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Imitation Of Life Lyrics
Charades pop skill
Water hyacinth.
Name by a poet
Imitation of life.
Like a koi in a frozen pond.
Like a goldfish in a bowl.
I don't want to hear you cry.
That sugar cane that tasted good.
That cinnamon, that's Hollywood.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see you try.
You want the greatest thing
The greatest thing since bread came sliced.
You've got it all
You've got it sized.
Like a Friday fashion show
Teenager freezing in the corner
Trying to look like you don't try.
That's sugar cane that tasted good.
That's cinnamon, that's Hollywood.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see you try.
No-one can see you cry.
That's sugar cane that tasted good.
That's freezing rain, that's what you could.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see you cry.
This sugar cane, this lemonade
This hurricane, I'm not afraid.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see me cry.
This lightning storm, this tidal wave
This avalanche, I'm not afraid.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see me cry.
That's sugar cane that tasted good.
That's who you are, that's what you could.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see you cry.
That's sugar cane that tasted good.
That's who you are, that's what you could.
Come on, come on.
No-one can see you cry
I agree with thenarrator. In fact, I think this song is very deep, with several underlying messages. The name of of the song itself, suggests a sort of facade of real life. I believe it is a commentary on society, and the people who desire to be rich and famous. "like a koi in a frozen pond/like a goldfish in a bowl", suggests a celebrity who is trapped in this public life, albeit miserable and wishing to get out. "I don't wanna hear you cry" shows this celebrities desperation for not being able to convince society that although he is famous, he is sad and has problems just as everyone else does.
"you want the greatest thing/the greatest thing since bread came sliced/you've got it all, you've got it sized." We don't realize that we are the ones who have it all, who have it "sized", for we are the ones being able to lead a normal life.
"like a friday fashion show teenager/freezing in the corner". He is giving an example of a famous teen model, trying to put on a mask of happiness. "trying to look like you don't try". Making it look like his life is a breeze.
"this lightning storm/this tidal wave/this avalanche, i'm not afraid." This gives us the idea of actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger who act like tough guys of unhuman strength in the movies, but in reality, are just like you and I...afraid.
Finally, the chorus, which is one of the best parts of the song, perfectly sums up its message. "that sugarcane that tasted good/that's cinnamon that's hollywood/c'mon c'mon no one can see you try". At first, for us who are outside, it seems that money and fame is all we could wish for. The second line is almost an ironic remark in response to the first line. It could also be said that the fact that the sugarcane "tasted" good, is suggesting that now that they have been celebrities and lived through the hype of it, they have become disillusioned. In a variation to the chorus, Stipe sings "that's freezing rain, that's what you could", making an analogy to how it feels to be a celebrity now that they have known it.
This song is amazing! It is almost a warning to the millions of people who only see happiness in glamour and wealth, overlooking the simple things of life. I'm sure this song is very personal to him. In one of the lines, he exchanges "no one can see you cry" for "me cry". This suggests t is definatelly a portrayal of how he must feel about the whole Hollywood thing. The melody of the song, and the way Stipe sings, especially the part "c'mon c'mon" gives a weird sense of desperation and hopelessness, as if Stipe was crying for help.
Michael Stipe once again proves his genius and talent, by composing a meaningful song so lyrically and musically unique. This is not only one of the best REM songs ever, but one of the greatest songs of music history.
I agree, I think it's about celebrity life. "that's sugarcane that tasted good that's cinnamon that's hollywood c'mon c'mon no one can see you try" That could mean all the temptations to live the life of a celebrity, like money and power, which appear sweet. "No one can see you try" may refer to the image celebrities like to create of effortless talent, which in reality is just a facade masking desperation and hard work put into becoming famous.
I agree, I think it's about celebrity life. "that's sugarcane that tasted good that's cinnamon that's hollywood c'mon c'mon no one can see you try" That could mean all the temptations to live the life of a celebrity, like money and power, which appear sweet. "No one can see you try" may refer to the image celebrities like to create of effortless talent, which in reality is just a facade masking desperation and hard work put into becoming famous.
I think when he exchanges the one "You cry" for "me cry," he's putting himself in the place of the average guys out there in the world, as if convincing the celebrity the song is written toward (probably himself), that the celebrity can live the average life, too, if they just stop trying so hard.
I think when he exchanges the one "You cry" for "me cry," he's putting himself in the place of the average guys out there in the world, as if convincing the celebrity the song is written toward (probably himself), that the celebrity can live the average life, too, if they just stop trying so hard.
Anybody seen the video for this? Its crazy.
lol yea it's buzzy ae
lol yea it's buzzy ae
Yea, I have the music video on mie comp. Dude, kewlest song like in a long time (best by REM). The music video was like less than 30 seconds of film, but they just zoomed in and focused on different parts/people/places, in both forward and reverse motion. Pretty trippy stuff, but yea, definitely dope. REM is dope foos. Yee
yeah one of the most weird and amazing videos ive ever seen, the music rocks too, i like it even if im not much of a 'pop lover'
This song is about fakers, and how hollow and empty their lives really are. The chorus lists things like that.....that seem sweet but really are of no real value or substance. when the music quiets and michael sings alone "this sugarcane this lemonade, this hurricane i'm not afraid....this lightning storm, this tidal wave" etc, that's the naked truth. Underneath it hurts to be fake and not know who you are outside of what you want others to see. It's too hard to keep up, and it's not real. it's only an imitation of life. can anyone see my point on this?
i will keep it short, i think this song is more of a satire on the people who try to fit in to a society, their desperate efforts to look "cool", and how hard they try to make it seem effortless to fit in.. Personally that's the message i seem to relate with this song.
The best REM song ever. It's basically just describing life. The verses describe the bad and the chorus says "Cry away your fears and I'll show you the goodness in the world." At least thats what I see.
@NtoTheDrk Where/when does anyone say "Cry away your fears and I'll show you the goodness in the world." ? Even listening annd looking carefully I don't find any trace of that.
@NtoTheDrk Where/when does anyone say "Cry away your fears and I'll show you the goodness in the world." ? Even listening annd looking carefully I don't find any trace of that.
Thats a lie and you know it.
i think ths song is more about reassuring someone that everyone has to work hard for stuff, and bad stuff happens no matter what you do. thts wht i think neway
o and i also think tht its saying you can't hide who you are.