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.
There's great danger (danger)
For the loneliest ranger in town
No silver bullets (bullets)
Tonto's split the scene
Next week will solve your problems
But now
Fish fingers all in a line
The milk bottles stand empty
Stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
There's great danger
And most caped crusader of all
No cloak of justice
Robin's quit the scene
Next week will solve your problems
But now
Fish fingers all in a line
The milk bottles stand empty
Stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, why don't ya, don't ya, don't ya
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, why don't ya, don't ya, don't ya
(T.V.) stay glued to that and your T.V. set (T.V.)
For the loneliest ranger in town
No silver bullets (bullets)
Tonto's split the scene
Next week will solve your problems
But now
Fish fingers all in a line
The milk bottles stand empty
Stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
There's great danger
And most caped crusader of all
No cloak of justice
Robin's quit the scene
Next week will solve your problems
But now
Fish fingers all in a line
The milk bottles stand empty
Stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, oh
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, why don't ya, don't ya, don't ya
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.)
(T.V.) stay glued to your T.V. set (T.V.) oh, why don't ya, don't ya, don't ya
(T.V.) stay glued to that and your T.V. set (T.V.)
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
It's about people who live their lives through TV characters instead of going out and actually accomplishing what they want to accomplish. Living the life of comfort, dreaming about those who do great things, instead of putting yourself on the edge and doing great things.
I suspect that this song is about some sort of disaster, probably being covered up by the government and with minimal details being fed to nervous people with "fish fingers all in a line" and "glued to their tv sets" to get the details on whether or not they're going to survive...The title might be a reference to someone who might once have been an adventurous, self-sufficient sort of individual, but is now reliant upon external sources for information about such crucial details as whether or not he or she will even be able to survive ("milk bottles all stand empty", "next week will solve your problems")...Seems to be a statement about the incompetence of modern people and their dependance upon some authoritative information source to guide them throughout even their most basic aspects of daily life (especially in times of strife).
all i know is that wire had very intelligent lyrics. they always throw in unexpected big words and distinguish themselves from the dead-end street punk scene
I always saw this song as being a commentary on the economic decay of the pre-Thatcherite England of the early-seventies that the members of Wire would have grown up in, and the gloom and depair it brought down on everyone but the lucky - and greedy and exclusionary - so-called upper classes. England had fallen into economic ruin and it was no surprise that the anger and resentment that people felt toward government and institutions of leadership and authority (who were responsible for the mess) gave birth to punk, which as we know changed everything. Within the context of the song, which is bleak and depressing, people can't even afford milk ("the milk bottles stand empty") and all they can afford to eat is cheap, mass produced junk ("fish fingers all in a line") like fishsticks, as we call them here in North America. The big line for me in this song is "Next week will solve your problems," which speaks to the cycle of lethargy and hopelessness that so many are caught up in, unable to take action or regain control of their lives because the economic reality is so dire (skyrocketing unemployment for example) and so, they try to just not think about it; ie, put off looking for work until "next week" because there's nothing out there right now anyway. And I have always seen that line as being spoken by those same upper classes: Don't worry people, everything will be fine next week; for now, you just keep on watching TV; we'll handle everything out here. And meanwhile, they pilfer and destroy the country's economic support structures that were there to help people avoid circumstances like this in the first place. Great, great song. A big message song and all in less than a hundred words. As as per everything Wire, it is musically awesome. I have lost count of how many people I have turned on to the album 'Pink Flag.' Here's hoping I helped the lads pick up a royalty cheque or two over the years, help keep them in milk anyway. PS: Absolutely no clue why it is called Ex Lion Tamer.
@madoal I think you’re spot on man! “Fish fingers all in a line” referring to how you line up fish sticks on a baking sheet pan. Not a meal you have if you have money to spare. “The milk bottles stand empty” people used to get milk through a delivery service that would collect the empty milk bottles to be reused. This line is highlighting the fact that the normalcy of services we all come to expect during a healthy economy has slowed downed/stopped due to economic decline. As long as we stay tuned to our favorite heroes and their weekly programming and we continue pushing forward, things have to get better next week, or soon, right? This song is a brilliant time capsule of 70’s England and is as relevant today as it will be in 50 years. As long as conservatively principled politicians and economic recessions/depressions, due to gambling futures on stock markets, persist in disrupting societal conditions, this song will never lose it’s incredibly poignant value.
A song about TV heroes and the feeling of emptiness after a whole day spent watching TV. The 1st part makes reference to the cow boy character the Lone Rider & his pal Tonto.
It was originally a song about a lion tamer, but the guitarist rewrote everything he didn't like. Which was nearly everything.
A great song, I believe it to be about the imaginary scenarios found on TV and wasting a bunch of time watching it bringing you nowhere. "Stay glued to your TV set" definitely means get the hell out of the house for once.
I think realitsoldier has it right. It's about people who live vicariously through television and don't do anything in there really lives.
I may have a more radical understanding of this song but I agree with what someone else stated. I think in the lyrics he is making it very clear that someone is in danger and alone left to fend for themselves. I also get that this person is in need of information and not getting it. "For the loneliest ranger of all, No silver bullets, Tonto's split the scene." someone else like a trusty sidekick(Tonto/Robin or a parent/spouse) is no longer around. Something massive has happened , Perhaps a government cover up of a disaster, Perhaps anarchy is ready to take hold. There will be no easy fix "And all the milk bottles stand empty" the meaning behind this is that basic services have stopped- perhaps food supply is low and obataining basic things too dangerous "Next week will solve your problems, But now" maybe it's supposed to be Next week WE'LL as in We Will solve your problems, A reference to a government misinformation policy to convince people it will get better soon so "hold in there" "Fish fingers all in a line," I could be way off but i think he says "FIST FINGERS ALL IN LINE" as in the last line of defense is punching your way out of bad situation. * "Stay glued to your T.V. set" when your hold up alone in your apartment maybe your only warning will come by reading between the lines of of the only information you still have access to.
"Next week will solve your problems"...\nThe then fortnight dole giro cheque....\nCould it be...\nCould it be a song about a guy stuck in a bedsit, waiting for his next giro ... in the meantimes fish fingers are rationned. And milk bottles stand empty... \ntotal denuement! And loneliness\nFeel mike taming a lion? Need a drink or five?\nAnd the Tv heroes, Too, are deserted by their sidekicks....\nI guess there are many things to read between this song\'s lyrics....