| Steely Dan – Bodhisattva Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Fagen, an acute observer of people, wrote many songs or verses of songs looking at a situation from a specific perspective, and sometimes multiple perspectives. I think this is one of many songs he wrote about people (or himself) "making it" by Western standards of success, yet still feeling disillusioned and empty -- so they were still searching for answers. In this case, people are looking to a "new" religion (Buddhism is actually quite old but was just taking hold in certain areas of US) and to a different example on how to live ( "Bodhisattva" Which is like a saint, someone that lived as an example not just teaching things academically) and a new (simpler) lifestyle ( "I'm gonna sell my house in town" ). After "winning the game" in the Western world, the author of the song or the character in the song still feels empty, so he is going to look elsewhere, a different culture entirely for fulfillment ( To shine in your Japan To sparkle in your China Yes I'll be there ) Fagen rips on Western/American values in many of his songs. I'm not sure if the author is making a specific judgment on the character in the song or not. I don't detect the person in the song being ridiculed for falling for the "grass is always greener" illusion. I also don't detect the opposite, the author promoting the idea that we should look to Buddhism, and to Chinese & Japanese culture instead of our own. It seems more like a neutral observation. The author is just saying, "This is what I am seeing". Or perhaps he is commenting on how we look to people that have "made it", either in positions of power, wealth or celebrity for answers and they have no more answers than we do; they too are looking for answers. |
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| Sammy Johns – Chevy Van Lyrics | 10 years ago |
| I submitted similar lyrics. I agree with your rendition except for "princess". It is "picture". He is reminiscing and remembering how she looked, like a picture. | |
| Dire Straits – The Man's Too Strong Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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I believe this song speaks to the dangers of giving one person too much power and the fact that most people that seek power are precisely the worst people that should be given power. Their supporters will be forced to go along with them if they are unrestrained, regardless of their own personal convictions and will only be able to offer the old excuse of “just following orders” in the end. The first stanza sets up the story of the narrator, perhaps it is his war crimes trial. He is aging and fading away, so he is old or has been sentenced to death or prison. He admits he is a war criminal and “called a tune to many a torture sessions”. He either helped torture or probably pointed the finger at others (called a tune) which is what many good people do when under a regime of terror, it forces a “better him than me” attitude where neighbors turn in neighbors and children turn in parents. This is the point of the lines “the man's too big, the man's too strong” used throughout the song. In a regime like that everybody turns on one another and does things they would never normally do, but don't feel they have a choice or they will be imprisoned or killed. But the narrator seems sorry, which is why he is confessing. The first line about a drummer boy can mean two things. He started all this with the naiveté of a child, the young boy wanting to be with the soldiers as a drummer via mob mentality and propaganda (think Hitler Youth or a real drummer boy on the battlefield). Or more metaphorically, beating the drums of war or of a political movement. Maybe he was instrumental to the movement getting the dictator in power thinking he was doing a good thing and that the dictator was going to be a great visionary leader. (the road to hell is paved with good intentions). The 2nd stanza starts listing more bad things he did, presumably as he rose in power with the dictator. He shows how the party took control of the minds of the people by changing history & burning competing ideas while stealing everything that wasn't nailed down. The lines about still hearing his laughter and song I believe is speaking to whatever the message was or the charisma and connection to the people that the dictator seemed to have that appealed to people. The lines about the man being too big and too strong are used as an excuse. I did these bad things, not because I wanted to but because I had no choice (just following orders) the man was too big or too strong for any of us to restrain or disagree with. The 3rd stanza is more in the narrator's defense that he could have been much worse, but given the conditions he was actually pretty mild. He spat like a woman and sulked like a child means that he couldn't stand up to the dictator like a man, he was powerless. Picture a reluctant Gestapo-like officer expected to round up 100 political prisoners a month and one month his men catch 1000 but he lets 900 go free. At his war crimes he will still be tried for the 100. “He hid behind walls”; he kept his true feelings for peace and against the dictator's policies hidden so he could use his position to help others. The last stanza is where the dictator's sentence is being carried out (firing squad or gallows). Notice the change in pronouns, “we all did hear him say”, so it is not the narrator speaking but most likely the dictator and it shows what a sick individual he is. What I think he is saying (and others have pointed out) is that you (the narrator) turned on me during the trials (Judas) for which you got leniency (silver) and even though I'm about to die, I'm going to get the last laugh, I had sex with your sister and wife. Even after the dictator is dead, for the rest of his life, the narrator is going to have to visualize and deal with that. And this was most likely done when the narrator was supposed to be a friend and ally to the dictator and seemed to have helped him into power. That is what type of person he really is. He is pure evil and his evil is so big and strong not only has he quite possibly ruined a nation, but even after death he might ruin this man's marriage and family life. This song is a warning about giving one man too much power and about the psychology of those that seek power; they are the last people we should trust with power. |
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| Dire Straits – Industrial Disease Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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Many people think this song is making fun of made up maladies. In fact, at the time of this writing, the Wikipedia entry for this song claims that this is the meaning. I couldn't disagree more. Many of the things listed as maladies are not diseases, they are symptoms of Industrial Disease, which is a form of capitalism that has turned everything into a huge industry to further profits for the few at the top. I don't think Knopfler is against capitalism like the type where we all open small booths in a flea market and sell our wares. He is speaking against what the huge corporations and the “try to become a millionaire at any cost” mentality that our current form of capitalism and our whole society pushes. Knopfler wrote the soundtrack to “Wag the Dog”, a movie about the government and media creating a fake war. He also wrote the soundtrack to “Local Hero” about how a business putting refineries off the coast would destroy a quaint small town. He tells the story of how Ray Kroc took the McDonald brothers' idea of a family burger joint and turned it into a win at all costs money making machine in the song “Boom like that”. The first few stanzas seem to be alluding to an industrial accident and a worker uprising, but I think he may be using the industrial accident as a metaphor for an economic depression/recession. He talks about people sneezing, some come out in spots, and people with real health issues like smoking, drinking, depression and imaginary ones like Bette Davis Knees but they are all symptoms of Industrial Disease. The doctor diagnosis the next patient without seeing them, saying to send in the next victim of Industrial Disease. He knows that whatever they complain about is just a symptom of how we are living by taking in polluted air and water, living in a work till you die society with little free time and extremely high stress that drives people to smoke, drink and eat unhealthy diets. Most of our maladies are caused from an unhealthy lifestyle and being born into a society that dictates we get good grades so we can get a high stress job and work ourselves to death in industries that our polluting our environment and killing us. It is interesting to note that this song was written a few years after the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in the US because the rivers were so polluted they were catching on fire and a few months before the worst industrial accident in history at Bhopal, India. Warning lights are flashing down at Quality Control (There as been an industrial accident or more generally there is a problem with quality, the quality of our modern lives. In business and in life since so much of our lives are controlled by business, computers and rules we work our lives away to make others rich, and they own the governments and media and keep feeding us a story about how great our lives are) Somebody threw a spanner and they threw him in the hole (There is a wrench in the system like an industrial accident and they punished him. Or could be a worker refusing to work and starting a union) There's rumors in the loading bay and anger in the town (people are talking and getting wise to the scam and they are angry) Somebody blew the whistle and the walls came down (whistleblower — when an insider (worker) brings proof of illegal activities of the employer, but I think it means the whole system is unethical behavior; walls came down — no more secrecy, protection or privacy to continue unethical activity — this is taking on a whole new meaning now since the internet and workers and people in other countries can talk to each other online) There's a meeting in the boardroom they're trying to trace the smell (Boardroom — those who profit from the unethical activity; trace the smell — find the leak, whose telling on them so they can silence the source) There's leaking in the washroom there's a sneak in personnel (leaking in the washroom — play on words -ha ha; sneak in personnel — sneak means you don't want others to see what you are doing, what goes on in personnel? Relationship with employees. Hiring, firing, complaints, benefits, etc. They try to get people just smart enough to do the job, but stupid or desperate enough to do it for the cheapest wage. They pretend to care and use your own words to fire you. Or someone in personnel is telling people what other are being paid. Sneak. Nowadays personnel is called what it really is, human resources, because they use us up and spit us out just like other resources, lumber, iron, chemicals etc.) Somewhere in the corridors someone was heard to sneeze (sneeze is a sudden outburst — the workers are mouthing off ) 'goodness me could this be Industrial Disease? (Industrial Disease used here in the 1% vs the 99% context — all the maladies spoken about have the same root source, stress, anxiety, toxic surroundings, slave type environments, the industrialization as a lifestyle is the problem) The caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post (they found a scapegoat to pretend they fixed the problem and crucified him as an example) They're refusing to be pacified it's him they blame the most The watchdog's got rabies the foreman's got fleas (caretaker — could mean government as their role as regulator, when industrial accidents or recessions occur people wonder why government didn't prevent it. Watchdog has rabies, attacks from the media, who are supposed to be the watchdogs for society; foreman's got fleas — position halfway between workers and management, he's been infected) And everyone's concerned about Industrial Disease There's panic on the switchboard tongues are ties in knots (we all talk and complain about our work, work, work society and business owning government, but we don't do anything) Some come out in sympathy some come out in spots (some have compassion and understand the problem, those that disagree are sores to the system “come out in spots” and vilified as troublemakers) Some blame the management some the employees And everybody knows it's the Industrial Disease (it's not just one person or group it's the driving force and the system itself that is the problem) The work force is disgusted downs tools and walks (either there is no work or the union just went on strike) Innocence is injured experience just talks (big business doesn't care about workers or customers or safety. Experienced people know the system is a sham and the experts on tv discuss economic graphs but never get to the root of the systemic problems) Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees (the situation is hurting everybody) That these are 'classic symptoms of a monetary squeeze' (looking for answers in economic or fiscal policies) On ITV and BBC they talk about the curse (looking for answers in superstition — or imaginary things like Adam Smith's invisible hand) Philosophy is useless theology is worse (looking for answers in Philosophy/Theology) History boils over there's an economics freeze (Looking for answers in History) Sociologists invent words that mean 'Industrial Disease' (Why mention Sociologists? They study human societies. They won't say our society is sick, they make up euphemisms for it.) Doctor Parkinson declared 'I'm not surprised to see you here (Parkinson's disease was generally thought of as a disease that only came about in modern times after industrialization and poisons in our environment. This isn't actually true, it's symptoms have been recorded for over 2000 years, but may be why Knopfler called the doctor Parkinson. We have many other diseases that haven't appeared until after industrialization and others that have gotten much worse, like cancer) You've got smokers cough from smoking, brewer's droop from drinking beer (cigarettes and beer are now manufactured in huge quantities, industries unto themselves and even though they are unhealthy — actually forms of poison, are ingested in massive quantities for reasons some say to calm down and others say as a suicidal death wish) I don't know how you came to get the Betty Davis knees But worst of all young man you've got Industrial Disease' (Betty Davis knees is made up like one of the phony syndromes, but the real root cause is Industrial Disease — ie your unhealthy, work yourself to death in your unsafe factory lifestyle) He wrote me a prescription he said 'you are depressed But I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest (this person is stressed out from work but there is nothing else wrong with them. Their job and lifestyle sucks but they need to work so the Dr makes some money by giving them an anti-depressant and sending them back to work — which is the real problem) Come back and see me later - next patient please Send in another victim of Industrial Disease' (Dr is making money off of this and knows the problem of the next patient without even seeing them. Whatever the symptoms are, Industrial Disease is the root problem) I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm thunderstruck They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks (If we have free speech why isn't anyone talking about this and changing things? Why are there police? Because they are the enforcement arm of the wealthy and suppress free speech) Two men say they're Jesus one of them must be wrong (religion doesn't make sense, it is a lot of double talk, pretends to comfort poor but rarely organizes marches to change conditions — two jesus' perhaps talking about Anglican vs Catholic or jesus as friend of commoner — unions perhaps gov't unions vs private unions) There's a protest singer singing a protest song - he says 'they want to have a war to keep us on our knees They want to have a war to keep their factories They want to have a war to stop us buying Japanese They want to have a war to stop Industrial Disease (This song is so ahead of it's time considering the new war on Terror. Governments like war, real war and economic wars for industry and declaring war on Drugs, poverty, obesity etc because it gives governments more power and they use the War on Whatever as an excuse to raise taxes and curtail freedoms) They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind (These Wars and the enemies are just more distractions — look at the number of cameras in London and the Patriot Act in the US — the real enemy is the government and big business teaming up to enslave us) They want to sap your energy incarcerate your mind (If you work people hard enough they are too tired for revolution. And they are too busy to pay attention to how they are being screwed. After just a few generations, people think it's normal to study in school for half their lives to get a job and make other people rich and bowing down to an increasingly oppressive government. Your individual creative energy is used learning and doing things that make them profit and keep you in a helpless position and dependent on a system that benefits them and hurts you) They give you Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three (from: "Rule, Britannia! rule the waves: "Britons never will be slaves." Means nationalism. Gassy bear - drugs to forget unethical behavior of corporations and governments and our participation in them and our miserable lives as indentured servants to this system. Page Three: sensationalized corporate/government pr disguised as news) Two weeks in Espana and Sunday striptease' ( out of 52 weeks you only get 2 weeks holiday, and some time off on weekends) Meanwhile the first Jesus says 'I'd cure it soon Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons' (while cutting back work would help it won't solve the problem, during economic downturns some companies / unions cut the number of hours worked so they don't have to lay off workers) The other one's on a hunger strike he's dying by degrees How come Jesus gets Industrial Disease (religions are big money and part of the systemic problem, or again jesus might represent two unions Trade Unions vs Gov't employee Unions) |
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| The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby Lyrics | 11 years ago |
| Forgot to mention "where do they all come from"? All people come from parents, who presumably love them, so why would we have so many lonely adults? By asking this question, the song makes us think about what is done in childhood to create such screwed up adults. One of the things that really messes people up is religion. Telling children there is something wrong with them (original sin) and making them compare themselves to someone that was perfect, where they will always come up short. Religion also divides us into groups, making us lonlier. Look at how many families are screwed up because an abusive parent thinks they have the right to be abusive because some "holy book" says something that they can interpret into " The holy book gives me the right to abuse others". | |
| The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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I think that this song can be interpreted many ways, but I'll just comment on, what I consider to be, the two most obvious interpretations. The first is based on the more superficial and tangible. The song begins and ends talking about lonely people, and asks the question, “where do they all belong”? The answer is obvious, with each other. If they were with each other they wouldn't be lonely. We all live in our own worlds. That's why Eleanor has a (public) face that she keeps in a jar by the door. We don't let others know the Real us. Why won't anyone hear the priest's sermon? It doesn't say nobody will be there, it says, “a sermon no one will hear”. The congregation will be there, they just won't hear, or understand the sermon. We tend to talk “at” each other, especially when given titles denoting authority or alleging expertise. We all live in our own world, by ourselves and that is why we are lonely. Interpretation #2. There is no God. Lonely = alone with no invisible friends. Notice how the whole song revolves around religion. Eleanor (old church lady) is waiting for someone, “waits at the window” — this God that she has focused her whole life on. But why are we so lonely? If we truly believe in all the stories of our wonderful invisible friend who loves and cares for us so much, and is always with us, then why are we so lonely? (because it is a lie and that is what the rest of the song is about) Pay close attention to the words No One and NoBody and how they are used. The reason “no one will hear” the sermon (and not nobody, denoting physical people with bodies) is because there is no God, no spirit or ghost listening. “Eleanor Rigby died in the church” also speaks to the way the church holds us back from our potential (guilt, original sin, comparing yourself to a perfect being, constantly worshiping authority figure) and kills our individuality (“buried along with her name”). No people seemed to show up to this lonely person's funeral, except for Father McKenzie. It specifically states that no one (not a body but an entity, a ghost or spirit) was saved. If you surrender yourself to your religion's tenets, shouldn't you receive salvation? And yet, for this religious person, “No One was saved”. Well, there's a whole lifetime thrown down the toilet, which is the point of the song. |
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| R.E.M. – Losing My Religion Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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Other people have already touched on this but I think this song is about the strange mental dichotomy that is constructed by many religions; the constant second guessing and criticizing of yourself which leads to internal turmoil and self hate and concentrating on the negatives in life. By accepting some religions, the individual starts resembling the definition of schizophrenia (literally “of split mind”) by inserting an artificial and hyperactive conscience to keep track of all of the sins of the individual. I think one of the most important lines in the song is: “Every whisper, Of every waking hour, I'm choosing my confessions, Trying to keep an eye on you.” This speaks to a constant mental process continuously tracking and judging every thought and action for something that is “wrong” that will need to be confessed. Instead of living life, the person is constantly self-analyzing all of their thoughts and actions. And you are so pathetic you are like a “hurt, lost blinded fool”. When he says, “That's me in the corner” that's how many children are punished. “That's me in the spotlight” speaks to him being himself, on stage and confident; which is then followed by guilt and shame. Religion makes you feel guilty for being you. An insightful exercise in Zen has you watch your thoughts when you are really angry at yourself. After you mess up you might hear a thought that says, “You really screwed that up, you idiot! You should have known better!” The interesting part of the exercise is to notice the pronoun. When we talk to or about ourselves we use the words “I” and “Me”. When we talk about others we use the word “you”! Why is there a thought in your head that calls you “you”. Where did it come from and who put it there? Look at the third line of the song, “and you, you are not me”. Hmmm. I think it is talking about this super-critical conscience. Look at the lines: “ I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing, I think I thought I saw you try”. There it is again, looking for sins. “Where you having a good time? Those are sins. No, well I saw you try, that's a sin just thinking about it”. (Yes there are religions that forbid singing outside of church and declare that just thinking of things are sins — like coveting a neighbor's wife or goods — thought crimes.) Quite literally, if his religion forbids singing out of church than every time he gets on stage he is “losing his religion”. Figuratively, “That's me in the spotlight, Losing my religion” could speak to him expressing himself on stage realizing that it is his talents and abilities filling the seats, not a “gift from an invisible being”. The more he finds himself the more he drifts away from the religious ideas he was brainwashed into believing as a child. 99% of new religious people are children being forced to attend by their parents. Very few happy adults with an education and understanding of science will decide out of the blue to become religious. Most adults that convert are coming over from another religion because of a marriage. Most of the rest that convert due so only after trauma. (Loss of a loved one, job, war, crime victim, 12 step program, etc). They need some belief system to cling to in order to make sense of their world. I think this song speaks to this in the line “ Consider this, The slip that brought me, To my knees — failed”. I also find it very interesting, that as his criticism of religion become stronger in the stanza, he stops and says, “Oh I've said too much”. In one, he basically says religion is making you treat yourself like “hurt, lost blinded fool” and another talks about religious beliefs being fantasies, “What if all these fantasies come flailing around” then says “oh no I've said too much”. Why? Because in our culture religious people have constantly told people it is not polite to discuss religion in public. It is okay for them to try and convert you by scaring the heck out of you with tales of eternal damnation, but if people want to rationally discuss religion via science, logic, etc, that is to be frowned upon. Why? If people rationally discussed religion, churches would dwindle in size. It's interesting to note that the last stanza he follows “I've said too much” with “I haven't said enough”, meaning that maybe instead of being polite and shying away from discussions of how harmful religions are, maybe he should just let loose and be honest and say what he really feels about the subject. Maybe that's why he wrote the song. |
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| R.E.M. – What's the Frequency, Kenneth? Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I always thought the lyrics weren't supposed to make sense because (as the title eludes to) were coming from a psychotic episode (the Dan Rather assault). After reading Snipes comments about the older generation trying to understand the younger (GenX the slacker generation) I can understand some of the references, like Richard Linlater's movie Slacker. As part of the GenX generation I used to watch the Vietnam war on tv, is that the violent green shirts he speaks of? (OD green, not camoflauge was the uniform in Nam) The butterfly decals in the rearview mirror could be referring to older people looking back and only remembering the happy moments (the good old days). | |
| R.E.M. – Crush With Eyeliner Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I like songs with deep lyrics, especially those that delve into psychology. In my opinion, this is one of those songs. It's a recognition that other's are fake and we know they are fake, and we will act fake in order to attract a fake person. We are all acting fake to get attention and eventually love. We end up judging other people, not by who they really are, but by their fake persona and what others say about them. Throughout the song he is asking himself what “fake” person should I act like to attract this other fake person? From the song: “What position should I wear? Cop an attitude? (you fake her) How can I convince her? (fake her) That I'm invented too, yeah”. He says, “We all invent ourselves and Uh you know me”: We invent ourselves by saying things like, Uh you know me, I'm Mr Organized. We give ourselves labels hoping they will stick and that's how people will remember us. Not only are most of these labels not true, they are usually the opposite of the truth. What's with the Frankenstein reference? He was a person built with the parts of multiple people. “I could be your Frankenstein” is saying I can be who you want me to be. He is trying to figure out which fake personality he should use to attract the fake person he has a crush on. Guess how these relationships usually end? Which, I think, is part of the point of the song. Another point is that we sometimes believe other's perceptions of people without finding out for ourselves and stick lasting labels and judgments on them. “She's a sad tomato” and “She's three miles of bad road”. Why are those in this song about a woman he is smitten with? Is he asking around about her and this is what others say about her? He does say, “I know you've seen her”. Is part of his brain saying on the surface she seems like a train wreck, but I can see past the fake roles she is playing and find something lovable about her? Maybe the next line, “she's her own invention” tells us. He is realizing that we are all fake, but as long as we are all inventing ourselves, maybe instead of playing the typical “tough guy” “wise guy” “drama queen” “professional business person” “know it all” roles that everybody else is pretending to be, we should be our own invention and be uniquely ourselves. Maybe that is why he is still smitten with the “sad tomato” that is “three miles of bad road”. Maybe that's why he says, “I'm the real thing” (a Coke advertising slogan). And “what can I make myself be to make her mine”. He knows that he is trying to find fake roles to play to attract her, and so is she. And if they get together after a while, when they get past the fake roles they are playing, he wants her to know that deep down he is “the real thing”; and that he can see past her fake eyeliner and the superficialness of the role she is playing being a “sad tomato” and he can see through to the uniqueness of her being “her own invention”, which is what she is down deep. Maybe he is saying that I can see past the fake roles you are playing and I am smitten with the real you. Maybe that is why the first three words to the song are, “I know you” even though most of the song is about being fake. I also noticed that one line of the song says, “how can I convince her that I'm invented too?” Why would he want to do that? Most people aren't very honest about being fake. What if he chose a fake role to play to get her attention and it didn't work? Then he has to backtrack and tell her, “that other guy you met last night, that wasn't me! It was a jerky fake version of me. Could we start all over again?” Anyway, that's my take! | |
| Golden Shoulders – Everybody's Trying to Be My Villain Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I think this song is about being stuck in a depressed, cynical and negative frame of mind. If you notice many verses start with a positive or semi-positive or even a neutral line, then is quickly followed up with a negative line. It is almost as if you are observing or thinking something that is either neutral or positive and immediately a negative thought pops in your head to negate it. Everybody is trying to be my villain — is egotistical, cynical and paranoid (signs of depression). The whole world really has nothing better to do but spend their time doing everything they can to piss you off? But sometimes life does feel that way. It sounds negative, but from a psychological standpoint it is positive. If egocentrism and paranoia are negative than why would our brain produce those things? It is because there is a positive payoff. As Zen teacher Cheri Huber explains it - they make us the center of attention. While I was unaware of the vacancy — Others are aggressive, being villains, getting rid of their anger at me; but I had no idea there was a vacancy; I am stumbling through life ambivalent and not really paying attention. Like many depressed people do, just going through the motions. Maybe someday I will not be destitute — is somewhat positive. It shows he is trying to retain hope, but his bar is pretty low. (he didn’t say maybe I’ll be rich, he’s basically saying maybe I won’t always be a bum). Immediately the negative thought kicks in and says — And I will be kicked by a better brand of boot. This is the depressive and cynical follow-up thought. It’s saying that even if life gets better in some ways (not so destitute) that I’ll still be getting kicked around by others the rest of my life, but maybe, if I’m lucky, those kicking me around will be a better class of people. That’s a pretty cynical outlook on life. He talks about being grateful because even being treated like crap is still some form of attention (psychological payoff I referred to earlier), again trying to see the positive. But this is immediately followed up with a negative thought of being bitter and misunderstood. For those who suffer from depression, they desperately need a helping hand (although they rarely ask for it). He asks for helping hand and they only lift a finger. From the saying, “he didn’t lift a finger to help”, meaning to do the bare minimum. (At first I thought it was referring to giving him the middle finger as a response to his request). The immediate negative thought afterwards was that the reason they didn’t help was because they would lose their grip. They are looking out for themselves and this is considered selfish. Even so, he responds positively and says that he understands. He has empathy for them, although they don’t have empathy for him. Going through life like that can make you depressed. You always feel that you are giving and others are taking. You want to stand up for yourself, but your good nature won’t let you. Your good nature won’t blame others, it will blame you. Enter depression. He follows up with the line about breaking bottles on a sinking ship (make a fuss or make matters worse). He can’t do this because like psychology and Zen teaches, it all starts with childhood; it was how he was raised. Well, those are my thoughts. Or perhaps it’s all pure projection! |
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| Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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To me, the meaning of this song was exactly as they portrayed it in the movie, "A Simple Man". << A man is going about his normal life just the way he was trained. Get a good education, a good job, and a good wife. Out of the blue, his wife wants a divorce; she met another man, and wants him to move to a hotel. This is a tragedy and his kids aren't even fazed by it. He turns to religion to seek the advice of the senior Rabbi, just like he was trained to do. The senior Rabbi is too busy and the junior Rabbi's can't give him any direction. He keeps trying and still can't see the senior Rabbi. He is up for tenure at his job and somebody is writing negative anonymous letters to the dean and he is being threatened by a student. Everything he has worked for is going down the toilet. His wife takes all of his money out of the bank. He and the wife's boyfriend are in 2 separate auto accidents on the same day; he lives, the boyfriend dies. The wife wants him to pay for her boyfriend’s funeral. He sees his hot neighbor sunbathing in the nude and invites himself over. She plays some 60’s rock and they smoke a joint. She is casual and happy and it is the only time in the movie that he doesn’t seem anxious or neurotic. He attends his son’s bah mitzvah in front of many people that know what is happening in his personal and professional life. His son got caught with a walkman / radio device at school at got it taken away. As a reward for his bah mitzvah, his son gets to meet with the senior Rabbi; The same Rabbi that the father has been dying to see. After supporting the Synagogue all those years, sending his kids to their private school and paying for the bah mitzvah, paying for his wife’s boyfriend’s funeral, he can’t get five minutes with the senior Rabbi. But his apathetic kid is going to waltz in there and roll his eyes. When the kid goes into the meeting the senior Rabbi returns his radio while Jefferson Airplane’s - Someone to Love is playing. The Rabbi repeats the first few sentences of the song - which is the meaning of the movie and the meaning of the song: When the truth is found to be lies (He has done everything his parents, religion and society trained him to do and it was all for nothing. His family life is a joke, career could end, and his religion has no answers) And all the joys within you dies (With great wisdom comes great sorrow, truth can be isolating and depressing. Like most people, he did what he was trained to do his whole life and pretended that he was happy chasing goals that were put in his mind by religious and social indoctrination and peer pressure) Don't you want somebody to love (This is the realization of what life is about. This makes us happy. Money, career, social standing mean nothing; when we achieve a goal and realize that we are not happy, we just raise the bar and chase a new goal, wasting more of our life. Love is what makes us happy. Love should be our goal) Don’t you NEED somebody to love (without love, man becomes bitter, angry and depressed) You’d better find somebody to love (You are running out of time, we are all going to die, we just don’t know when. Don’t waste another day) The movie ends with the man talking with his Dr. about his chest xrays. The Dr doesn’t want to discuss them on the phone; instead, he wants to see him immediately. The scene changes to his son being rushed out of school with the other kids trying to get into an underground shelter with a huge tornado in the background coming towards the school and the city. |
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| Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| albamus, It is most definitely and insult intended to show distance. You have to think about who is writing/singing it. They are coming from a counter-culture of free love, orgies, trust, communes, peace, blacks & whites, hetero & homo, men & women all getting along and treating each other with genuine affection. Someone in the song is crying so much that the tears just aren't going down their cheek but down their breast (that's crying pretty hard). True friends who love you would embrace and comfort you, but the picture they are painting is more distant. When you are hurting and crying, they treat you in a formal or semi-formal emotionless (thus distant) way. | |
| Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| There is more than one version of the song. I am not sure what version you are listening to, but I am listening to it right now and the lyrics are exactly as posted. | |
| Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| LivingAnachronism - I think your post breaks it down really well, good job! | |
| Cat Stevens – Oh Very Young Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I forgot to add the song Sitting (another name for meditation)for examples of Buddhism in Cat's work. And look at the last verse. Have you ever walked up to a building and pushed on the door several times and it doesn't open. And you think "It's only 3:30 - they can't be closed". No matter how hard you push the door, it won't budge. Then you take a confused step backward only to read somewhere on the door that says "PULL". The Buddhist tenet of being attached to outcomes and trying so hard, it's all about letting go. | |
| Cat Stevens – Sitting Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I listened to this song thousands of times before I truly understood one of the verses, and it’s right there in front of our faces. I can’t believe nobody has mentioned it. Read the last verse very closely. Picture it in your mind. Have you ever walked up to a building and pushed on the door several times and it doesn't open. And you think "It's only 3:30 - they can't be closed". No matter how hard you PUSH the door, it won't budge. Then you take a confused step backward only to read somewhere on the door that says "PULL". I wrote comments about some Buddhist teachings in some of Cat’s songs, but this verse is not about reincarnation. It’s about being attached to things and outcomes, trying so hard to get somewhere (career etc) as opposed to letting go and being at peace and harmony with objects around us and ideas in our heads. If you stood and pushed on a door that opened from the side you’re on, (which is a door that needs to be pulled) where would you end up? You would end up right where you started. Cat has many songs that speak of the journey through life, usually looking for spiritual answers. This one is about meditation. It is called Sitting. Most Buddhist centers (and many other religions, new age groups, and some yoga and even martial arts centers have group meditations. Many refer to them as Sittings.) Meditation is about clearing your mind and stop the brain from its’ incessant thinking. You first learn that things are not the problem, your reaction to the things are the problem. The only way to delve further is to start getting in touch with feelings which will tell you the truth about yourself. (Brains tend to justify and cannot be relied on for truth about oneself). In the first verse Cat starts talking about feeling, All I know is all I feel right now. (meditation = feeling — thinking). The next verse he starts with, Sitting on my own not by myself. Everybody’s here with me. — He’s either referring to being part of a group meditation or during meditation one can get in touch with many aspects (some call sub-personalities) of oneself. The next verse talks about sleeping several times. Many of these meditation styles are referred to as “awareness training”. When you start coming out of meditation the world looks different. You become more aware. At first, this awareness doesn’t last long; your conditioned mind will soon regain control. With more meditation comes more awareness. When you are in a more heightened state of awareness you look at how you were previously and those around you as being zombie-like. As if we are all going through life half asleep. I think the “power growing in my hair” could be a reference to Sampson (strength) or in deep meditation one can feel very subtle energy and things that our brain normally ignores. It could be referring to enlightenment. I think that is what he is referring to by “I’m on my way”. (on the right spiritual path or towards enlightenment) Except for the last verse the rest are just talking about death and the afterlife. That’s my 2 cents. |
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| Cat Stevens – Oh Very Young Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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JayCeezy: Yes he did explore Buddhism, not only will you find many references to aspects of Buddhism in other songs, he also had an album named Buddha and the Chocolate Box. In several songs his meaning is about struggling for spiritual answers on our journey through life. In Longer Boats he says: “Just a flower I can help along - 'Cause the soul of nobody knows - How a flower grows... Oh how a flower grows.” This is an old Buddhist story. The student asks the teacher about the mysteries of life and the teacher puts a flower in his hand and says that everything about life is now contained in his hands. He studied many religions “on the road to find out” and spiritual curiosity is reflected in many of his songs. Again from Longer Boats, “Mary dropped her pants by the sand And let a parson come and take her hand But the soul of nobody knows Where the parson goes. Where does the parson go?” (The parson (preacher) is fooling around with a girl, but he is a man of God, does he go to heaven or hell? From “On the Road to find out” he says, Yes the answer lies within, so why not take a look now? (very Buddhist) Kick out the devil's sin, pick up, pick up A good book now. (get some religion or at least a moral code). In “Miles from nowhere” he says, “Lord my body has been a good friend But I won't need it when I reach the end” which could be one of several religious beliefs. I have been a Cat Stevens fan since I was a kid in the 70’s. I’ve also had an interest in Buddhism. Lately I’ve been much more interested in Buddhism and I’ve been listening to a lot of Cat Stevens. I definitely agree that there is a connection. |
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| Cat Stevens – Father And Son Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This is NOT a CONVERSATION between a father and son! I think most people are missing something very basic. Look at the personal pronouns. In the first sentence (you) is understood and the next sentences we see "You're, your, and you". The Father is talking to the son (or at him). Now look at the son's section of the song. You will see "he/him" written or inferred when speaking about the father. He is not speaking TO his father. He is talking to a third party or, most likely, to himself. That is NOT a conversation. A conversation goes BOTH ways. The father is speaking unilaterally to the son - this is the way it's going to be. The son is NOT speaking back. Like many children do, they storm out of the room or clam up (even when they are adults) and the son’s part of the song is what is going through his angry head afterwards. “He doesn’t understand me, he won’t even listen to me, that’s it — I’m out of here!” I think Cat Stevens was a genius in lyrics and meaning (many of which are very subtle) and this song is one of many. This is a great example of what happens to Fathers and Sons at an age where the son might feel like a man but the father is still treating him like a boy. This was written around Vietnam timeframe, the album came out in 1970. Many sons were saying, "Dad I'm a man and I want to join the service and go away to Vietnam" or "Dad this war is bs, I'm going away to live in Canada, or to protest the war, or to live in a commune"... We are not privy to what started the conversation. Think back to when you were this age and tried to have a conversation with a parent. Many parents don’t listen. Before you can finish the sentence, “Dad/Mom I’ve been thinking about taking my college money and cutting an album, and…“ And you don’t get to finish the sentence. Perhaps that is where this song starts. Whatever the son said, the father interrupts with “it’s not time to make a change, just sit down and take it easy”… (read -> you’re not going anywhere) This song makes it hard to judge the father, because he has such a soft voice, but his first sentence is still comes across as an order (Parent to small Child) and not an opinion (as if between adults). It is pleasantly worded, but in essence the father is saying, “this is the way it is going to be”. In the second sentence (about youth) the father insults him. What he is really saying is “Let me tell you what’s wrong with you”. He eventually says “but your dreams may not” giving us a clue that the son wants to chase his dreams and the father thinks his dream may be a fad (if the kid had the benefit of the father’s experience, the child would realize that he is wrong). Perhaps the father went through the same thing with his father and his dreams were crushed. Is the father right? If the kid was 18 and wanted to go to Nam instead of college some may agree with the father. If the kid was 18 and named Steven Demetre Georgiou (Cat), and wanted to forego college to pursue a music career, I’d have to agree with the kid. |
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| War – Spill The Wine Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I think dmondoza hit the nail on the head, and the rest of you hit your thumb with the hammer! :) Spill the wine, to me, has always meant to take a risk. Take the pearl is to get the prize (the reward for taking a risk). He talks about women quite a bit. There seems to be several places, especially towards the end of the song that he says, take that girl, or dig that girl. I think he is talking about many men are shy and intimidated around attractive and charismatic women (pearls). He is saying take the risk (spill the wine - getting shot down) or you'll never get the pearl. | |
| The George Baker Selection – Little Green Bag Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I never thought the title “green bag” was correct. It didn’t make any sense. It sounded like he was singing “greenback”, as in money. Not only does it sound like it, and make sense in the movie, it also makes sense in the song and the song’s rhyming scheme. (Back — Track — Bag? Really? Bag doesn’t rhyme with track or back. Close, but no cigar.) I did a quick search and found that I was correct, as dedahl pointed out. They are singing “greenback”. From the song’s wiki (not that wiki's are 100% correct) “The 7" single debut of the George Baker Selection was released by the label Negram, which misprinted the actual title of the song, which is "Little Green Back (greenback meaning money)and "greenback" is the lyric actually sung. This has caused the song to be misnamed ever since.” Now the song makes total sense in the movie. Lookin’ back by the track (tracks denoting danger) for a little greenback. (people do dangerous things for money). What are some of the most common themes about money and happiness? People think money will give them happiness and will do anything to get money. (turn into animals — even killing each other, which is what happens throughout this movie) Who wants to be around a person that is so inhumane, so predatory? That person may have money but ends up very lonely. (as long as I can remember, multimillionaires have had a higher suicide rate than almost any other demographic group, even the homeless) And what are the next lines of the song?: Lookin' for some happiness But there is only loneliness to find. (hey that sound familiar!) Out of sight in the night, out of sight in the day and Jump to the left, turn to the right (both about running away and hiding, as if you are being chased, like possibly into an abandoned warehouse!) Lookin' upstairs, lookin' behind, yeah! (maybe you’re not being chased, maybe you’re paranoid, or maybe the guy next to you, who is greedy enough to help you steal, is actually greedier and will kill to take your share of greenbacks. Or maybe he's a cop!) I can see the line, “got to find just the kind or I’m losing my mind” to mean 3 or more different things, I haven’t decided which seems to make more sense. Anyway, that’s my analysis and if you don’t agree with me don’t be disheartened, just keep in mind I maybe under the influence of my own little green bag! |
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