory, just bad high-school level poetry with an after-school special message.
I'm not a fan of drugs, but I'm also not a fan of terrible songwriting. The cloying, obvious, and unimaginative lyrics in this song are just embarrassing, especially when even a casual listen to "Bleed American" (the album) shows Jim's capable of so much more!
For a song with a powerful anti-drug message but that doesn't sound like it was written by a 10th grader, check out Joni Mitchell's amazing song "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire." Lyrics are right here on this site, even. |
submissions
| Jimmy Eat World – Polaris Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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Is it really "remains employed?" I always heard it as "remains in play," though I guess that slant rhyme works even less than the former in relation to "Gare du Nord." Ah well.
This is definitely one of the better songs on "Futures," though I feel like they really took a nose-dive lyrically on a lot of the songs on this album. Not this song in particular, but some of the other ones ("Pain" and the abhorrent "Drugs or Me" especially). I'm hoping their next effort finds Jim spending more time creating lyrics that aren't quite so... I dunno, face-value? I appreciated how "Bleed American" (the album, yeah, I'm gonna call it that 'till I die, post 9/11 retcon or not) combined really catchy melodies and hooks with lyrics that more often than not were very metaphorical. |
submissions
| Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I'd be willing to bet money there's quite a few "born in the autumn of '86" babies who were conceived to this song. |
submissions
| The Decemberists – Shankill Butchers Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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This appears as a main cut on the new album "The Crane Wife," and with the rest of the band providing backing instrumentation and atmosphere, I think it really holds weight. |
submissions
| The Decemberists – Summersong Lyrics
| 17 years ago
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I think Yankee Bayonet is my favorite, but this one is also very very good. I can't decide if the girl in this song is dead or not. I want to say not, though... I'd hate to think of Colin as getting formulaic. I just love the images he chooses in this song, so evocative. |
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