| R.E.M. – 9-9 Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I don't think these lyrics are right. Stipe has said that the song is "not meant to be understood"; Meaning the lyrics are to be intelligible. Although the last words definitely are 'conversation fear', so I agree with androgybunny. | |
| R.E.M. – Perfect Circle Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Doing some research and found this "Buck says that, after a long day recording, he was sitting on his porch, watching a game of touch football; as dusk drew in, feeling quite frazzled from his hectic schedule, he just burst into tears; he described that feeling to Stipe, and that's what the song is about. Stipe claims to have written the song about an ex girlfriend; but that it's about the same feeling that Buck described." The more I think about this song I think it's about how certain moments in your life are perfect in time. You are happy because all is well. Moments where there is laughter, health, love and warmth between friends and family members. It's fleeting though because it never lasts because life catches up with these moments and eventually time moves them to death, separation or other moments. You cry at the beauty of your happiness and contentment because you know it's fleeting and will never last. |
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| R.E.M. – Pretty Persuasion Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| These lyrics aren't right. Also the song suffers from the same fate other REM songs did in the early days. They used any words that fit or sounded good at the time. Pitched mouth noises were what they were considered although songs do have meanings. I am not so sure about this one. Although I have to agree that a person with 'pretty persuasion' does hint at someone having a feminine sexuality. Whether it's bisexuality or homosexuality is unclear. And I believe it's "God dam your confusion" | |
| R.E.M. – Driver 8 Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I think this song is simply about a person on a train describing things on the way to some destination. Early REM albums had lyrics the band have admitted in some cases changed all the time and whatever sounded good at the time sufficed. I have even heard them described lyrics as "pitched mouth noises". So I wouldn't give to much stock in this intrepretation of what the lyrics are because they have changed over time. I remember hearing "The fields of wheat are looking thin" in one version. The train helps the character beat the heat and is great for getting some sleep for him/her and their children. My son prefers the car to put him asleep. I like to sleep on the commuter rail. I think reading past that is over analyzing the songs simplicity. | |
| R.E.M. – Driver 8 Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Primarily I think it's a song about sitting on a train watching the scenery go by and describing it on the way to somewhere. Since they have admitted to having words simply as "mouth noises" for past lyrics (any words that sound good will do). I don't have to much stock in lyrical intrepretations of the earlier albums. I have heard versions of the lyrics song different over the years. I have heard Stipe using " The fields of wheat are looking thin". The train is also a way to help put himself and his kids to sleep (I drive my son around in our car) and shield himself from the heat. I fall asleep on my commuter rail home all the time. I think anything other then this is over analysis. | |
| R.E.M. – West Of The Fields Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My take is that the characters are on their way to their Heaven. It's a dreamlike state one is in when this occurs. The bit about "When we try to listen with your eyes oversimplify" I interpret as that heaven isn't just a visual sensation. We shouldn't listen with our eyes and interpret what is going on by what we see. Just because you are looking at heaven approaching doesn't mean you understand what's happening there. Heaven is so special that anything could be possible. The weird words to me are: "Try, try to stick it in" |
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| R.E.M. – Wolves Lower Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I agree with the last intrepretation except for the part about the lower wolves. I also think it's about staying in the closet about your sexuality. "..let us out.." The "house to put wolves out the door" is the "House in (an) order" not "House in Order". Listen carefully to the lyrics you will hear it. It's "house in an order." Inside this house is a posse ready to ride to kill the lower wolves (gays). The lower wolves like to hang out in the corner garden. The wolves aren't what it is feared. They are what is hunted by the order. They aren't wolves they are lower then wolves implying the order thinks that gays are lower forms of life then humans. Pretty friggin' cryptic if this is true. |
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| R.E.M. – Wolves Lower Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I agree with the last intrepretation except for the part about the lower wolves. I also think it's about staying in the closet about your sexuality. "..let us out.." The "house to put wolves out the door" is the "House in (an) order" not "House in Order". Listen carefully to the lyrics you will hear it. It's "house in an order." Inside this house is a posse ready to ride to kill the lower wolves (gays). The lower wolves like to hang out in the corner garden. The wolves aren't what it is feared. They are what is hunted by the order. They aren't wolves they are lower then wolves implying the order thinks that gays are lower forms of life then humans. Pretty friggin' cryptic if this is true. |
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| R.E.M. – 1,000,000 Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I like your supernatural intrepretation. It actually makes the most sense. | |
| R.E.M. – Perfect Circle Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I have heard in the past that it's partly about a hanging "eleven shadows way out of place" That's the shadows of them hanging with their next broken. "eleven gallows burn your sleeve". So, a couple gets up in the morning and goes to hanging that obviously leaves an impact on them. It's assumed they all went to heaven..."Heaven assumed. Shoulders high in the room." I always thought this was a beautiful but very sad song. | |
| The Smiths – What Difference Does It Make? Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My take: All men have secrets and here is mine so let it be known we have been through hell and high tide I can surely rely on you and yet you start to recoil heavy words are so lightly thrown but I'd still leap in front of a flying bullet for you ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morrissey confided to an old reliable friend who's he been through a lot with that he was gay. The friend had a bad reaction to this. Morrissey says inspite of his reaction he would do anything for the guy because he's that good of a friend to him. He would even take a bullet for him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So what difference does it make? so what difference does it make? it makes none, but now you have gone and you must be looking very old tonight ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He's commenting to himself afterwards, what difference does it make that he's gay? There isn't any but apparently it irked this guy so much it probably caused him to prematurely age! (talk about dry humor) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The devil will find work for idle hands to do I stole and I lied, and why? because you asked me to but now you make me feel so ashamed because I've only got two hands well, I'm still fond of you (ha ha) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Apparently he's done all kinds of things for this friend that could have got him trouble. Inspite of that his friend makes him feel ashamed for being a gay human being. However, he still likes him as a friend but his opinion is obviously change (thus the ha ha at the end.) It's omitted for some reason in lyrics above but Moz does say it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So what difference does it make? so what difference does it make? it makes none, but now you have gone and your prejudice won't keep you warm tonight ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pretty straight forward although the ending could have two meanings His friend is prejudice of him being gay and apparently Moz even threw him out of his house or told him to take a walk. Thus, he's out in the cold. Or his friend's prejudice makes him cold and callous as a person. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh the devil will find work for idle hands to do I stole and then I lied just because you asked me to but now you know the truth about me you won't see me anymore well, I'm still fond of you (a ha ha) But no more apologies no more apologies I'm too tired, I'm so very tired and I'm feeling very sick and ill today but I'm still fond of you (a ha ha) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Apparently the guy tried to apologize but if you are prejudice, then you are what you are, so why apologize for being what you are? Even if you are prejudice, cold callous homophobic? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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| The Smiths – I Know It's Over Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My take on this classic: Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head and as I climb into an empty bed oh well, enough said I know it's over still I cling I don't know where else I can go, mother ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's inner dialogue the protagonist is having with his mother (who seems to be in heaven). He feels his life is over because he is alone. He's tried everything he could to be with someone but he is still alone, so his life is over. I personally think Morrissey is being a little tongue an cheek with this and purposely being a little melodramatic. He is also Irish raised Brit so he has dryness in his humor. Nuff said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head see, the sea wants to take me the knife wants to slit me do you think you can help me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Clearly he's being suicidal due to his circumstance, yet he also could be intentionally being melodramatic as stated before ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sad veiled bride, please be happy handsome groom, give her room loud, loutish lover, treat her kindly although she needs you more than she loves you ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He wishes the best for those who have found love (unlike him) and his sensitive to their needs and shows depth into reality of what marriage and relationships might mean to some. A bullish lover who thinks a woman loves (him or her) yet she needs him or her more then she actually loves (him or her.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And I know it's over still I cling I don't know where else I can go it's over, it's over, it's over I know it's over and it never really began but in my heart it was so real and you even spoke to me and said: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now you really know what's over. His life because of a relationship (if you could call it that) he was having with someone, however he thought it was more then it actually was. So much so that the person mocked him in his mind and said... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "If you're so funny then why are you on your own tonight? and if you're so clever then why are you on your own tonight? if you're so very entertaining then why are you on your own tonight? if you're so very good looking why do you sleep alone tonight? I know because tonight is just like any other night that's why you're on your own tonight with your triumphs and your charms while they are in each other's arms" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The voice mocks him about why he is alone and not with someone. It's not because of his looks, charms and how entertaining he is. It's because he lacks self esteem all the time, which is why tonite is like any other night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's so easy to laugh it's so easy to hate it takes strength to be gentle and kind it's over, over, over It's so easy to laugh it's so easy to hate it takes guts to be gentle and kind it's over, over, over Love is natural and real but not for you, my love not tonight my love love is natural and real but not for such as you and I, my love ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Basically he feels he hasn't the strength, gentleness or kindness or self esteem to be good in a relationship, so he will never find love. It's a sad song but he recognizes he is the source of his own problems. Self generated tragedy. The flip side of this of course, is if you have self esteem, your life is a bowl of cherries. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head |
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| The Smiths – That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| My intrepretation is that the leather seats are cold because it's night time and it's dark and cold where they pulled over. | |
| The Smiths – You've Got Everything Now Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My take: As merry as the days were long I am right and you were long back at the old grey school I would win and you would lose ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is about Morrissey and a lover. Back in school they were lovers. Morrissey was smart and his lover was long (well endowed) and generally a loser. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But you've got everything now you've got everything now and what a terrible mess I've made of my life oh what a mess I've made of my life Self explanatory. Morrissey is talking to his old lover and feels he has everything life has to offer now and his own life is a mess right now. However, he could either be serious or joking and being flippant. I tend to think he is joking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No, I've never had a job because I've never wanted one I've seen you smile but I've never really heard you laugh so who is rich and who is poor? I cannot say... He even gets into it with the guy and says no I never had a job because I never wanted one. Even with all your so called success, I have never seen you laugh. So who has lead a rich or poor life I cannot say.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You are your Mother's only son and you're a desperate one but I don't want a lover I just want to be seen in the back of your car Morrissey is having sex with him now just so he can be seen out in public for the publicity and not for the sake of enjoying the sex. Maybe possibly for own gain or to kill the guy's reputation and current status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A friendship sadly lost? well, this is true and yet, it's false but did I ever tell you, by the way I never did like your face Their old friendship was lost years ago, but years later it's never existed. Morrissey always thought the guy was ugly anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But you've got everything now you've got everything now and what a terrible mess I've made of my life oh what a mess I've made of my life No, I've never had a job because I'm too shy I've seen you smile but I've never really heard you laugh so who is rich and who is poor? I cannot say... You are your Mother's only son and you're a desperate one but I don't want a lover I just want to be tied to the back of your car to the back of your car to the back of your car to the back of your car ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I actually think this last bit isn't fatalistic at all. I think he is just being outright silly. He wants to be seen with the status symbol so much in order to blow the guys reputation he's will to tie himself to the back of the guys car to so people won't miss him. |
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| The Smiths – I Don't Owe You Anything Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My interpretation. He's trying to get a little and he's being rejected although he is persistent until the end of the song. It's kind of a warped love song in a way. Morrissey stole a bottle of wine and brought it over to the other persons house and they sat and drank the wine. Morrissey wanted to take him out somewhere for sex, but even ahead of time Morrissey could tell he was going to say no. The guy first says "I don't want to go out tonight". Then when Morrissey is insistent, he says "I don't owe you anything (for the wine)" and Morrissey wants something in return and insists ("But own me something repay me now." "You will for you must..") Now as far as who is who in the scenario I am not sure. Morrissey likes to tell stories and does it very well. I would tend to guess actually when he came up with this material that Morrissey is actually the guy who is refusing sex. (Yet another date gone wrong.) He is just taking the other perspective to tell the story. I think the "You should never go to them. let them come to you." Is someone else (a third party, who also likes to use stolen wine to seduce or try to get nookie) who is listening to this story being told by the seducer and he is commenting on what he should do trying to get future sex (by stolen wine.) |
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| The Smiths – I Don't Owe You Anything Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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My interpretation. He's trying to get a little and he's being rejected although he is persistent until the end of the song. It's kind of a warped love song in a way. Morrissey stole a bottle of wine and brought it over to the other persons house and they sat and drank the wine. Morrissey wanted to take him out somewhere for sex, but even ahead of time Morrissey could tell he was going to say no. The guy first says "I don't want to go out tonight". Then when Morrissey is insistent, he says "I don't owe you anything (for the wine)" and Morrissey wants something in return and insists ("But own me something repay me now." "You will for you must..") Now as far as who is who in the scenario I am not sure. Morrissey likes to tell stories and does it very well. I would tend to guess actually when he came up with this material that Morrissey is actually the guy who is refusing sex. (Yet another date gone wrong.) He is just taking the other perspective to tell the story. I think the "You should never go to them. let them come to you." Is someone else (a third party, who also likes to use stolen wine to seduce or try to get nookie) who is listening to this story being told by the seducer and he is commenting on what he should do trying to get future sex (by stolen wine.) |
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| The Smiths – Rusholme Ruffians Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| The part about smothering the guy could be intrepreted a number of ways: Figuratively I could smother you for joking about hurting my feelings. Or he's going to smother him with physical love which is being engaged in while his feelings are being hurt. Or, horribly and more chilling, he's going to smother the guy after having sex with him. I tend to think it's the second way. Smother him with Sex. That's why he is there. | |
| The Smiths – Rusholme Ruffians Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| The part about smothering the guy could be intrepreted a number of ways: Figuratively I could smother you for joking about hurting my feelings. Or he's going to smother him with physical love which is being engaged in while his feelings are being hurt. Or, horribly and more chilling, he's going to smother the guy after having sex with him. I tend to think it's the second way. Smother him with Sex. That's why he is there. | |
| The Smiths – That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| To me, it's two people involved in a one night stand in a car at night. Someone mentioned a Lay by which is big in the Netherlands for prostitutes and Gay one night stands. So since it's Morrissey, let's say its a gay one night stand. His partner finds people's loneliness in these situations a joke. You could even imagine the guy laughing at him while they go at it and he says 'It's just sex what don't you get??' Morrissey doesn't find that treatment funny at all is looking for something more yet with some emotional attachment. However, he knows he is there for sex and will take the thrill of climaxing if he can't have the emotional attachment he seeks (drove the point home, suddenly struck me I just might die with a smile on my face afterall.) He's seen this happen to other people and now he finally understands this feeling and it happens to a lot of people over and over (thus the repeating during his epiphany.) Time smothers us all. Time buries all memories and feelings and it also has a way of catching up to us all (even those who are emotionally callous to a great many.) | |
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