This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
[Chorus:]
Sister Psychic won't you tell me does it ever get better
Can you really see the future or just predict the weather
Are we in our finest hour or headed for disaster
Use your super powers and rescue me
We were there at the start we've got Polaroids to prove it
Skateboards and scars and embarrassing home movies
But if you really want to see where it's all going
Switch on your TV she's all telling, all knowing
She knows everything
Can you help us find the ones on the missing posters
Is my baby being true, am I doing what I'm supposed to
Could you help me find my keys or better yet life's meaning
Are those tarot or dialogue cards that you're reading
Come on
Tell me everything
Sister, why would I tell you my deepest, dark secrets
So you could take my diary and rip it all to pieces
Just $6.95 for the very fist minute
I think you've won the lottery that's my prediction
You know everything
Sister Psychic won't you tell me does it ever get better
Can you really see the future or just predict the weather
Are we in our finest hour or headed for disaster
Use your super powers and rescue me
We were there at the start we've got Polaroids to prove it
Skateboards and scars and embarrassing home movies
But if you really want to see where it's all going
Switch on your TV she's all telling, all knowing
She knows everything
Can you help us find the ones on the missing posters
Is my baby being true, am I doing what I'm supposed to
Could you help me find my keys or better yet life's meaning
Are those tarot or dialogue cards that you're reading
Come on
Tell me everything
Sister, why would I tell you my deepest, dark secrets
So you could take my diary and rip it all to pieces
Just $6.95 for the very fist minute
I think you've won the lottery that's my prediction
You know everything
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Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think this song is actually more about a bad relationship where the singer thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him than about Ms. Cleo. I believe it just uses Ms. Cleo as a theme.
"Sister Psychic won't you tell me does it ever get better Can you really see the future or just predict the weather"
This part fits the Ms. Cleo theme, of course, and sets the tone for the rest of the song.
"Are we in our finest hour or headed for disaster Use your super powers and rescue me"
This does, too, obviously, but instead of thinking the first line is something about a literal disaster, I think it's about his relationship.
"We were there at the start we've got Polaroids to prove it Skateboards and scars and embarrassing home movies"
Him and his girlfriend have pictures of their first time meeting, and perhaps they met at a skate park where neither of them knew how to skate, hence the scars and embarrassing movies.
"But if you really wanna see where it's all goin' Switch on your T.V. she's all tellin' all known' She knows everything"
Perhaps the singer decides to call Ms. Cleo or another phone psychic to see if he can fix his relationship.
"Can you help us find the ones on the missing posters Is my baby being true, am I doin' what I'm supposed to"
The singer is the one who is lost, in his relationship. He thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him (as expressed in the second line), and isn't sure if it's because of what he's doing.
"Could you help me find my keys or better yet lifes meaning Are those tarot or dialogue cards that you're reading C'mon tell me everything"
The singer possibly finds out that the phone pyschics are just a scam. They aren't predicting the future, and they can't answer anything simple, even "where are my keys". They are just reading dialogue, not tarot.
"Sister why would I tell you my deepest dark secrets So you could take my diary and rip it all to pieces"
The singer and his girlfriend get into an arguement - now he feels there is no point telling her all of the secrets in his life, because she will just make fun of him or use them against him.
"Just $6.95 for the very first minute I think you've won the lottery that's my prediction"
Perhaps the character divorces his wife/girlfriend, and she wins a lot of money in the court proceedings? Or maybe it's just another shot at Ms. Cleo for giggles, I'm not sure on this one.
Either way, this is just my take on the song. :)