| Cake – Long Time Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This song is an allegory for the decline and fall of the American empire as seen through analogy as a relationship between two people that has since turned cold. It has, quite literally, been a "Long Time" since America has been at the top of her power. Evidence: 1. Pillbox hat - a reference to Jackie Kennedy's famous pillbox hats. The prototypical modern American woman, married to a young vibrant President of America at the height of her power. 2. Pontiac - obviously a reference to General Motors, which no longer makes Pontiacs. 3. "we tripped into this ditch" - a reference to the 2008 financial crisis, or is it? It hasn't been a "long time" since then. Perhaps CAKE is putting forth an idea that the "ditch" is in fact a problem we've had for a long time. 4. "drank the arsenic" - dual meanings here. First, "Arsenic and Old Lace" was a classic American movie, directed by Frank Capra (the quintessential American film director) and starring Cary Grant (the quintessential American film director). It also could refer to the arsenic of our own hubris and how it acts as a poison to economic and social progress. 5. "expensive French perfume" - refers to the anti-french sentiment running rampant since the bush administration's invasion of iraq. 6. "A long time since I've seen a sunny day" - Oh, I don't know, SMOG maybe? |
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