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.
Stand up
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Anymore
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self-sufficience please!
And get to work
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue-squad
Is too exhausted
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Anymore
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self-sufficience please!
And get to work
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue-squad
Is too exhausted
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Lyrics submitted by dank
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More Featured Meanings
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Punchline
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
System
Mel And Kim
Mel And Kim
Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.
When I first heard this song and especially after watching the music video, I couldn't help but not to be affected by it - going back a few years I went through a downward spiral of self harm and depression, eventually I managed to let go of most of my self-destructive qualities but much of the depression and loathing remained, leaving me metaphorically dead to my surroundings, sort of in a deep sleep - however someone close to me, continued to try to awaken me from this, which initially stung like hell (somewhat similar to the lyrics) and eventually leaving me with something I couldn't ignore - cold hard truth.
Added to say - the bomb in the video clip has the word 'Smiths' printed on the face of the clock - reminded me of The Smiths and the line 'if it's not love, then it's the bomb that will bring us together' probably unrelated but, eh maybe.
Peace & grease
She's telling someone to stop being so damn lazy.
i love "self sufficience please" and "your rescue squad is too exhausted" i think we all know someone who we can relate this song to ... and for that, thank you bjork. i dedicate this song to an old friend of mine, who would truly gain from this song, if she could understand it, and then actually her newfound knowledge to her life. i tried to help her over and over again, but she wouldn't help herself.
I KNEW THE SONG WAS ABOUT HER TALKING ABOUT HERSELF!! DAMN I'M GOOD!!
See for yourself, follow this link (bjork.com/facts/lyrics/) or read here:
According to bjork.com
Army of Me
SONG INFO
"It's probably the most realistic way of expressing what situation I'm in - all these people trying to take things away from me, and the gorilla finding a diamond that I don't know I have and then stealing it. 'Army of Me' is so much about me actually learning that I have to defend myself. I have to stand up and fight the fucking gorilla. Once I've got the diamond and I run away with it, it becomes massive 'cos it's mine. But if the gorilla had kept it, it would have gone really tiny. That's surrealism for me."
I can totally relate to this song, I can be shy and timid so you get to a certain point where you have to defend yourself- like at my job, family, etc...at least thats how I interpret it. sorry if I spoiled for you all...
@GrungyBeatle You've completely misunderstood the interview. The 'gorilla' is her lazyass brother. It's not about her.
@GrungyBeatle actually you can't ruin it for anyone. One of the great things about art is that it's always metaphorical even if it's created strictly autobiographically by the artist, it can mean whatever you need it to mean.<br /> I used to trip out on how I had my own versions of so many lyrics and songs but I see now how very telling my versions were. Depeche mode sings; "all of the firsts and the definite llasts".... Which I always heard as "the deafening laughs"...???? But it makes sense that I would hear that.At the time I had a very very abusive mother who, quite similar to 'Carrie's mom, would yell at me over and over again: "everybody's laughing at you everybody's laughing at you" and then she would say it in a different language again. Yep she was really f***** up in the head???? but I had my own sort of self therapy self-help therapy analyzing and coming to understand all these little things.... Not just song lyrics but I would have my own personal versions different memories of movies and stuff.<br /> ???? You know sometimes it seems like there was someone there all along, some Great Unseen Therapist. ????. And who knows, as the Great Kate Bush says, "we are born the miracle"...????????✌????
For some reason I think both the literal and ironic interpretations of this song are right. One the one hand it's saying that if you want to overcome an obstacle, just sitting there complaining will be no help - you have to put the effort in and be proactive to succeed. Yet at the same time, given Björk's history as an anarchist activist and critic of oppressive states, it could be read as a sarcastic attack on those who demand obedience while offering no support to those under their authority.
"if you complain once more.....your alright.......there is nothing wrong..." This makes me smile. We create our own problems. There is a solution to every problem.
Bjork:"It's actually written to a relative of mine who had been a bit out of order for a while. I'm not sure why I wrote it. Maybe I felt that Debut had been such a polite, shy album - there was a side of me that was so shy and such a beginner, I was very flattered when everyone loved Debut but also a bit confused because it wasn't really me. Maybe 'Army Of Me' was an attempt to balance it out."
her voice communicates this song (and all of her music) on a level nobody else can. great song, unique stuff, amazing amazing amazing video!!
sorry about the repeat comments. i dont know how to get rid of one of them.
Quit complaining and get on with your life, lest you invoke the speaker's wrath.