This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Now that the sun has veiled its light
And bid the world good night;
To the soft bed my body I dispose,
But where were shall my soul repose?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
It's Myra Hindley on the cover,
Your very own sweet anti-mother.
There she is on the pages of The Star,
Ain't that just the place you wish you were?
Let her rot in hell is what you said,
Let her rot, let her starve, you'd see her dead.
Let her out but don't forget to tell you where she is,
The chance to screw her is a chance you wouldn't miss.
Let her suffer, give her pain is the verdict you gave,
You just can't wait to piss on her grave.
You pretend that you're horrified, make out that you care,
But really you wish that you had been there.
You say you can't bear the thought of what she did,
But you'd do it to her, you'd see her dead.
Tell me, what is the difference between her and you?
You say that you would kill her, well, what else would you do?
Don't you see that violence has no end? Isn't limited by rules?
Don't you see as angels preaching you're nothing but the fools?
Fools step in, where angels fear to tread,
You see, to kill others is the ethic of the dead.
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
That single mug shot from the past
Ensures your fantasy can last and last.
It gives you the chance to air your hate
Because she got there first, you were too late.
Hindleys' crime was to do what others think,
Took her anger and her prejudice and pushed it to the brink.
Then you goodly christian people, with your sickly mask of love,
Would tear that woman limb from limb, you'd never get enough.
So you keep the story alive,
So you can make yourselves believe,
That you are so much better than her.
But you aren't, that's YOUR GUILT laying there.
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
And bid the world good night;
To the soft bed my body I dispose,
But where were shall my soul repose?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
Mother? She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
It's Myra Hindley on the cover,
Your very own sweet anti-mother.
There she is on the pages of The Star,
Ain't that just the place you wish you were?
Let her rot in hell is what you said,
Let her rot, let her starve, you'd see her dead.
Let her out but don't forget to tell you where she is,
The chance to screw her is a chance you wouldn't miss.
Let her suffer, give her pain is the verdict you gave,
You just can't wait to piss on her grave.
You pretend that you're horrified, make out that you care,
But really you wish that you had been there.
You say you can't bear the thought of what she did,
But you'd do it to her, you'd see her dead.
Tell me, what is the difference between her and you?
You say that you would kill her, well, what else would you do?
Don't you see that violence has no end? Isn't limited by rules?
Don't you see as angels preaching you're nothing but the fools?
Fools step in, where angels fear to tread,
You see, to kill others is the ethic of the dead.
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
That single mug shot from the past
Ensures your fantasy can last and last.
It gives you the chance to air your hate
Because she got there first, you were too late.
Hindleys' crime was to do what others think,
Took her anger and her prejudice and pushed it to the brink.
Then you goodly christian people, with your sickly mask of love,
Would tear that woman limb from limb, you'd never get enough.
So you keep the story alive,
So you can make yourselves believe,
That you are so much better than her.
But you aren't, that's YOUR GUILT laying there.
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mommy is that you?
She's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?
Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother? Mother?
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
It's about Moors Murderer Myra Hindley and the hypocritical "good" and Christian papers that wrote about her.
Myra Hindley (from the first line of the verse) and her husband/boy friend Brady were partners in crime. They started off with little bank robberers, but they wanted more. So the set of to commit more crimes, together they killed and raped 4 people. This song, i believe is about those two. To find out more go to Wikipedia.com
from memory mother earth was also the name of an anarchist magazine from 1906 to 1917, whether or not it has anything to do with this song is another matter entirely, but considering crass's political views, i wouldnt be surprised if there was a relation somewhere.
It's about Moors Murderer Myra Hindley and the hypocritical "good" and Christian papers that wrote about her.
Not as good as Very Friendly, Throbbing Gristle's 18 minute industrial drone trundle about the Moors murders, but still a great song.
ndoc i have to agree fully.
This song is about the Moors Murders which Myra Hindley and her boyfriend were convicted for. i believe that all that yelling for his "mother" is meant to be representative of what the victims would be yelling as they were being killed or raped. Myra Hindley is the "anti-mother" because she killed children which is the opposite of what a "mother" does, gives birth.
"she's the anti-mother, mother, mother is that you?" this line tells that although the murders were an atrocity, christians wish the worst for her "let her rot, let her starve, you'd see her dead" an eye from an eye response to express/channel their hate which is guised under their christian identity. "then you goodly christian people,with your sickly mask of love, would tear that woman limb from limb, you'd never get enough" "she's the anti-mother, mother,mother is that you" so they're alike in that way that they could be compared.
I was at a concert last night, Andreas Scholl singing Purcell & Britten at Kings College chapel in Cambridge and I suddenly recognised some of the words Purcell set from my Crass listening! Here's the Purcell setting sung by Scholl on Spotify: open.spotify.com/track/6SJXxaYb129WnIpey2sZx5 (sadly the Crass track is not on Spotify for comparison). The poem is by the former Bishop of Lincoln, William Fuller (1608-1675). It reads ...
Now that the sun has veil'd his Light, And bid the World good Night; To the soft Bed my Body I dispose, But where shall my Soul repose? Dear God, even in thy Arms, and can there be Any so sweet Security? Then to thy Rest, O my Soul, and singing, praise The Mercy that prolongs thy Days. Hallelujah.