Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Why are you here?
Couldn't you tell him?
Were you afraid he'd hear?
You should have been thankful to be alone
You took off your shoes
Said anything further
Would be bad news
'Cause you'd already started to disappear
And he couldn't complain
Just looked at your lyric
And crossed over to play
A record of quiet instrumentals
Said I like what you wrote
This a record
full of sour notes
Should have been thankful to be alone
Said I like what you wrote
But don't say you mean it
When you know you don't
You should have been thankful to be alone, you know (x2)
You should have been thankful to be alone
Couldn't you tell him?
Were you afraid he'd hear?
You should have been thankful to be alone
You took off your shoes
Said anything further
Would be bad news
'Cause you'd already started to disappear
And he couldn't complain
Just looked at your lyric
And crossed over to play
A record of quiet instrumentals
Said I like what you wrote
This a record
full of sour notes
Should have been thankful to be alone
Said I like what you wrote
But don't say you mean it
When you know you don't
You should have been thankful to be alone, you know (x2)
You should have been thankful to be alone
Lyrics submitted by Da_Goat
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Techno Ted
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
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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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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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.
I have noticed that a lot of times in Elliott's writing, "you" and "I" both refer to himself, and "he or she" refer to others. He seems to switch back and forth between referring to himself as "you" as if he's talking to himself, or "I" for effect.
So my take on this song is that Elliott has gone to visit someone he never expected himself to visit, to show them his lyrics and get their response to his music. I think this person features heavily in his lyrics, that that by writing the songs he was able to "tell him" something that he was unable to say otherwise [Why are you here?; Couldn't you tell him?; Were you afraid he'd hear?]. He takes off his shoes, but not his coat, or anything else because that "Would be bad news" (because he was leaving soon [disappearing] anyway?) So the man looks at his lyrics, "couldn't complain" and went and put on a different record, importantly a record without lyrics, a record "of quiet instrumentals" (presumably by Antonios Carlos Jobim). The man lies and tells him he liked his lyrics, his music, his collection of sour notes (painfull moments?). Elliott knows it's a lie, the man knows it's a lie.
Knowing a little about Elliott's history, it's easy to think this is about him showing Roman Candle to his step-father, who did feature heavily in the lyrics of that album and it's B-sides. But who knows, and unlike the songs which actually mention his step-father by name (Some Song, No Confidence Man, Flowers for Charlie), I don't want to make too many assumptions in this case, but it makes sense to me.
My one question: Who should have been thankful to be alone, the man or Elliott?
Continuing your theory, it would be Elliott telling himself he should be thankful to be alone. It's really a tragic place that writers get into... it's a craft that requires isolation and which leads to greater isolation, as one grows and has powerful experiences which objectively distinguish oneself from "herd-members'." So the writer gets into a sort of trap whereby the only way he can really communicate to more socially-integrated-types is through his writing. Which raises the stakes and makes it so devastating and existential dread-inducing when someone important fails to get it.<br /> It's in the end, a stoic mantra or lie that Elliott tells himself: "Be thankful to be alone, to be on your lonely path of being Elliot Smith."
@freja i think he may be refering to not getting the response he wanted and now the feeling of a lack of confidence. Because he didnt get a response that was reassuring to him. And he almost regrets showing it to anyone. I feel he's talking to himself.