In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Oh, Banana Co.
We really love you, and we need you
And oh, Banana Co.
We'd really love to believe you
But everything's underground
We gotta dig it up somehow
Yeah, yeah
Oh, she said "No go"
She said she'd like to, she's seen you
And oh, Banana Co.
She knows if you die then we all do
And everything's underground
We've gotta dig it up somehow
Yeah, yeah
Everything's burning down
We gotta put it out somehow
Yeah, yeah
We really love you, and we need you
And oh, Banana Co.
We'd really love to believe you
But everything's underground
We gotta dig it up somehow
Yeah, yeah
Oh, she said "No go"
She said she'd like to, she's seen you
And oh, Banana Co.
She knows if you die then we all do
And everything's underground
We've gotta dig it up somehow
Yeah, yeah
Everything's burning down
We gotta put it out somehow
Yeah, yeah
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Read "One Hundred Years Of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. There is a corrupt company in the book called the Banana Company.
This song may be making references to the evolution theory. Banana Co. is a corrupt company that distributes the bananas, and we're the apes.
"Oh Banana co. We really love you and we need you And oh banana co. We'd really love to believe you"
What he's probably saying is that we think we're so civilized in our day and age with all of the communities we've developed and the way of life we've established. We're no longer hunting out on the plain, but instead getting all our goods from the grocery store. In the end, though, we're just animals, and our way of life is probably killing us. Our consumerism has distracted us from what life really is.
"And everything's underground We've gotta dig it up somehow Yeah yeah Everything's burning down We gotta put it out somehow Yeah yeah"
I don't know. It's just my 2 cents.
It actually has to do with this, as told by Radiohead themselves: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_massacre
anopheles has it - the song's about the Banana Company (aka United Fruit Company), a supremely corrupt company (with heavy ties to American politics and legislature) in South America that exploited the hell out of its workers, often killing hundreds of them, and then selling their innocent bundles of fruit to other countries. so, yeah.... this song i'm assuming is from a worker's perspective saying how he'd love to trust the company but as history has shown it shouldn't be trusted.
I agree with the South American banana trade idea. Though I think it can be extended beyond that. Banana co. may not be around anymore but Nike and the likes still are.
Oh she said "No go" She said she'd like to She's seen you But no, no go She knows if you die then we all do
Hmmm, the company may be exploting people but if it doesn't exist nor does the livlihood of both employees and comsumers. Bad pay and conditions is better than no pay. She says no go. A sympathiser to an extend but if the company dies so do the lives of the workers. One person vs many.
And everything's underground We've gotta dig it up somehow Yeah yeah Everything's burning down We gotta put it out somehow Yeah yeah
The situation is not widely understood, consumers are blissfully unaware. It's not sustainable but no solutions are being sought or presented.
my 2 pesos.
I agree with someone. Radiohead's songs are hard to disect! I'm thinkging Banana co. justs sounds cool and means something completely unrelated. Or it has no meaning. Some songs are like that.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_massacre it's about this, it happened in Colombia en 1928!
I've seen a live recording (youtube) and at the end Thom says "that was for Indonesia... (cough) and all the people who have money invested there."
That seems to agree with the corrupt company idea, but in Indonesia not S. America. Anyone know if they grow bananas in Indonesia?!
It's about this tragic real-life event: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_massacre
@curtis1015 OK, for whatever reason, this site blocks out wikipedia links. Just google "banana massacre" to find out more.
Anopheles has it right. This song was inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude. But this part of the book was based on facts. "La Masacre Bananera" occurred in the late 1920's in Cienaga Colombia, where the national army paid off by The United Fruit Company killed hundreds or thousands of banana workers. columbiapoliticalreview.com/diego.htm
"But everything is underground
We got to dig it up somehow"
Gabriel Garcia Marquez grew up hearing this story from so many people, so many times that it became almost a myth and the actual number of victims got lost somewhere in the oral tradition of the Colombian coast.
"She knows [Ursula] if you die then we all do"
The United Fruit Company got into the little Colombian town with promises of prosperity and wealth for its people. It became the center of all for this town, to the point that after The United Fruit Company left, the town was complete lost without a path to follow.
I'm a chiquita banana and I'm here to say, I am the best banana in the world today...etc etc