The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
We favor the simple expression of the complex thought.
We are for the large shape, because it has the impact of the unequivocal.
We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth.
The artist was attempting to make art more than something to just look at,
they wanted it something to be involved in, something too big to ignore.
It is our function as artists to make the spectator to see the world our way,
not his way.
We are for the large shape, because it has the impact of the unequivocal.
We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth.
The artist was attempting to make art more than something to just look at,
they wanted it something to be involved in, something too big to ignore.
It is our function as artists to make the spectator to see the world our way,
not his way.
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Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
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Thursday
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.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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.
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.
I think this is from Mark Rothko and Adolph Gottlieb's manifesto on abstract art, which was apparently published in the new york times.
i think the commentary could be used to describe the purpose of graffiti and/or street art...
I see this as a criticism of a lot of recent art, stuff by and inspired by Jackson Pollack, it's quoting an opinion on abstract art, notably for Le Tigre in a man's voice (which sounds cartoonish, and almost ridiculous) and using the pronoun "him" alone at the end.
The simple sentences make the assertions seem simplistic, trite and absurd; "make art more than just something to look at", "destroy illusion and reveal truth", etc., and the last verse has a ring of the sinister with the emphasis on the word "not" in the phrase "not his way".
All this destroys both the effectiveness and the attractiveness of the "simple expression of the complex thought", in words and also in art which is just a huge wall of colour. It's a statement, and it was interesting once, but at this stage it's just obvious, we get it and could you please do something interesting?
Nope, these samples are from Marshall McLuhan's 'The Medium Is The Massage" records, check them out!
Acutally, I wastotally wrong. It's from Mark Rothko, Adolf Gottlieb, and Barnett Newman. see here -- members.aol.com/mindwebart4/page69.htm
It was a statement published by Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman (Abstract Expressionist artists) and Adolf Gottlieb (an art critic). <br /> <br /> <br /> Mark Rothko struggled to find a way to express emotion in painting, and finally came to the conclusion that the best way to do so was to eliminate form, which clouded the meanings of the work. He didn't want people to focus on titles or formal images, but wanted people to focus on the emotions one would get when looking at a work of art. Thus, simplicity destroys illusion and reveals truth, and "we favor the simple expression of the complex thought."<br /> <br /> Today, people take advantage of Abstract Expressionism. What the audience has to understand is that the history of art was always about achieving the perfect form a la Greek/Roman/Renaissance art. The study of anatomy, proportion, and perspective was always more important than subject matter. So Abstract Expressionist artists like Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Barnett Newman took a huge risk in eliminating forms in the 1950s. <br /> <br /> <br /> "It is our function as artists to make the spectator to see the world our way, not his way" is a big screw you to the conformists of art who believed art should be pretty and something that represents nature, or the real world. Because, obviously, that wasn't the point of Abstract Expressionism.
It was a statement published by Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman (Abstract Expressionist artists) and Adolf Gottlieb (an art critic).
Mark Rothko struggled to find a way to express emotion in painting, and finally came to the conclusion that the best way to do so was to eliminate form, which clouded the meanings of the work. He didn't want people to focus on titles or formal images, but wanted people to focus on the emotions one would get when looking at a work of art. Thus, simplicity destroys illusion and reveals truth, and "we favor the simple expression of the complex thought."
Today, people take advantage of Abstract Expressionism. What the audience has to understand is that the history of art was always about achieving the perfect form a la Greek/Roman/Renaissance art. The study of anatomy, proportion, and perspective was always more important than subject matter. So Abstract Expressionist artists like Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Barnett Newman took a huge risk in eliminating forms in the 1950s.
"It is our function as artists to make the spectator to see the world our way, not his way" is a big screw you to the conformists of art who believed art should be pretty and something that represents nature, or the real world. Because, obviously, that wasn't the point of Abstract Expressionism.