submissions
| Phoebe Bridgers – Kyoto Lyrics
| 1 year ago
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At first, it seems like a travel diary but it’s really about her relationship with her dad.
Focus on the second verse with the “you” getting her little brother’s birthday wrong and with the memory of letting her drive (as a kid). |
submissions
| Fleetwood Mac – Storms Lyrics
| 12 years ago
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Was this about Lindsey? I'm not so sure. Storms appeared on Tusk, and that was long after they had broken up.
Regardless of the inspiration, it's a beautiful and achingly-sad song. |
submissions
| Fleetwood Mac – Landslide Lyrics
| 12 years ago
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This is one of Stevie's bests, and she has written a number of excellent and beautiful songs. She deserves much in the way of accolades as a songwriter, not just as a performer.
To me, the song isn't necessarily about a break-up, but of the fears of loss, whether that loss comes from a break-up or a death or other changes. Although Stevie wrote it in response to her experiences on the mountain after the fight with Lindsey, the song transcends its inspiration.
My favorite version is the one from The Dance, which I could watch again and again. Stevie is in excellent voice, and looks wonderful, and the chemistry between her and Lindsey is amazing. I especially love the parts where she watches his solo, and the part where he looks at her, fist on chin, when she sings "maybe". |
submissions
| Genesis – Land Of Confusion Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Although the video features a rather-addled Reagan, the song itself has little to do with Reagan. The narrator is simply saying that we've got a lot of problems and is hinting at the population crisis. One of the problems is that there's "not enough love to go around". He then says "my generation will set it right" and fix the problems.
As for Reagan, he didn't cause the Berlin wall to fall. The Soviet empire was collapsing. Gorbachev knew that, and he was working to reform it from within. What Reagan did that was right was to recognize that Gorbachev was different from the others. |
submissions
| The Police – Synchronicity II Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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To Stingfan: I was in college in 1983. The environment was definitely a hot topic. The big concerns were acid rain and nuclear fallout. It was only a few years after the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant incident. The prospect of nuclear war was also looming. One of the most-watched TV movies that year, The Day After, was about a nuclear holocaust.
As many have said before, the essence of Synchronicity is that the events that have no causal relationship, and are not taking place in the same place, but nonetheless, are somehow connected. That's why the Police repeat (over and over) the lines "many miles away". |
submissions
| The Bangles – Where Were You When I Needed You Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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This is fairly straight forward. The narrator once needed the other person and was rejected. Now, the other person comes and the narrator says "screw you".
It's originally a Grassroots song. The Bangles played it in '09 when I saw them last. |
submissions
| Nellie McKay – Cupcake Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Yes, it's a song in favor of gay marriage. Gertrude is Gertrude Stein. Truman could be Truman Capote, or it could even be Harry Truman, who desegregated the military back in 1948. |
submissions
| Nellie McKay – Sari Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Brilliant wordplay, and political message. The obvious part is that she's saying that she apologizes too much. I think she's also saying that liberals/Democrats (herself included) tend to apologize and whine too much. She's referring to Senator Wellstone, the late liberal senator from Minnesota, who died in a plane crash shortly before his re-election. The Democrats then ran former Vice President Mondale, who lost to Coleman.
The Janet Reno line isn't particularly political. I think what Nellie is saying is that even a strong woman, like Janet Reno, can't be in control if she's devoured by her id (emotions, desires). |
submissions
| The Carpenters – Goodbye To Love Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Richard actually wrote this beautiful song. In addition to Karen's soulful voice, this song has an amazing guitar solo by Tony Peluso. |
submissions
| The Carpenters – Rainy Days and Mondays Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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It's a remarkable song, but the beauty of the song comes largely from how Karen sings it. She's able to go seamlessly from a downbeat, matter-of-fact tone in the first verse to an almost-triumphant dynamic big finish, while capturing all the right notes. |
submissions
| Paul Simon – You're Kind Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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I'm wondering whether he left her because she's kind and he doesn't feel he deserves her kindness or that he left because they have nothing in common. Leaving because "I like to sleep with the window open
and you keep the window closed" is an excuse. |
submissions
| Paul Simon – Under African Skies Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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I think the Joseph in the song is indeed Joseph Shablala, who at this writing is very much alive. He certainly was full of energy when he performed with Simon when Simon was presented with the Gershwin award in 2007.
The child born in Tucson, Arizona is Linda Ronstadt, who accompanied Simon on this song, though it takes on new meaning after the shooting there 8 days ago.
It is one of Simon's most melodic songs. |
submissions
| Paul Simon – All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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The former talk show host could be Dick Cavet. Johnny Carson hadn't retired yet, but I could also see paul Simon looking into the future and thinking about Carson.
The song also echoes back to Cars Are Cars from Hearts and Bones, which suggested that we are more alike than we are different. |
submissions
| Paul Simon – American Tune Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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This is one of my favorite Paul Simon songs. In contrast to some opinions, I do think it is a hopeful song or at least ends on a hopeful note. To me the last line is saying that although we may not be forever blessed, tomorrow's another working day, we have to keep going on. I also love the juxtaposition of the Mayflower and the lunar landings. |
submissions
| Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Garfunkel did not add the "silver girl" verse. Roy Halee, the engineer, suggested that Simon should add a third verse. Garfunkel agreed. Simon wrote the third verse. The "silver girl" refers to Simon's first wife, Peggy Harper, finding a few gray hairs. |
submissions
| Dar Williams – Arrival Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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The song is about finding meaning in one's life and appreciating the little things. The narrator, who I'm sure is Dar herself, sees how her parents truly understand one another and are at peace with the world. She sees her friends, who know that they are lucky and blessed. Then she sees someone who has been struggling through a long night. At the break of dawn, with the garbage trucks bustling through their rounds, that person has a breakthrough: "this world can't be saved, only discovered". That means that we can't hold all of the world's problems on our shoulders, but keep an open eye out for what we can learn. |
submissions
| Dar Williams – Alleluia Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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The song was written in the 90s, but is about a "punk" kid who died in the '80s. Ron and nancy are the Reagans, who got "the (white) house" and Sid and Nancy refers to Sid Vicious and his nancy, who are the real heroes to that kid. The kid gets in an accident, and die. Instead of going to hell (where he expected to go), he winds up in heaven. I like how Dar saw the kid thinking that God was like a guidance counselor. |
submissions
| Don McLean – Superman's Ghost Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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It was written well after American Pie, sometime in the 80s. But yes, I think Don McLean was also thinking about himself as sometimes being trapped in a Superman (or American Pie) role.
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submissions
| Dar Williams – The Ocean Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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I think the song is about projection, and then disillusionment. The narrator projects her feelings, first onto the ocean, seeing it as a kindred spirit, a confidant. Then she sees the apparent uncaring malevolence of the ocean ("I've bludgeoned your sailors, I spit out their keepsakes"). Then, she comes to an epiphany - the ocean doesn't think ("I thought the ocean, the ocean thought nothing"), that it was all her projection.
She eagerly goes all to tell what she's learned to her friend, who lives by the ocean and who she thinks is a guy who has it all together. The guy sets her straight telling her about his utter loneliness and almost suicidal frustration. He says to her "you don't know how precious you are, walking around with your little shoes dangling".
Brilliant song on so many levels. |
submissions
| The Bangles – Eternal Flame Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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In the commentary to their DVD (Return to Bangloria), Susanna Hoffs says that she was inspired by a trip the Bangles took to Graceland. They saw what was called "the eternal flame", but it wasn't burning because it was raining, so the Bangles referred to it as "the semi-eternal flame". Susanna told that story to her songwriting partner and he said "eternal flame" would be a good name for a song.
Yes, it is powerful. I love the harmonies at the end. |
submissions
| The Bangles – Hazy Shade Of Winter Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Small note: Paul Simon wrote all of S&G's songs. Garfunkel only sung the songs, and did a little arranging.
The Bangles cut out part of the lyric. The original had a line, "Funny how my memory slips while looking over manuscripts/Of unpublished rhyme/ Drinking my vodka and lime." The Bangles restored that line in many of their more recent performances, including the one they recorded for their DVD. Aside from the wonderful angst, I think that missing line makes it clear that the narrator of the song is a frustrated writer or poet.
Interestingly for a song about getting old, Simon was about 27 when he wrote the song, and the Bangles weren't much older when they recorded it.
I like both versions. |
submissions
| The Bangles – If She Knew What She Wants Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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Jules Shear wrote and recorded the song (not Crenshaw). Originally, it was "If she knew what she wants, I'd be giving it to her". The Bangles changed it to ".. he'd be giving it to her" and altered the verse-bridge sequence. There's a version of Jules' version on youtube.
It's a brilliant song about a guy who is head-over-heels about a complicated woman that he doesn't understand. |
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