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The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) Lyrics 16 years ago
Ha, no, it won't ruin the album for me not to believe it... I'm not even sure that I believe it at all, just presenting it because I thought it was an interesting idea when I heard the album! :)

Chapstick, I don't think the story is recent, either, but I don't know why it would be more difficult to make a cradle out of some sticks tied together instead of clay. Clay is not an incredibly common thing to have around, while sticks are... but then again I know nothing about the historical use of cradles. :P I think like daedalus said under me that the Queen's magic powers would allow here to bring back a baby if it was dead, and the "entombed" part again makes me think that, regardless of whether or not William = Isaiah, William was closed in something, most likely an urn. Dried clay is very brittle unless fired, so I don't think anything made of clay would survive being thrown into a river unless it was some thick, fired pottery. So, if they are separate, Isaiah was burned as was William, making it two burned children. But like you said, we don't know for sure, just fun ideas. ;)

As for SecretConviction, first paragraph makes a great point. As for the second one, we're talking about Colin Meloy, a practical walking dictionary, so I'm sure he could have made something rhyme that would get his point across. ;) Also, I'm currently 20, but my mom still calls me her baby on occasion. Same could be true of the Queen. Although William would probably remember his former life (assuming he is Isaiah, unless the Queen magically altered his memory?) which shoots holes in my theory. :P Speculating is fun, regardless. ;)

Perhaps I've been watching too much Lost....

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The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All) Lyrics 16 years ago
One of the prettiest songs to ever come from the Decemberists... love it. :)

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The Decemberists – Margaret in Captivity Lyrics 16 years ago
Loooooooove Colin's voice in this one... love how his voice kind of "breaks" on "raw" and "long." Really cool vocal trick I wish I could pull off... Michael Stipe of R.E.M. is good at it, too. :P

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The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) Lyrics 16 years ago
But in the Queen's Rebuke he was found in "a cradle of clay"--like an urn you put ashes in would be made out of. ;)

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The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) Lyrics 16 years ago
See my comment at the bottom, but the "cradle of clay" line from the Queen's rebuke is the one that helps make the Isaiah=William connection. I think it's a possibility. :)

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The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) Lyrics 16 years ago
The line that connects William and Isaiah is in the Queen's Rebuke - "he was a baby abandoned, entombed in a CRADLE OF CLAY." The clay part is the kicker--what kind of cradle would be made of clay? None that I can think of... what is made of clay? Urns... things where you would put ashes... ashes of burnt children perhaps? We'll never know unless Colin comes out and says it, but I think the theory is a sound one and I personally believe it, although two burned children in one Decemberists album is not outside of the realm of possibility. :P

Remember the Queen is magic and has special powers, I don't think reviving William/bringing him back to life is outside the realm of possibility.

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The Decemberists – The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing Lyrics 16 years ago
Yay I am not the only one who thinks Isaiah = William! :P The "cradle of clay" line was the one that threw me to it... otherwise what would that mean? Of course, this is the Decemberists... two burned kids on one CD isn't outside the realm of possibility, but... :P

Ohh!! blue.painted.tears, what a good observation! I would wonder too, if she knew the rake killed Isaiah/William why she would help the rake, but he DID give her the child she wanted.

My remaining question is why the Queen owes Will "life" and why she seems to have a debt to him. Hmm...

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The Decemberists – The Rake's Song Lyrics 16 years ago
Does anyone think there may be a connection between Isaiah and William? Isaiah was "buried in an urn" and William was rescued from a "cradle of clay." I'm still trying to figure out what the "cradle of clay" would be referring to, if anyone has ideas....

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Simon and Garfunkel – America Lyrics 16 years ago
To me it seems like it is about the emptiness of the American dream... they are looking for America but it isn't satisfying them the way they've been led to believe.

Love this song.

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R.E.M. – 9-9 Lyrics 17 years ago
"I pray the Lord, hesitate"

So good. Who can't relate to that sentiment?

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Nana Grizol – Everything You Ever Hoped or Worked For Lyrics 17 years ago
Such a beautiful song!

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Nana Grizol – Cynicism Lyrics 17 years ago
This song is so beautiful! I head it on from a recording of the Elephant 6 concert... amazing stuff.

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Anathallo – A Song For Christine Lyrics 17 years ago
This song is so beautiful... it will always be one of their best!

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R.E.M. – West Of The Fields Lyrics 17 years ago
I saw R.E.M. at Voodoo Fest in New Orleans last night (amazing for sure) and Michael revealed a tip about this song that is interesting when it comes to the interpretation. He said it was a song Peter wrote about a time when Michael was about 20 and went and lived on the streets of New Orleans for a week. Michael said it was pretty rough and some stuff happened that wouldn't be good to repeat from the stage. Elysian Fields is a pretty long street and it runs through a rough part of town. I'm not sure about when Michael was there, but now a lot of homeless gather there (especially at the end bordering the river) and drug use is common. They said the allusion to the fields meant "Elysian Fields Avenue." The French Quarter is one area west of Elysian Fields Avenue, so he could have been there.

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Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous Lyrics 17 years ago
ccbella I was just coming to post that! We read it today in my contemporary lit class and that's all I could think of. I really think she's referencing the poem in the song!

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Okkervil River – Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe Lyrics 17 years ago
There's so many great lines in this song!! I think they speak for themselves... a life doesn't have a climax, it's got its own highs and lows. But even when there are bad parts, it's your heart hurting, but not for too long, kid. ;) Such a good song. :)

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Josh Ritter – Chelsea Hotel #2 (Leonard Cohen cover) Lyrics 17 years ago
Josh's interpretation of this song is incredible. I feel like the emphasis he puts on different words gives it a different meaning from the Cohen version. For those that don't know, Leonard Cohen wrote this song about his relationship with Janis Joplin.

My favorite part? "You were famous, and your heart was a legend." I love the pauses Josh puts in!

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Josh Ritter – Folk Bloodbath Lyrics 17 years ago
This is a song he's only done live, so I did my best with the lyrics. :) There's performance videos on youtube if you haven't heard it!

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Sufjan Stevens – The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders (Part 1: The Great Frontier; Part 2: Come to Me Only with Playthings Now) Lyrics 17 years ago
The beginning of this song sounds practically identical to the opening of R.E.M.'s "Try Not to Breathe." Doubt there's any connection though, haha...

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Anathallo – Kasa no Hone (the umbrella's bones) Lyrics 17 years ago
I love this song, so, so much. "Though also I am torn, don't desert me." We are all messed up, damaged, but it takes each other to heal. All anyone wants to know is that someone won't desert them.

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Josh Ritter – Monster Ballads Lyrics 17 years ago
I saw him in Little Rock on Friday, and before he played this song he said "This is a song about the Mississippi River." I think all the Huck Finn references are very apt, and I also think it's about a kind of journey and about capturing a kind of frontier, wild, Twain-esque spirit. :)

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Josh Ritter – Kathleen Lyrics 17 years ago
You know, I don't think I even want to know. We all have our interpretations, but I think the most important part of "Kathleen" is the feeling you get from it--NOT the meaning of the lyrics. Because after all, "both our hearts have a secret only both of us know about the night," you know? It's there secret... let them have it.

I'm thinking in my own life all the secrets I have from when boys drove me home. Most of them have nothing to do with sex, and the ones that do have sexual or romantic actions/words with them are relatively tame, you know? But there's no assuming, no guessing... it's their secret, we won't know. And I don't want to. :P

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Leonard Cohen – Chelsea Hotel #2 Lyrics 17 years ago
Josh Ritter also does a good cover of it. ;)

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Spring Awakening – Touch Me Lyrics 17 years ago
So pretty... LOVE IT!!

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Spring Awakening – My Junk Lyrics 17 years ago
This is my interpretation.... I'm not saying it's the right interpretation, but that's the good thing about Spring Awakening: the songs are relateable and can mean what you want them too; they are up to interpretation. :D

OK, so, drugs--they feel good, but as we all know they aren't good for you. Some some relationships (or crushes, which is mostly the connotation in the song) may feel good, but that doesn't make them good. They can actually be harmful... but we all have our "junk," our hangups, the stuff that isn't what we need but that we can't turn away from.

Yeah, I've got junk. And my junk is a boy who I've had this on again off again thing with for years. It's not good for either of us... but I can't give it up, just like and addict.

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Harry and the Potters – Song For The Death Eaters Lyrics 18 years ago
Isn't that the best part about Harry Potter? The friendship, and the power of friendship, that any teenager can relate to? I love it! :P

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Elton John – Friends Lyrics 18 years ago
I see so much in this song as I leave for my freshman year of college. Wow. It's almost over... there are new friends coming because they are found on every road, but watching your childhood fly is painful.

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La Rocca – Goodnight Lyrics 18 years ago
It's a song of separation, and that battle between attachment/detachment before someone leaves. I think the girl is holding on while the boy is trying to let go.

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Josh Ritter – Right Moves Lyrics 18 years ago
I can't wait for the new album to come out... just days! To me it means you don't always know if you're doing the right thing or not, but you have too keep going and hope everything is going to work out the best it can.

tinydancer, I think you're right. :)

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Guillemots – We're Here Lyrics 18 years ago
This song means a lot to me as I get ready to leave for college. "We're here," HERE at the cusp of something good, beginning to start over. We've arrived at this new thing, and it's time to give it all we've got, to live like this world is our dancefloor, like it's just for us. Live to the fullest, give it your all. :)

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The Fratellis – The Gutterati? Lyrics 18 years ago
"Call me Cinderella!" Best part... haha I love this CD. :P

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The Decemberists – Summersong Lyrics 18 years ago
Well, my interpretation of the song kind of cues from the title, "Summersong." If it was a song about summer, it would likely be titled "Summer Song." To me, Summersong sounds like the name of a ship. The "summer" frequently refered to seems to me like a sunken/sinking ship, rocking in the sea, being hit by the beams of light that filter down through the surface. The ship was "waylaid" by a storm and then "slip[ped] into a watery grave" along with all the sailors and passengers. I think this supports the "linen and curls" as well, because when a person is under water, everything billows. This would exaggerate the linen of her clothes and the curls in her hair. So basically, lovers on a ship called the Summersong that was subsequently shipwrecked, killing all on board. My interpretation, anyway. :P

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