| Loreena McKennitt – Stolen Child Lyrics | 2 years ago |
| The lyrics are a poem (with the same title) by the great Irish poet W.B. Yeats. Beautifully sung and arranged. | |
| Al Stewart – Peter on the White Sea Lyrics | 7 years ago |
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One of my favorite Al Stewart songs, it is about Peter the Great. I found the following information online: On June 10, 1694 Peter boarded his yacht, the St. Peter, and set out from Archangel. He traveled with the Archbishop Afanasy and a small group of friends and soldiers. Leaving with the tide, but failing to catch a good wind, they did not make it into the White Sea until the next morning. As the day progressed, the weather conditions worsened. Eighty miles out from Archangel the small ship was beset by a gale. The sails were ripped from the masts, and water from huge swells rolled over the decks, threatening to capsize them. The crew of experienced sailors and the passengers huddled together, certain they were doomed. The Archbishop struggled around giving last rites. Peter, however, was not as certain their fate had been sealed. He continued to struggle with the rudder to keep the bow into the wind. The pilot eventually managed to join him. Together, the pilot manning the helm, they managed to bring the boat to safety at about noon on June 12 in calm waters near the Pertominsk Monastery. Peter was himself aware of the importance of these events in his life. This small boat was preserved, and in 1701 was taken into the Kremlin for safekeeping. The song also echoes the story of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee when a storm arose. It is likely the his disciple, Peter, was also on board. |
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| David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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I bought the Man Who Sold the World in 1973, shortly after it came out. This song's lyrics intrigued me then -and continues to. It seems to me that it relates to the albums' opening song, The Width of a Circle, where the narrator/Bowie meets himself. It also seems to have something of the weariness of life in the album's final, The Superman', about immortals. I'm reminded a moment in Hesse's Steppenwolf -when Harry Haller's nephew finds him sitting on the stairs. Haller is similarly world weary. |
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| Steppenwolf – Fag Lyrics | 8 years ago |
| I've assumed that the song title 'Fag' referred to a cigarette -which was the common usage of the term in the early '70s/late '60s. | |
| Steppenwolf – Monster Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@[MCgold:8826] "The song stands the test of time as it seems to become MORE relevant with the passing of time-not less." unfortunately, correct |
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| Bee Gees – Cucumber Castle Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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It is easy to forget that the Bee Gees were remarkably young when their first album -which includes this song- was released. The songwriters, Barry and Robin Gibb, were 20 and 17. Their early lyrics are odd and feel incomplete, but the melodies (especially in their first few albums) are astonishing good. They are clearly the best of the '66-68 Beatles-like bands. |
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| Daniel Lanois – The Maker Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@[Therseus:5842] thoughtful comments, but I think the flaming swords -especially in that they are reflected in the Maker's eyes- is the narrator questioning God on his abandonment of innocents. |
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| Steppenwolf – Ride With Me Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@[bbbeard:4519] THIS is an interesting interpretation. At first blush it seems implausible, but then, it actual fits. Could be... the band's name also is a literary reference. |
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| Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride Lyrics | 8 years ago |
| The song is about being taken away by music. Kay had just bought a new stereo system. It's actual spelled out in the lyrics: "Right between the sound machine, on a cloud of sound I drift in the night". | |
| Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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@[Martentertaining:4517] The song is about a having bought a new stereo and being taken away by the music. really! |
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| Peter Murphy – I'll Fall With Your Knife Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| I listen to Peter Murphy's best albums quite a lot. Subway, Cuts You Up, Our Secret Garden, You're So Close, etc, etc. The music and lyrics flow together so well in the recordings that it is a bit disappointing to read the lyrics by themselves. | |
| The Moody Blues – Isn't Life Strange Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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@[keddleman:2274] Songs about loss can also be read as missing a person who has died. Stephen Foster songs come to mind ('sleep' as a euphemism for death). |
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| Jethro Tull – Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[offhand:1025] Looking up Jack Frost on Wikipedia, I chanced across Father Frost -from a Russian fairy tale that has a similar message of being kind (and of a harsh fate for those who aren't). | |
| Jethro Tull – Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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The words begins with a poetic way of saying that Jack Frost and the hooded crow (a symbol of death in western culture) brings winter's cold and that they are cursed for it. Yet they admonish us to be charitable because our good fate may also disappear (if the Lord finds you wanting - perhaps because of your lack of compassion) and you will only have the cold and death to share your Christmas with. |
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| Opeth – Moon Above, Sun Below Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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There is a 'you' and an 'I' in the song. One feels no guilt, the other (I) is drowning in sorrow. One could take the song literally and say that the narrator is a vampire, but I think this is more a description/metaphor for separation and despair. Stellar song and musicianship. |
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| Warren Zevon – Desperados Under The Eaves Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| the symphony rising/transcending from something as mundane as an air conditioner's hum - wonderful. | |
| Alice Cooper – Wind-Up Toy Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| Steven's rejection by his parents (the chorus) - reinforced by the other figures of authority (doctor, preacher, warden) - has shaped his negative self-image. | |
| Sparks – Bon Voyage Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| clever, clever lyrics - under the song's humor is an awareness of the cruelty in nature. And religion. | |
| Sparks – Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| A remarkable entry, entropyandvdka! Outside of "hurled from A to B", it could be perceived as a 'serious' song. | |
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Bold As Love Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Remember that Hendrix was a paratrooper in the 101th Airborne. Could anger (shiny metallic purple armour) be a jet fighter? He later speaks directly of war trophies and ribbons (medals?). Like the Doors' Crystal Ship, this song touches on many references and has multiple meanings. |
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| Ian Anderson – Different Germany Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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Much of the album, Walk into Light. is about travel -songs about walking, flight, trains, etc. This song mirrors another song on the album "Looking for Eden" where he passes young women -thinks about them for a moment before passing on. In both songs, the singer is a loner/stranger making observations as he passes through. The album/song ends on an indefinite note -no happy ending/destination here. Ironically, the song has a beautiful melody. |
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| Ian Anderson – Rupi's Dance Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| too bad about the restriction. The song is about his cat. | |
| Love and Rockets – Bound For Hell Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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also the line 'You'll sizzle and burn from' ends with 'from rind to core' |
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| Love and Rockets – Bound For Hell Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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sounds like he sings 'Churchman Atheist Baptist Jew' instead of 'The churchman in his battered suit'. This makes more sense as the previous line is 'The passengers were a mixed up crew'. best song on the album |
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| Bob Dylan – Dignity Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| a seeker's song -great comment. | |
| Bob Dylan – See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| haunting song. The third verse should read 'that coffin sound'. | |
| Randy Newman – Birmingham Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| These few words paint such vivid pictures of ordinary people. These little observations are so odd and incidental, I assume they were drawn from people he knew. | |
| Randy Newman – Louisiana 1927 Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| This songs expressed a genuine sense of sadness with such few words. Even the comic "With a little fat man" effective gives a sense of an outsider who either doesn't care or can't relate to the people caught up in the tragedy. | |
| Randy Newman – A Few Words in Defense of Our Country Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Leopold II's harsh exploitation of Africa caused the death of millions. For example, if a child did not deliver the expected amount of rubber, their hands were cut off. The amount of severed children's hands and limbs sometimes measured in tons per day. Yes, he's rightful grouped with Hitler. | |
| Jethro Tull – Bungle In The Jungle Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The tiger in the jungle? Tiger, tiger, burning bright In the forests of the night. Ah, any song that references Blake is all right by me :) and He who made kittens put snakes in the grass. He's a lover of life but a player of pawns --- has a touch of Blake's Did He smile His work to see? Did He who made the lamb make thee? amazing that a song with such lyrics and depth of meaning/thought was a hit on the pop charts. |
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| Slipknot – Opium of the People Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| It's pretty obvious to me that the lyrics are about fans worshiping him. | |
| Slipknot – Psychosocial (Album version) Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Some of the song's meaning is simply the sound of the words -"Psychosocial" as a shouted slogan/phrase just sounds great. Ditto for The limits of the dead. But the gist of the song is about the American Middle East wars -sick and tired of the greed (Go drill your deserts, go dig you graves. Then fill your mouth with all the money you have saved) and the lies (Fake anti-facist lie). The temple? Maybe Wall Street, maybe Solomon's Temple more than 2000 years ago, maybe the Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban, maybe just a cool image. "But no-one else can see, the preservation of the martyr in me" is hard to wrap your head around. IF they really thought about it, it may mean that he did his time, he's disgusted with the destruction but knows he's only going to sign up again. |
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| Jethro Tull – Baker St. Muse Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I didn't know that Anderson wasn't fond of this album, but I'm not surprised to read it. The album had the potential to be their best album. The band was in peak form and the tunes and lyrics are nothing short of brilliant. Yet, most songs seem indulgently extended with loud guitar solos and extra verses. Judging by the very tight albums that followed a couple of years later, I can imagine that Ian came to feel the same. Ah, if only George Martin had produced the album :) With that odd thought, it just occurred to me that the full Baker Street Muse feels closer to the second side of Abbey Road than A Passion Play or TaaB. |
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| Nightwish – Sleeping Sun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| interesting reading of the lyrics. The song is at least a contemplation on -even longing for- death. | |
| The Doors – Waiting For The Sun Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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How strange that the previous album's title is this song's title. I'm guessing (only guessing) that the song simply wasn't finished when the album was scheduled for release. The song also struck me as a nihilistic response to the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun released in '69. |
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| Type O Negative – These Three Things Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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If you supercharge life with good and evil, angels and demons, and the like -you will eventually see life only through these lenses. As Nietzsche said, Stay true to the Earth. Remember these lyrics are by a man recently out of the psych ward -put there by his family because he was becoming delusional or paranoid. Unfortunately, sprinkled throughout their albums are other harshly judgmental lyrics such as Der Untermensch. Great song, disappointing lyrics. |
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| Loreena McKennitt – Cymbeline Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The words are Shakespeare's. In his play Cymbeline, Cloten has been decapitated. This is a conversation between two brothers, one who killed Cloten. Though he is (was) a prince, Cloten is one of the play's villains. Loreena has written a beautiful song -it is one of my absolute favorites. |
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| Loreena McKennitt – All Souls Night Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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The song's imagery is closer to Halloween's origin than that usually associated with All Soul's Day, Christianity's day for remembering and praying for the dead, usually on November 2. Halloween originated as an ancient harvest celebration centered around the bonfire and remembrance of the dead -all included in this beautiful song. It was thought to be the transition from the 'summer' half of the year when life is above ground to the 'winter' or dark half of the year when life is beneath ground. It is when the dead pass from this world -the final lines in the song. 'The Green Knight holds the holly bush' is from the Arthurian legends. The knight is thought to refer to the green man, a pagan symbol of nature. The album begins and ends with songs about death. |
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| Ludwig Van Beethoven – Symphony 9 (op. 125) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Great to see Beethoven on this site (though the lyrics should be primarily credited to Schiller). It isn’t unreasonable to state that the Ninth is one of humankind’s greatest achievements. Yet... Isn’t this the guy who penned a suicide note, ripped it up and shook his fist at fate? Broke a half dozen keys every time he pounded on the (early forms of the) piano and brought drums into the orchestra?! And treated his room like Zeppelin on tour?!! The origins of metal (seriously) pass down through Wagner and reach back to Beethoven’s defiant, thundering, raging and racing music. The critical reviews of his contemporaries saw his music as loud noise -sound familiar? Not surprising that many bands -from Jethro Tull to Trans-Siberian Orchestra- have integrated his music into the hard rock/metal idiom. |
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| Ihsahn – Citizen Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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There is much of Nietzsche's criticism of 'slave morality' in Ihsahn's lyrics. That I understand. However, this song simply burns with contempt for the average person. It is also a criticism of democrary. In my opinion, the most 'frightening' thing in extreme metal is it fascist leanings. Ironically, a liberal society tolerates groups such as Emperor whereas they would simply be eliminated in a fascist state. |
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| Therion – Raven Of Dispersion Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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On one hand, the title and A'ARAB ZARAQ refers to the Kabbalah. However, the lyrics point to the other meaning of the raven of dispersion -the first bird that Noah released after the rains had subsided (he next released a dove). the raven did not return to the ark. I've just discovered Therion and I very impressed. |
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| Emperor – Into The Infinity Of Thoughts Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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In the recent interviews with Faust and Samoth, both distanced themselves from their crimes -murder (Faust) and burning down a 800 yr. old church (Samoth). I don't think they were Satanists, but terribly misguided. If you're interested in their story, consider reading "Lords of Chaos". Oh yeah, the lyrics... though impossible to hear when sung, they are surprisingly cogent when read. Emperor was clearly the best Norwegian metal band. |
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| Coven – One Tin Soldier (Original Caste cover) Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| Oddly, Coven's first album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls, ended with a 13 minute satanic black mass. The first song on the album was titled Black Sabbath and the bass player's name was Oz Osborne. True! The album came out a year before the (famous) Ozzy's first band, Black Sabbath. | |
| Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| the second voice in the song? None other than Donovan. Bizarre, eh? | |
| Jethro Tull – Alive And Well And Living In Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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oh, this is one of my favorite songs. Though I don't know its background story, like Wondering Aloud, it describes a small and intimate scene. Since so much of the album is based on Ian's life, I could see how the 'he' is Ian. I assume that the title comes from "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" or another of the titles that used the phrase 'Alive and Well and Living in'. |
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| Jethro Tull – Nothing To Say Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| Thoughtful post, rainwalk. However, I think the song is simply Anderson's annoyance with worshiping fans who look to him for answers, instead of believing in themselves. Lennon expressed similar sentiments. | |
| Jethro Tull – Dark Ages Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| I wouldn't say that 'the world' is coming to an end in the song, but our current consumer culture. Almost from the beginning, Ian looked at family, strangers and institutions cynically. Only on occasion (until his recent albums) would he write a love song. Still it seemed it was him and his lover against society. In this album and in 'A" (Anarchy) Ian's lyrics are especially pessimistic. | |
| Jethro Tull – Broadsword Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| A Christian begins preparation to defend his family and people from an approaching (Viking?) raid from the sea. | |
| Jethro Tull – Cross-Eyed Mary Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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Intersting comments RayMan: Overtly, the song is about a child prositute; but it is also a cynical look at belief in/prayers to the Virgin Mary. The reference to the mother goose rhyme is the first line (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief), nicely ties it to the later song, Mother Goose. |
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| Jethro Tull – ...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps Lyrics | 17 years ago |
| This song that brilliantly opens the album -capturing the muscular, rustic feel of the Heavy Horses. It also briefly references the album's final song, Weathercock. I think it's Ian first song about cats (his last album has two songs about the little critters). | |
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