Alarm Call

Heh, this is one of those infuriatingly happy songs that makes you want to go hug trees and swim with dolphins and things like that.

The line about the buddist thing seems to me like shes saying i don't have to be a buddist to achieve enlightenment, i just look around at this pretty awesome planet with my unnatural optimism and everything is groovy! And she wants us to see it too.

Agreed with jesswa ;)

"I have walked this earth and watched people. I can be sincere and say I like them"

That's actually such a powerful statement. Makes it sound like she's got some misanthropes around her claiming the opposite. You know those "realistic ones" claiming the "truth" about our little rotten human hearts. Misanthropy isn't really about being aware of the facts as much as it's about not giving a damn. The strenght of this statement is that she doesn't have to lie about it. She's neither wrong or naive. She genuinely means what she says, and she's not scared to say it out loud :)

"I do believe in the power of music to change things. I do sometimes feel like I'm the only one left who believes that." -Björk

This song couldn't really be any better an example of that statement there.

Fantastic song, although I much prefer the album version.

Recently I was struck with a thought regarding the line: "Today has never happened, and it doesn't frighten me". In a very literal sense, this is possible. When somebody is awoken by an alarm it is usually the beginning of a new day, when nothing has happened to them yet. Opportunity abounds - which is basically is what the song is all about. Finding joy in the future, and making the most out of what you've got.

It's about changing the world and waking people up. I love it.

i dont think the buddhist line would be interpreted as racist, i mean im a buddhist and that line doesnt offend me at all, i think its funny which i think was the intention of the line. Plus buddhism teaches you don't have to be buddhist to be enlightened, so she's not saying anything offensive as far as we are concerned....

Love this song. Makes me want to just go out there and enjoy life. no matter how bad things may seem i think we all have that glimmer of hope somewhere deep down that things aren't all that bad and there is joy out there waiting to be experienced "you can't say no to hope". Have you ever sat on top of a mountain with a radio and good batteries and played a joyous tune? Try it (maybe a hill or cliff first) it can put things in perspective... THIS IS enlightenment!!! Racist my arse!?!

sorry '_' i'm just naive xx

Until I came to this website, I had no idea Buddhism was a race. College failed me. Google failed everyone else.

I read somewhere on Wikipedia that the Buddhist remark came from the fact that she didn't agree with their rules of reincarnation.

"... but I've been reading about reincarnation, and the Buddhists say we come back as animals and they refer to them as lesser beings. Well, animals aren't lesser beings, they're just like us. So I say fuck the Buddhists."

My interpretation is that all of these random thoughts are just flowing out of her head and it's a great departure, though somewhat out of place, from all of the other tracks on Homogenic.

Björk said that Homogenic was about a sort of doomsday, "Pluto" being the climax or the end. "Alarm Call" seems to be out of place, but I think that it's about the few who still have hope, up until the very end.